The Basics of Perspective

Posted by Jo Murphy Dec 25, 2007

Day One of the five-day workshop is simple. The story board for “The Funniest New Years Resolution Ever” will be uncomplicated. “The Basics of Perspective;” is a short two hour lesson focused on “What goes back in space gets smaller and darker.”

1. Read these pages from this drawing course about the idea of simple perspective.
2. Go to Steps to Drawing a Cylinder Shapes are flat and forms are three-dimensional. This is an example of a graded step through exercise where a rectangle ‘morphs’ to a cylinder. When the viewer looks at an object that is not flat, she can see several sides of the object.
3. A cartoonist can also place something inside the container. This cat is inside a can. Where there is overlap, the can has been erased so that it looks like the cat has its arm hanging over the side. Ask co inquirers to think up captions like: “I don’t want to get canned in 2008.”
4. Three dimensionality is important for cartooning. Experiment with the concept of vanishing points and of “Point Perspective.”
5. Explore why “points of view” are important when creating a background scene.
6. On Andrew Diec’s Website browse the different types of perspective. Show these samples to the class.
7. It would not be wise to encourage beginners to try to draw more than one or two point perspective.
8. On the first day keep the exercises simple and ask only that the participants draw a fun coke can or cat in a can.
9. Stimulate interest and an understanding that comic strips are usually set in an environment.

This is the first day of a five-day workshop. On Day Five artists will be ready to create a comic strip called “The Funniest New Years Resolution Ever.”