– OVERVIEW

  This exercise is best completed after watching the "Building a Box" and “1 Point vs 2 Point Building Boxes”  included in the "Perspective Course".When working in perspective, it's best to understand that “boxes” or “blocks” are essential to putting objects into a 3 dimensional space. Sometimes when working without perspective guidelines when creating illustrations, some objects may look a bit off. Now while perspective can be measured to the complete accuracy of architecture, we are going to keep it a bit simple. For this exercise, build 8 varied sized blocks that sit in a 3-dimensional space with 2-point perspective. The upper box is an example I have laid out, and if you wish draw in the perspective lines to see where I placed in my vanishing points. In the lower half of the exercise sheet, create your own scene with 8 blocks in 2 point perspective.Below is the practice worksheet that you can download! You can find this on the “Downloads” tab under the header image near the top of this exercise!

– TIPS

• Layers! Keeping your layers well labeled and colored will help work flow!
• Use perspective guidelines on layers below your line art. 
• If you need to, use different color lines for different boxes.
• Keep your lines clean, if using photoshop, you can click and hold shift down followed by another click to create a straight line. *The line may appear fading out if you have transfer / shape dynamics on in your brush settings

This exercise is the first step to building anything in perspective. It starts to build an understanding of spacial recognition along with the idea that all objects are made of simple forms. Perspective can be an extremely challenging subject but by taking simple steps we can start building cities, spaceships, and even characters in space.

– INSTRUCTOR NOTES -

  For this exercise, I wanted to create a view of step by step  block below the horizon line. The reasoning for only creating one block for this is less confusion for you guys, and it’s the same step I use for creating blocks.  A few quick things to keep in mind when creating the blocks. Using the line tool is preferred, but you can also use the method of click on the canvas, moving to a specific destination, and holding shift down and click to create a straight line. Keep in mind if you have “transfer” or “shape dynamics” turned on for your brush, this may create a faded line. For this exercise i recommend turning off transfer and shape dynamics so that way you get a nice solid clean black line.    Somethings to keep in mind when creating blocks:

• Blocks on the horizon line will not show the bottom or the top of the block.
• When placing a block above the horizon line you are looking at the bottom of the block. The opposite is for when looking down at an object, you see the top.

As far as process goes this isn’t super complicated, but it’s important to keep in mind that eventually you shouldn’t need to draw the vanishing point lines (seen in dark green in step 3) and when you grow as an artist you should try and draw just the edges of the boxes by eyeballing it. When you finish the exercise, remember to submit the result to the “Submissions” tab near the top of this exercise. You can see other submissions alongside your own!