You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way to Learn to Draw in One Month or Less (48 page)

6. Secure a thin rubber band between each pushpin.

7. Whoala! You now have a totally flexible vanishing-point guide line. You can stretch this vanishing-point guide line to determine the correct two-point-perspective vanishing angle of any object in your drawing. Go ahead, experiment! Draw a vertical line anywhere on your paper.

8. Now, use your rubber band to line up the top of the building.

9. Now, use the rubber band to draw the bottom of the building.

10. To complete the drawing, add more vertical lines, shading, and detail. You have mastered yet another brilliant drawing using 3-D techniques!

Take a look at how these students practiced this lesson in their sketchbooks.

T
ake a look at the illustration on the previous page. Fantastic fun! This is a wonderful exercise for practicing a more advanced two-point-perspective challenge. I established practice as one of the ABCs of Successful Drawing because it is nearly impossible to learn and master a new skill without engaging in intense repetitive practice. Music, language, reading, sports, and, most definitely, drawing demand practice for a person to really understand and enjoy them.

1. Lightly draw your long horizon line, stretching across your entire paper. Draw your two vanishing points.

2. Draw four vertical lines to establish the near corners of four city buildings. Notice how I’ve drawn only two of the lines above and below the horizon line.

3. Begin with the building on the left. Lightly draw the vanishing-point guide line for the top of the building. Notice how the bottom of the building will be hidden beyond the horizon line; it will be beyond your eye level, hidden from your point of view.

4. Move over to the next building to the right. Lightly draw the vanishing-point guide lines for the top and bottom of this building.

 

5. Move over to the next building, and keep repeating this process, using vertical lines to complete these first buildings.

6. Using overlapping, draw this far right building tucking behind the closer building.