Get Better at Perspective Drawing: Beginning with the Basics - using Affinity Designer

If you’re someone who has ever struggled with creating accurate perspective, or found it difficult to portray a strong sense of depth within your artwork, or have ever been bothered by the distorted shapes that often occur using standard perspective methods - I believe the insights, skills, and techniques shared in this class will be very helpful to you.

I discovered I really needed to have a much better understanding of perspective while taking an anatomy drawing class online. Turns out, good proportion, solid shape language, and accurate foreshortening all require a pretty decent knowledge of perspective - which pretty much encompasses any type artwork out there. 

As I thought about it, I realized that I had always struggled to create shapes in perspective. Finding the information I needed to get better at perspective was not easy. Most of the information I found in books and online seemed to be intended for the intuitive artist - someone who already draws what they see in their mind. I needed a more mechanical approach - a method that provides a process for achieving accurate perspective. 

I researched many methods for drawing in perspective over the course of several months. I was only gaining small bits of knowledge about how to create objects in perspective while I was becoming increasingly aware; as long as command of perspective eluded me, it would prevent me from being a capable artist. I became obsessed with the idea a process based method had to exist somewhere.

It wasn’t until I discovered technical illustration techniques which then led me to older art instruction books before I found any truly useful information. My rosetta stone ended up being an obscure, but filled-to-the-brim, website put together by Bruce MacEvoy whose passion for art, tireless research, and insightful essays have motivated me to share the results of my own explorations.

This class is a systematic approach to understanding and utilizing perspective.

If you’re not sure when to use  1 , 2 , or 3 point perspective. Or, you’re frustrated with the distortion that commonly occurs when using the pervasive perspective methods available. Or, you’ve ever found yourself wanting to reproduce accurate size and distance - this class will certainly help you.

I will be working in Affinity Designer, a great vector drawing program currently available on Mac; and soon to be available on Windows. A free demo can be downloaded here. I will be reviewing the tools and workflows necessary for this class in Affinity Designer, but all of these concepts apply to most other drawing software, as well as, pencil and paper.

This is class is designed to be the first in a complete perspective drawing course. My roadmap for future classes includes: 

• Drawing in 2 & 3 Point Perspective 
• Setting up your perspective drawings for maximum impact 
• Creating Accurate Cast Shadows and Reflections, 
• Axonometric Drawing (isometric, dimetric, trimetric)

After the ‘basics’ classes are completed, I will create additional stand alone drawing projects to showcase perspective drawing techniques in action.  

The class materials (provided with the class project) include:

• Source Files for all of the examples used in class
• PDF with Illustrations presented during class
• Reference List

Please join me on an illuminating journey toward understanding, controlling, and using perspective - better.

*Update - I've posted two sample lessons from the class on Vimeo.

• Types of Perspective
• Exploring the COV Rig

• Introduction
• Before Getting Started...
• Types of Perspective
• COV Rig Demonstration
• Creating the COV Rig
• The Horizon Line
• Exploring the COV Rig
• Perfect Cubes in 1PP
• Floor Grid/Measuring in Perspective
• Pt. 1: Auto-Magical Shapes & Measures
• Pt. 2: Auto-Magical Shapes & Measures
• Pt. 3: Auto-Magical Shapes & Measures
• Project: A 'Not-So-Humble' Cube
• Conclusion: What's Next