Top Foreshortening Technique Correct Scale Every Time!

Do foreshortening problems spoil the scale of your drawings? Do your buildings look not quite right? This simple technique gives you accurate foreshortening measures every time. It may just cause all your scale problems to fall into place. Particularly important if you create buildings from your imagination.

[@7th_CAV_Trooper]

It's interesting that without the foreshortening of the windows, the wall actually looks curved.

[@stephentraversart]

Hmmm. That may not be the wall's fault! :)

[@michaelostrander3681]

The insights I've gained by watching your videos have literally transformed my work over the course of only a couple of weeks. I've been watching carefully and then applying what you're teaching by simply mimicking the exercises. My sketching wasn't terrible before, just sometimes seemed to be a bit off. After watching some of your lessons I now understand why. Thank you so much for the really fine work here.

[@stephentraversart]

What an immensely satisfying comment to read Michael. I’m so pleased for your drawing and that my videos have been so helpful. Thanks for telling me (and if you have friends who draw, please tell them as well). 😀

[@adamwee382]

I've seen so many videos on perspective and foreshortening but they never really made a lot of sense to me, until i watched your videos.

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Adam. A great comment for a teacher to hear v😀

[@davidsmith812]

This was SO helpful in helping me (us) w/ foreshortening. Thank you!!!

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks David. It’s an important part of perspective often overlooked. All the best with it in your drawing. 😀

[@Jonanation]

This was actually really helpful! I clicked on this video thinking I wouldn’t learn much new, given I already consider myself pretty alright with perspective. But I had really never heard of this method! I knew how to place objects correctly and foreshorten them, but I never knew there was a way to measure how many objects you put in a given space. I have no idea if any of what I said made sense, but point is I learned something new. Thanks a bunch!

[@stephentraversart]

Great to hear Jonathan. It is very helpful. Mostly I estimate foreshortening, but at times when it’s a bit tricky, this is really handy to know. All the best with your drawing. 😀

[@TokyoDynamite]

Thanks Stephen for all your videos. My favorite teacher on KZbin. With the weather getting better, I’ve been drawing buildings outside more. These videos help so much !

[@stephentraversart]

Lucky you Zach. Our weather is getting colder. Have fun with all that sketching. 😀

[@zepto5945]

I learned about the diagonal method on david finch's channel but I didn't get how it works exactly. Now I totally understand it. Very well explained.

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Zepto. Just what every teacher loves to hear. All the best with your drawing. 😀

[@lurych]

This method for drawing repeating pattern is described by Loomis in 3-dimensional drawing, is incredible. Wonderful and useful video by the way!

[@stephentraversart]

I’m not familiar with Loomis myself, but thanks for the reference. Thanks. Glad the video was helpful. 😀

[@jazzmusician46]

Thanks Stephen for your tutorial on perspective and foreshortening. You explained and demonstrated it very well.

[@stephentraversart]

No problem Graeme. And foreshortening applies to anything, not just buildings.

[@lisadamron8876]

This was so incredibly helpful. Is it weird to be in love with both art and math?

[@stephentraversart]

Not at all Lisa. Friends who are mathematicians tell me pure maths becomes more like art than maths the further into it you go. 😀

[@delphinewood7519]

Another brilliant tutorial. So well explained. Thank you!

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Delphine 😀

[@evijesyadrianisianipar983]

Thank you for giving me clearer ideas about how to make the line becomes neater!

[@stephentraversart]

My pleasure. Glad to have helped. 😀

[@nafisbernafas9073]

Thank you very much! I'm a new architecture student with no knowledge of proper drawing whatsoever and this helped me make sense of the more technical stuff!

[@stephentraversart]

That’s great to hear. Thanks for letting me know. 😀

[@eb6064]

Your videos are so helpful… thank you very much!!!

[@stephentraversart]

Always encouraging to hear this e b. Thanks. Please tell your friends. 😀

[@JuliaJohnstonPhotos]

So so so so helpful!! Thank you 🙏🏽

[@stephentraversart]

Glad to hear Julia. 😀

[@safiraborgart9504]

Thank you! Sooo helpful! 👏🏼

[@stephentraversart]

My pleasure Safira. Soooo pleased to hear it. 😀

[@jeromebonto8680]

Thank you Stephen. This is very helpful.

[@stephentraversart]

That’s greT to hear Jerome. Thanks 😀

[@Jay-ql4gp]

Thank you!

[@stephentraversart]

No problem 😀

[@heatherh3457]

Awesome! Thank you.

[@stephentraversart]

Appreciate that Heather. Thanks. 😀

[@puoslerrious]

thats great! so simple! looks perfect!

[@stephentraversart]

Thank you 😀

[@kausaru._]

Thank you, so much Stephen

[@stephentraversart]

My pleasure Naufal 😀

[@cocoke7095]

So Useful!!!! Thanks very much

[@stephentraversart]

Great to know Coco. Keep drawing!😀

[@nigelhill74]

Woah, I have never seen this technique for dividing up a surface. That is brilliant!!!!!

[@stephentraversart]

And it’s so simple Nigel. Mostly I just estimate foreshortening but when I need it to be more exact, this is great. 😀

[@nigelhill74]

@@stephentraversart yes, so simple. I studied industrial design and learnt advanced perspective construction techniques that allowed you to project details from a plan view on to a picture plane and then to the viewing station to work out spacing but it was tricky and I’ve forgotten it. I also know the technique of making one square in perspective and then copying it using a similar technique with diagonal lines. But this is so much easier. I usually estimate too though. Love your videos!

[@cdifffc1754]

Incredibly helpful

[@stephentraversart]

Glad you think so!😀

[@abdelkadirbenbia3777]

Thank you so much

[@stephentraversart]

You're most welcome😀

[@hendywijaya3213]

It's so helpful, thank you sir!

[@stephentraversart]

I’m very pleased about that. My pleasure 😀

[@Nma005]

Very well explained THANK U SIR✨

[@stephentraversart]

You're most welcome😀

[@Banoffeenyx]

SO HELPFUL!!!

[@stephentraversart]

That’s great Laura. Thanks 😀

[@blobofblutack]

Legend, thanks!

[@stephentraversart]

Thank you. 😀

[@reemara]

thank you for directing me to the link

[@stephentraversart]

I hope the video was helpful. 😀

[@creativeartworld935]

I love your art work sir

[@stephentraversart]

That’s very kind of you to say. Thanks. 😊

[@jerrygraves6531]

Great video

[@stephentraversart]

Great to hear Jerry. Thanks 😀

[@misakistalker3058]

read about perpective and i always get stuck and unable to understand the more advanced lessons, this one wall with windows is perfect, than you so much!

[@stephentraversart]

I’m really glad it worked for you Misaki. All the best using it in your drawings 😀

[@richardlowell2564]

Great technique, thanks. Very helpful as always. Is there any way to calculate how long to make the wall, proportional to walls that are at another angle? For example, if you are drawing a cube shaped building in two point perspective, you know both walls are the same length. How do you know where the walls end to be sure they are proportional to each other?

[@stephentraversart]

There is, but it’s more than a comment can manage. Perhaps I can make it a video. Stay tuned Richard. 😀

[@omniasabet6118]

Very helpful

[@stephentraversart]

That’s great to hear 😀

[@depressoespresso5904]

oh my goodness this is SO USEFUL tysmm!! where was tis video before i inked my project last nighttt?

[@stephentraversart]

It’s ready for your next project. All the best with it. 😀

[@SunShine-dk6rk]

Thank you for a great explanation,as a beginner its these kind of details that can make or break a piece of art in perspective,as always Best wishes to yourself,family,friends and fellow budding artists.

[@stephentraversart]

My pleasure. Always examine your drawings at the end. If something doesn’t seem quite right, work out why. It gives a very valuable focus on the next drawing. All the best. 😀

[@SunShine-dk6rk]

@@stephentraversart Thank you,will remember that.

[@WoodchuckNorris.8o]

I'm trying to design my house I want to build. Your videos are very helpful thank you

[@stephentraversart]

Oh dear. I hope it doesn’t fall down!🤣 Actually, I considered studying architecture when I was at school, so it’s nice To hear you say this. All the best with your plans. 😀

[@Tatokala]

Nice.🎉

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks 😀

[@kayj312]

this technique is insane

[@stephentraversart]

That’s crazy good!🤣

[@svenkamog2232]

Great video 👍 any tips on how to do this on a ground plane without the use of a vanishing point...

[@stephentraversart]

Once we know the principle, we can just estimate it. The half way point is always more than half way in the direction away from us the wall slopes, because the closer section will be ‘wider’ looking. The more sharply the wall slopes away from us, the further along the half way point will be. Does this help 😀

[@operationgladiolives]

stephen is the goat frfr

[@stephentraversart]

Haha! I had to look this up to see if it was good or bad!😆 Thanks dude. 👍

[@pellier08]

The 'wrong' drawing with the square window at the end looks like a round gallery. So would it work in that case? The Monet museum in Paris, l'Orangerie, looks very similar to that drawing.

[@stephentraversart]

On a round wall the shape of the wi does would change according to the angle we see them on. The more straight on we see them the closer to their real proportions they will look. 😀

[@caboose2406]

Hey, I was wondering what the reason is for making the eye level line on a bit of a diagonal instead of horizontally?

[@stephentraversart]

Eye level should always be horizontal. Did I draw one a bit crooked? Sometimes if the camera is not square on to the paper the lines can look as though they slant, but it can also be a line that simply wandered a bit. 😀

[@caboose2406]

@@stephentraversart ahhhh gotcha gotcha 👌! I've been going through your videos for the past month or so, and I had seen where you differentiated eye level from horizontal lines and when I saw this I was thinking "did I muss something .o.??" Lol. So when practicing these foreshortening methods, keep the eye level horizontal. Awesome! Also, thank you so much for all the videos! I've been looking through so man channels and yours is by far one of my favorites! You cover so many unspoken areas!

[@druwaahbadu7019]

do you have any tips on how to draw man figures?

[@stephentraversart]

I have a few videos on drawing figures for streetscapes, but I don’t see figures as a strength area. 🫣

[@anymii6045]

Cylinder has circle maybe that's why tis hard to find the perspective

[@stephentraversart]

Yes. 😀

[@syikinathasolah2324]

Idk why but to me the first one look as if its uhh somehow bit curved to mee or it aint?

[@stephentraversart]

Not sure what you mean I’m afraid. 🫣

[@berenicerafferty7770]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@stephentraversart]

😀😀😀

[@benjaminrobinson7203]

I have seen the face of God and it was beautiful.

[@stephentraversart]

Me too, but it certainly wasn’t in one of my videos!😉

[@victorsecardin8261]

c pas ouf

[@Shahd-zm1dp]

Very helpful

[@stephentraversart]

Glad you think so!

[@judihopewell2499]

Very helpful

[@stephentraversart]

Great to hear. Thanks Judi 😀