GSD 1112

LANDSCAPE P E R S P E C T I VE REFRESHER
Teaching Fellow : Richard Kennedy
TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE : BASICS
Topics: 1 horizon line
Two-Point Perspective, Depth, and Accuracy
Introduction: Two-Point Proportion Method and Perspectival Montage vanishing pt. vanishing pt.

Perspective Worksheets 2
horizon line

3 Draw a vertical line below the HL, be sure to leave

Two-point Perspective : Measuring Point Method some space between the top of the vertical line (vl) and
the HL. The VL does not have to be in the middle.

Synopsis vp vp
hl
Two-point perspectives differ from one-point perspectives in their use of a second

vanishing point. They also differ in another way: two-point perspectives never vl

have horizontal lines. All lines except verticals are drawn to a vanishing point.
Their are many ways to draw two-points, the best methods being ones we can
4 a. Draw a straight line from the top of the VL to
easily remember and apply to the design process with relative quickness. We will each VP.

study the measuring point method of setting up a two-point perspective. vp

hl
vp

a. a.

Terms
b b
Ground line (GL): The ground line is primarily used as a measuring line. It is the
intersection between the ground plane and the picture plane. The ground plane is
b. Draw a straight line from the bottom of the VL
often confused with the ground line. The ground plane is the horizontal reference to each VP.

from which vertical measurements are taken.

s line of 5 Draw two more vertical lines, one on each side of
Picture Plane (PP): The transparent plane perpendicular to the observer the first vertical line.
vp vp
sight. In practice, the picture plane is the drawing surface in which the perspective
hl

is executed.
Horizon Line (HL): A horizontal line within the picture plane at the same height
as the eye of the observer.
Vanishing Point (VP): A vanishing point is a point on the Horizon Line where all
horizontal, parallel lines appear to be converging. Two-point perspectives have 6 Draw two more lines, one from each VP to the top
of the new VL on the far side of the central vertical
two VPs on the Horizon Line. line.
vp vp

Station Point (SP): This is the position of the observer. It is also the place to
hl

measure the cone of vision.

Cone of Vision: This should not exceed 60 degrees in plan view. Trying to draw
a perspective greater than this will cause distortion toward the edges of the
drawing.
7 Erase all the guide lines outside of your box.

vp vp

Exercises
hl

1. Creating a two-point perspective skeleton using measuring point method.

2. Locating and scaling all of the elements accurately in the two-point perspective.
GSD 1112
LANDSCAPE P E R S P E C T I VE REFRESHER
Teaching Fellow : Richard Kennedy
TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE : BASICS

Perspective Drawing Hints 1 horizon line

1. Practice quickly setting up your perspective with variable locations of the

vanishing pt. vanishing pt.

horizon line, vanishing point, and station point. Even slight shifts in the 2
horizon line

location of each can produce a dramatically different perspective. The

3 Draw a vertical line below the HL, be sure to leave
some space between the top of the vertical line (vl) and
goal is to become facile with manipulating designs within the Picture the HL. The VL does not have to be in the middle.
Plane, using the perspective as a design tool. This requires that you vp vp
hl
become fluent in moving around and drawing in a variety of perspectival

organizations. Learn to quickly critique what it is you want seen and/or vl

studied.
2. Remember to use clear crisp lines. Twirling a continually sharpened
4 a. Draw a straight line from the top of the VL to
pencil as you draw helps a great deal in the clarity of design intent in the each VP.

perspective drawing. vp vp

hl

Two-point Proportion Method : Perspectival Montage

a. a.

Synopsis b b

The two-point proportion method differs from the measuring point method in that
b. Draw a straight line from the bottom of the VL
the drawing will not begin and end in itself. This method utilizes techniques of to each VP.

collage and montage to assemble images/materials from varied origins. The

5 Draw two more vertical lines, one on each side of
resulting perspective, however, may not convey depth in the same way that the the first vertical line.
vp vp
classical two-point perspective does.
hl

The perspectival montage is a composite drawing made by coordinating

heterogeneous photographic elements into a cohesive composition. An important
condition to note is that photographic materials already have embedded
vanishing points (depth), horizon lines and heights, and scales of proportion built 6 Draw two more lines, one from each VP to the top
of the new VL on the far side of the central vertical
into them. Building perspectival representations of your design projects from line.
vp vp
such materials requires careful scrutiny of their perspectival content.
hl

General Criteria
1. Distinct Ground Plane
2. Seamless flow of montage materials within image
7 Erase all the guide lines outside of your box.
3. General accuracy of perspectival space throughout the Picture Plane.
vp vp

hl
 WORKSHEET 1
LOCATING THE PICTURE PLANE TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE : BASICS

As the picture plane is moved further from the station point in relation to the object(s), the 1 horizon line
vanishing points move further off the picture plane.
vanishing pt. vanishing pt.
horizon line
pp 2

pp 3 Draw a vertical line below the HL, be sure to leave

some space between the top of the vertical line (vl) and
pp the HL. The VL does not have to be in the middle.

vp vp
pp hl

sp sp sp sp
vl

hl
4 a. Draw a straight line from the top of the VL to
each VP.
gl
vp vp

hl

a. a.

b b

b. Draw a straight line from the bottom of the VL

to each VP.

ESTABLISHING PICTURE PLANE FROM CONE OF VISION 5 Draw two more vertical lines, one on each side of
the first vertical line.
vp vp
pp

hl

cv

hl vp vp (45d) vp

6 Draw two more lines, one from each VP to the top

of the new VL on the far side of the central vertical
line.
vp vp

hl

Note the grids distortion outside the cone of vision

7 Erase all the guide lines outside of your box.

vp vp

hl
WORKSHEET 2
TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE FROM PLAN TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE : BASICS

step 1 1 horizon line

Draw a horizon line parallel to the picture plane. Draw a parallel ground line just below the
horizon line. From the station point, draw lines parallel to the sides of the object until they vanishing pt. vanishing pt.
strike the picture plan (these lines should have a 90 degree angle between them). Drop lines horizon line
2
down to the horizin line to establish the two vanishing points.

3 Draw a vertical line below the HL, be sure to leave

some space between the top of the vertical line (vl) and
the HL. The VL does not have to be in the middle.

vp vp
object in plan hl

vl

pp

4 a. Draw a straight line from the top of the VL to

each VP.
90d
vp vp

hl

sp
hl vp vp a. a.

b b
gl

b. Draw a straight line from the bottom of the VL

to each VP.

step 2
Draw a vertical line from the corner of the object that touches the picture plane down to the 5 Draw two more vertical lines, one on each side of
ground line. Draw connecting lines from this point to the two vanishing points. Draw lines from the first vertical line.
the station point to the left and right corners of the plan. Where these lines intersect the picture vp vp
hl
plane, draw vertical lines down to those that extend to the vanishing points.

The back planes can be drawn by connecting the left and right side intersections to the
vanishing points.

object in plan

6 Draw two more lines, one from each VP to the top

of the new VL on the far side of the central vertical
pp line.
vp vp

hl

sp
hl vp vp

7 Erase all the guide lines outside of your box.

vp vp
gl

hl
 WORKSHEET 3A
TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE FROM PLAN : MEASURING POINT TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE : BASICS

step 1 1 horizon line

Set up the point of view and establish the vanishing points with lines parallel to the plans
rotation. This example has the plan rotated at 30-60 degrees with the point of view to the vanishing pt. vanishing pt.
right of the plan. horizon line
2

3 Draw a vertical line below the HL, be sure to leave

some space between the top of the vertical line (vl) and
the HL. The VL does not have to be in the middle.
plan
vp vp

hl

pp + hl vp 30d 60d vp

vl

gl
4 a. Draw a straight line from the top of the VL to
each VP.
sp
vp vp

step 2
hl

Now estabish your measuring points. To find a measuring point (mp), first measure the
distance from the left vanishing point to the station point with a compass. Mark this a. a.

distance with the compass on the horizon line (hl). This mark will be the measuring point
for the left vanishing point.
b b

b. Draw a straight line from the bottom of the VL

to each VP.
plan

5 Draw two more vertical lines, one on each side of

pp + hl vp mp vp
the first vertical line.
vp vp

hl

gl

sp

step 3
Repeat step2 for the right vanishing point. Mark this distance with the compass on the 6 Draw two more lines, one from each VP to the top
horizon line (hl). This mark will be the measuring point for the right vanishing point. of the new VL on the far side of the central vertical
line.
vp vp

hl

plan

pp + hl vp mp mp vp

7 Erase all the guide lines outside of your box.

vp vp
hl
gl

sp
 WORKSHEET 3B
TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE FROM PLAN : MEASURING POINT TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE : BASICS

step 4 1 horizon line

Draw a vertical line from where the corner of the plan intersects the picture plan down
to the ground line. Mark this line as 0 (zero) and mark off both the left and right sides vanishing pt. vanishing pt.
in equal units. It may become necessary to extend the ground line and units beyond the horizon line
2
drawing frame.

3 Draw a vertical line below the HL, be sure to leave

some space between the top of the vertical line (vl) and
the HL. The VL does not have to be in the middle.
plan
vp vp

hl

pp + hl vp mp mp vp

vl

gl
4 a. Draw a straight line from the top of the VL to
13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
each VP.
sp

vp vp

step 5
hl

Draw lines from point 0 to the vanishing points. These lines can be marked to scale by
connecting a point on the ground line scale to its appropriate measuring point ( the left a. a.

scale uses the right measuring point and the left scale uses the right measuring point.
b b

b. Draw a straight line from the bottom of the VL

plan to each VP.

pp + hl vp mp mp vp 5 Draw two more vertical lines, one on each side of

the first vertical line.
vp vp
hl
8

gl
13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
sp

step 6
Repeat step5 for the right scale. The points where these lines intersect the vanishing 6 Draw two more lines, one from each VP to the top
point lines will become the start of a measured grid. of the new VL on the far side of the central vertical
line.
vp vp

hl

plan

pp + hl vp mp mp vp

8 7 Erase all the guide lines outside of your box.

+
+ vp vp
gl
hl

13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
sp
 WORKSHEET 3C
TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE FROM PLAN : MEASURING POINT

step 7
Connect these receding line points to their respective vanishing points. Draw in the diagonal for the grid scale to
establish the 45-degree vanishing point. The 45-degree vanishing point is helpful in checking and extending the
grid system.

plan

pp + hl vp mp 45d mp vp

gl

13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
sp

step 8
Draw additional receding lines to the measuring point from the left ground scale. When these points are extended to
the their vanishing points the perspective grid begins to form.

plan

pp + hl vp mp mp vp

8
6
4
2
gl

13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
sp

 WORKSHEET 3D
TWO-POINT PERSPECTIVE FROM PLAN : MEASURING POINT

step 9
Connect the receding lines from the right grid to their respective vanishing points. An 8 x 8 grid is formed.

plan

pp + hl vp mp mp vp

8
6
8
6 4
4
2

gl 2

13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
sp

step 10
Draw a vertical measuring line from point 0 at the same scale as the ground line scale. The points of this vertical scale
can be transferred to any point over the base grid by connecting a given point to its correct vanishing point. In this
example, the 8 height has been connected to the left vanishing point.

By transferring the points on the vertical measuring line to other vertial lines on the grid, vertical grids can be easily
drawn across the picture plane. The entire 3-dimensional space of the perspective can be gridded with this method.

10
plan
9
8 8
pp + hl vp mp 7 mp vp
6

5
4
3 8
6
8
6 2 4
4
2
2 1
gl

13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
sp