Fish Andy - Success in Art: Mastering Perspective

Masaccio (1401-1428)

We all want to get to the good stuff, and we all think we know more than we really do. Resist the temptation to skip ahead; instead, follow each lesson as written. Do them once; do them again. Do them until you are certain that you understand all the principles and rules of each chapter before you move on.

Dont skip the basics because you think you know them. Lets review and make sure you arent missing something essential in the easy lessons, because that will trip you up as you get further into the studies.

Trust me on this onethere has never been a better case of learning how to crawl before you can walk!

One of the key elements to the success of drawing is to ensure that your vanishing points are concise. Because they are called vanishing points, many artists draw them as a small dot (or point). The problem is that when you draw your vanishing point as a dot and then continually work with that same dot, tapping your pencil on that same starting point again and again, the dot will inadvertently grow as you workand that is very bad. If your vanishing point varies by even a millimeter, it can create an abstract line as you extend your perspective lines.

This book will explore a great deal, from simple to complex perspective, in simple step-by-step lessons. Well build up difficulty from one lesson to the next; follow me, and well try our best to have some fun along the way.

You need both the right environment and tools to create accurate perspective in your drawings. Its a precise art form, and spending a few minutes up front to prepare your materials and space will eliminate a lot of frustration.

Studio Space

A good studio space is a great investment. A complex illustration in perspective can take hours or even days to complete, so you want to have a comfortable place where you can leave the work for periods of time without having to pick everything up and put it away. It doesnt have to be an elaborate studio space (although thats a big plus); it can be as simple as a portable drawing board in a corner of a seldom-used room.

Drawing Board

It makes sense that you would need a comfortable chair and a solid drawing table or portable drawing board. The tabletop should be angled so that your work doesnt distort. Portable drawing boards allow you to work on a regular desktop. Your drawing area should be at least three times the size of whatever paper youre working on; often, vanishing points must be set well outside the art board.

Charles Dickens once wrote, When happiness shows up, give it a comfortable chair. Youll appreciate this sentiment when youre on hour 36 of your masterpiece. Buy the best one you can afford, and it will pay for itself in comfort.

It can be helpful to have a portable drawing board, as well as a computer or tablet nearby, so that you can switch between traditional and digital drawing, if necessary.

Erasers

I prefer the white or colored polymer erasers over the gummy erasers or pink erasers. These vinyl erasers are extremely effective, and they create far less mess.

Pencils

A sharp pencil. That might sound ridiculous, but a fine-point sharp pencil is very important because perspective requires precise lines. Working with a dull pencil will only lead to frustration. Traditional pencils are fine, but expect to do a lot of sharpening. Mechanical pencils are a great option, and there are several brands that automatically rotate the lead while you work to avoid a dull edge.

Use a lead of at least HB weight, or even better, a harder lead like a 2H or a 3H. Harder pencil lead will be less likely to smudge, and for perspective lines, youll want to apply a very light pressure to your line. Keep in mind that harder leads are also more difficult to erase.

A non-photo (or non-repro) blue pencil or pencil lead is a popular choice. This pencil creates a light blue line that is easier to eliminate when printing. Its also nice to build your perspective lines in non-photo blue to make your regular pencil lines more visible.