How to Draw a Person in Perspective

Although it appears complicated and advanced, using perspective to draw people is just a matter of learning the basic geometric forms of human anatomy in proportion, learning one and two point perspective, then combining the two skills. Drawings of people in perspective are more dynamic and dramatic than drawings of people seen straight-on because of the increased illusion of depth, which entices viewers into the picture.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Eraser

Instructions

1. Practice drawing people from a front viewpoint to become familiar with standard human proportions and anatomy. Break down the different aspects of the human body into geometric shapes, such as cylinders for the upper and lower arms and legs, vertical rectangles for the upper torso and a cube for the pelvis and hips.

2. Set up a page for a drawing in one point perspective. Draw an "X" with a ruler, with each line starting from one corner of a piece of paper and extending to the opposite corner. These are the orthogonal, or convergence, lines connecting the points at the edges of an image to the central vanishing point, located where the two lines meet. The vanishing point is the point to which objects recede visually. Draw a horizontal line across the paper that intersects with the vanishing point. This line is the horizon line, the viewer's eye level.

3. Draw a cube in one point perspective. Draw a square in the bottom triangle created by the orthogonal lines. Draw a line from the top left corner of the square to the vanishing point with a ruler. Draw a second line from the top right corner of the square to the vanishing point. Draw a third line parallel to the top of the square and the horizon line. Erase the lines surrounding the cube. Practice drawing other basic shapes in one point perspective.

4. Set up a page for drawing in two point perspective. Two point perspective uses two vanishing points. Draw a horizon line across a piece of paper with a ruler. Draw a short vertical line bisecting the left side of the horizon line. This is the first vanishing point. Draw a second short vertical line bisecting the right side of the horizon line. This is the second vanishing point.

5. Draw a cube in two point perspective. Draw a vertical line below the horizon line between the two vanishing points. Draw diagonal lines connecting the top and bottom of the vertical line to the right and left vanishing points. Draw a vertical line parallel to the first vertical line to the left side of the line from the top diagonal line to the bottom diagonal line that connects to the vanishing point. Draw a second vertical line on the right side of the first vertical line. These are the two sides of the cube. Draw a diagonal line connecting the top of the vertical line on the right to the vanishing point on the left. Draw a diagonal line connecting the top of the vertical line on the left to the vanishing point on the right. This is the top of the cube. Erase the lines surrounding the cube. Practice drawing other basic shapes in two point perspective.

6. Combine one and two point perspective drawing skills to draw people in perspective. Set up the guidelines for one or two point perspective on a piece of paper. Draw the basic geometric shapes of a human being in perspective using the technique of following orthogonal lines toward a vanishing point. Erase the guidelines surrounding the drawing of a person after completing the basic geometric shapes. Soften the figure and add details such as muscles, facial features, hair and clothing. Erase the geometric shapes underneath the finished drawing.

Tips & Warnings

• Draw the perspective lines lightly to facilitate erasing when finished with the drawing.

References

• Evansville University Drawing Lab: Perspective Applied to the Figure
• Bridgewater University: Design Resources: Drawing Techniques
• Evansville University: Art Studio Chalkboard: Introduction to Linear Perspective