How to Draw a 2D Perspective of a Waterfall

Waterfalls often represent cleansing, renewal or rebirth.

Typically, waterfalls are pictures in a way that places their flowing water front and center. This creates a flat image of a waterfall in which rocks surrounding the waterfall seem to sit on the same plane as the flowing water. If you want to create a more complex, realistic image, draw the waterfall using 2-D perspective, often known as 2-point perspective. Two-point perspective involves placing two vanishing points along the horizon line so that the image appears to shrink as it reaches the vanishing points.

Things You'll Need

• Ruler

Instructions

1. Place a ruler against the paper horizontally. Draw a horizontal line on the paper using a pencil. The line should be slightly above the middle of the paper. Draw dots to represent the vanishing points. The right vanishing point should rest along the horizontal line, near the right edge of the paper. The left dot should rest along the horizon line on the left edge of the paper.

2. Draw the vertical line that represents the right edge of the flowing water. Draw this line in the center of the paper and give it a slight outward curve. Place the ruler at the top of this line and connect the ruler to the right vanishing point. Draw a light line. Draw a similar line on the left side of the paper.

3. Add the left vertical line of the waterfall. This line should sit toward the left of the center line and its tip should rest along the line that connects the center line and the vanishing point. Add curving vertical lines to the inside of the waterfall to represent the flow of the water.

4. Draw the pool of water at the bottom of the waterfall. The pool of water should extend from just behind the waterfall, moving forward and outward. At the place where the waterfall meets the pool, draw small bubbles that represent mist.

5. Add cliffs to the waterfall. Draw a jagged line from the right edge of the waterfall towards the vanishing point. Add rocks to the cliffs by drawing rounded shapes with jagged edges. and add cliffs to the left side.

6. Color the waterfall so that the flowing water and mist are very light blue. Color the pool a darker blue and color the cliffs gray. Erase the horizon line and vanishing points and add sky and background to the image.

References

• Drago Arts: How to Draw a Waterfall
• BluePrint Archetecture: 2-Point Perspective
• Jim Saw Design and Competition: 2D Design Notes: 2D Perspective