Hiya how do you do perspective for environments/backgrounds so nicely?? I understand the basics of perspective but even then I can never seem to get the stuff right. If I try to be super meticulous about the lines matching up then the page gets messy with lines and I don't know what's what anymore. If not it just looks horrible. I also have trouble deciding how long an object should be after being turned. Do you have any tips? Your stuff is awesome and keep up the good work!
Thanks for the compliments!!
I know it’s not an easy, hard-and-fast fix, but just practicing and pumping out drawings even if they aren’t perfect is a really good way to develop your skill. Spend time trying to get each one as accurate as you can, but things like perspective come from presenting yourself with lots of different scenarios and objects, rather than perfecting it in one specific composition.
It’s different for every artist, and even then, every piece, but perspective doesn’t need to be perfect, it really just needs to be good enough.
ex.) I think I remember starting the sketch of this by making a blank wall, then adding the shelves, the couch, and then all the little details. Unless it’s brand new architecture, things are very rarely in a natural 90 degree angle! so it’s ok if it shifts a little, as long as it overall looks believable.
Instead of drawing a line from one edge of your object to a vanishing point for every object in your piece, try just establishing a horizon line and a general vanishing area. Instead of relying on the lines and guides, try just guessing.
perspective is a tool not a rule!!!
(ex. this line is above the horizon line, with a line underneath, so it should be a little bit steeper) it’s hard at first (and rigid perspective is a great way to be familiar with the trends!) but it helps placement come more naturally to you, rather than a rigid process.
I also recommend doing a couple life studies! Draw a hallway in your house or a building and follow how perspective works. Photos are great! but some cameras have a more extreme depth of field than how our eyes may process a scene. Practice both extreme perspective, and also observe subtle perspective, when the vanishing point is MUCH farther off the paper. this might help you a bit with how deep forms should be.
ex.) this was done from my old living room! Note that even with the vanishing point in the center, the wall is far away from it, so the furniture doesn’t appear to be stretched to infinity. This was done by hand without a ruler, and while I was trying for accuracy I didn’t try to overwork the page! it’s ok if it isn’t exact.
also use other techniques such as atmospheric perspective, color and line use, distribution of detail, composition, etc. to push depth! Emphasizing perspective isn’t the only way to show depth, nor does it have to carry the weight of creating depth alone.
note the color palette change from the foreground to the mid ground to the background! and how the brush strokes get smaller as the objects get further away. again, perspective is a useful thing, but it’s not going to sell every piece.
I can’t emphasize practicing enough!! Refine what you can out of each piece, but move on when you feel like you’ve worked enough on it. Try out different compostions, horizon lines, fields of view, and different levels of technical rigidness to what you’re doing!!
I realized that Trafalgar Law’s birthday is tomorrow, so I decided to wish all the Law blogs that I follow, and that have been active in the past 6 months, a happy birthday, and give them an icecream cake. Before I forget to do it.
One of them, however, doesn’t seem to have an inbox that I can access on an ipad, so I’m tagging them in this post.
