PERSPECTIVE DRAWING
Perspective drawing is a drawing technique used to illustrate
dimension through a flat surface. It is an approximate
representation of a three-dimensional object on a flat surface
as it is seen by the eye.
The two most characteristic features of perspective are that
objects are drawn:
I. Smaller as their distance from the observer increases
II. Foreshortened: the size of an object's dimensions along
the line of sight are relatively shorter than dimensions across
the line of sight.
There are many forms used under perspective drawing such
as, one perspective, two-point perspective, three-point
perspective, four-point perspective, five-point perspective,
bird’s eye view, worm’s eye view and others.
ONE POINT
A linear perspective in which all
parallel lines meet at a single
point on the horizon.
Therefore one establishes the
flat side of the object, then
makes all the receding lines to
meet at a single vanishing point.
TWO POINT
A graphical technique in which a
three-dimensional object is
represented in two- dimensions
and in which parallel lines in two
of its dimensions are shown to
converge towards two vanishing
THREE-POINT
Linear perspective in which
parallel lines along the width of
an object meet at two separate
points on the horizon and
vertical lines on the object
meet at a point on the
FOUR POINT
Four-point perspective, also called infinite-point perspective, is the
curvilinear variant of two-point perspective.
As the result when made into an infinite point version), a four point
perspective image becomes a panorama that can go to a 360
degree view and beyond – when going beyond the 360 degree view
the artist might depict an "impossible" room as the artist might
depict something new when it's supposed to show part of what
already exists within those 360 degrees.
This elongated frame can be used both horizontally and vertically
and when used vertically can be described as an image that depicts
both a worm's- and bird's-eye view of a scene at the same time.
Like all other foreshortened variants of perspective (respectively
one- to six-point perspective), it starts off with a horizon line,
followed by four equally spaced vanishing points to delineate four
vertical lines.
The vanishing points made to create the curvilinear orthogonals are
thus made ad hoc on the four vertical lines placed on the opposite
side of the horizon line. The only dimension not foreshortened in
this type of perspective is the rectilinear and parallel lines
perpendicular to the horizon line – similar to the vertical lines used
in two-point perspective.
FIVE-POINT
A curvilinear perspective
with its vanishing points
are mapped into a circle
such that four vanishing
points are at the cardinal
headings i.e. n, w, s, e and
one at the circle origin.
METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION
Several methods of constructing perspectives exist,
including:
Freehand sketching (common in art)
Graphically constructing (once common in architecture)
Using a perspective grid
Computing a perspective transform (common in 3D
computer applications)
Mimicry using tools such as a proportional divider
(sometimes called a (variscaler)
LIMITATIONS
i. Only three sides of a component are shown.
ii. No feature is a true proportion. They are not drawn to a
constant scale.
iii. Sectioned perspective drawings are often confusing.
iv. Sometimes a hidden outline is shown which can be
confusing.
v. Dimensions are often difficult to show.
It is due to these disadvantages that engineering
drawings are rarely drawn in perspective projection.