How to Draw One-point Perspective

Learning one-point perspective is the first step to drawing three-dimensional shapes and landscapes. Using perspective gives your drawings depth, making them more realistic. The reason it is called one-point perspective is because objects in these pictures vanish on one point on the page. This point is called the vanishing point. When objects approach the vanishing point, they appear farther away. Here is how to determine where you should put a vanishing point, how to create it, and how to use it to create one-point perspective drawings.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper
• Pencil
• Ruler

Creating a Vanishing Point

1. Draw a straight line from one corner of the paper to the other.

2. Draw another line from the opposite corner to the other.

3. The center of this 'X' is your vanishing point.

4. 
    
   Example of vanishing point and horizon line

   Draw a straight, horizontal line across your paper that intersects with your vanishing point. This is your horizon line. It marks the horizon in the picture. The 'X' is called orthogonal lines.

Using the Vanshing Point to Draw a Door

5. 
    
   Example one

   Use your ruler to draw a straight line on the right side of the paper in between the two orthogonal lines, as shown in the illustrated example.

6. 
    
   Example two

   Use your ruler to draw a line from the top of the line to the vanishing point. This line will be the top of your door.

7. 
    
   Example three

   Use your ruler to draw a line from the bottom of the line to the vanishing point. This will be the bottom of your door. Connect these two lines with another line.

8. Erase the orthogonal lines to see your door in perspective. This technique can be used to draw any object in one-point perspective.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice by drawing windows, roads and buildings in one-perspective.

Resources

• One-point perspective demo