Doing This Will Improve Your Perspective

Understand finally exactly what you need to change in your drawings to have accurate perspective with this simple exercise. A fifteen minute investment which should fast track your perspective drawing development.

[@Coco-ne5ix]

You are absolutely correct about not seeing our mistakes. I take a photo of my reference next to my drawing when I’m finished. It’s not until I look at the photo that I can see mistakes and a need for more tone. The last one i liked but I knew something was off but couldn’t see it until I had looked at the photo comparison and measured the angles and looked at the horizontals.

[@stephentraversart]

Sometimes looking at a drawing video the next day can also help us to see with fresh eyes, or reversed in the mirror, or shrunk in a camera viewfinder.

[@cindylong2782]

Thanks, you are so helpful! I look at my work in mirror, upside down and take straight edge n measurements. Looking at my work in the mirror really helps me. I take photos of my work and I also ask others to tell me what they might see off. Sometimes i let portraits or special artwork sit a few days and then i can see my errors.

[@stephentraversart]

All good ideas Cindy. Yes, the first look the next day can reveal problems unseen the day before. Keep on your art journey. 😀

[@jjs5072]

Thank you. I struggle A LOT with perspective, so I'll definitely give this a go.

[@stephentraversart]

It’s a great way of targeting exactly where your perspective needs extra observation. All the best. 😀

[@efrainjesusuntiverospizzar4955]

Thanks for doing that vídeo it is useful and teaches

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Efrain. I hope you give it a go. 😀

[@thegamerguy8645]

Great video thanks sir

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks. Are you going to do the exercise?😀

[@ramonandramon]

You are amazing with any of the two drawings. Thanks for the explanation.

[@stephentraversart]

You’re very kind José but I hope you felt the second drawing still brought something to the impact of the drawing list in the first one. Are you going to do the exercise yourself?

[@ramonandramon]

@@stephentraversart yes I will do it. Greetings from Spain.

[@stephentraversart]

Y Saludos desde Australia 🇦🇺

[@eugenetswong]

Thanks. Yeah, the mistakes-drawing looked a little more 2D than the correct drawing, which looked more 3D.

[@stephentraversart]

That was the plan. Thanks 😀

[@hemapa2024]

Great video. You are a great teacher. So clear. I am grateful I found this video!!! Thank you.

[@stephentraversart]

Glad it was helpful! I have over 800 more if you’re interested 😀

[@johnellison3030]

One question Stephen. Are the verticles in the drawings curved. Or is it, as I suspect, the camera lens? Great video btw.

[@stephentraversart]

It’s because of lens distortion. Usually I draw it away, but not this time. 😀

[@charmainecarr1816]

❤

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Charmaine 😀

[@SandBox830]

Some of the great urban sketchers actually exaggerate the angles so the buildings look like a scene from the movie POPEYE...which I actually love. Being perfect is fine for folks that are presenting a rendering to a developer...but for sketching it doesn't need to be an engineering representation.

[@stephentraversart]

Absolutely. I follow artists on Instagram who do incredible perspective distortions to incredible effect. But I think the starting point of doing that is understanding how it actually affects what we see and being able to control it in our drawings. Then we can start to use it creatively if we want. 😀