perspective

ARCHITECTURAL

3-Point Perspective

MODULE 03 PART 02

T-ARCH 122/T-ARCHL122
ARCHITECTURAL VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS 3:
GRAPHICS 2
AR. MICHAEL FAELNAR-LUGA, UAP
WHAT IS AN
ARCHITECTURAL
THREE POINT
PERSPECTIVE?
The biggest difference in three-
point perspective is that there are
three vanishing points (VPs). Two
are along the horizon, just like
two-point, but the third VP is
located either above the horizon (at
the zenith) or below the horizon
(the nadir), depending on the area
you intend to draw.
The Third Vanishing Point
determines the type of Perspective
view produced.
When the The Third Vanishing Point
is placed on top of the horizon line,
the image become trancuated or
you will create an image, object or
structure that tapers on the top.
We call this type of Perspective,
WORM’S EYE VIEW
Here’s another example of a
WORM’S EYE VIEW
This type of WORM’S EYE VIEW
Perspective made use of One Point
projection.
If the Third Vanishing Point is
paced under the Horizon Line, this
Perspective project view is called,
BIRD’S EYE VIEW or AERIAL
PERSPECTIVE
Remember that in basic one-point perspective, lines
are either vertical, horizontal or recede toward the
vanishing point. In two-point, lines are either
horizontal or recede toward one of the two vanishing
points. In three-point perspective all lines recede
toward one of the three vanishing points.

The three vanishing points make up a triangle, with

the viewer’s center of vision roughly in the middle.
Steps in cretaing your
Three-Point Perspective
To draw a simple shape in three-point perspective, start just as you
would in rwo-point perspective, with a horizon line and two vanishing
points as close to the edge of your page as possible. Only this time,
rather than in the middle, place the horizon line close to the top of
your page if the viewer will be looking down, or the bottom of your
page if the viewer will be looking up.

Then, as far from the horizon as possible, place a third vanishing

point. It can fall anywhere between the horizon vanishing points,
though closer to the middle is better for our purposes.

Then, draw lines connecting the three VPs.

Note: This triangle is very important.

In order to avoid distortion, you must
try to keep your drawing within this
triangle. Anything outside the triangle
won’t look right, but everything inside
should appear normal. The two
sh a p e s b e lo w a re th e sa m e b o x
drawn inside and outside the triangle.
NOTE:
This triangle is very important. In order to
avoid distortion, you must try to keep your
drawing within this triangle. Anything
outside the triangle won’t look right, but
everything inside should appear normal. The
two shapes below are the same box drawn
inside and outside the triangle.
STEP 02:
To begin, draw a line anywhere you’d
like within the triangle toward VP3. It
doesn’t have to be vertical. You can
make this line any length as well. It
can end before it reaches VP3 so
long as it will end up there if
extended.
STEP 03:
Draw lines from both ends of this
line toward both of the horizon VPs,
just as you would in a two-point
perspective drawing.
STEP 04:

To determine where your shape

ends in space, draw lines from VP3
through both sets of lines receding
toward the two horizon VPs.
STEP 05:
Draw lines from the back corners
toward the opposite horizon VPs
and you’ve completed a simple
shape in three-point perspective.
You can erase any construction
lines as needed.
STEP 06:
From there, it’s easy to explore
making more complicated shapes,
so long as you remember that all
lines should recede toward one of
the three VPs.
Tip: By constructing your vanishing
points outside your picture plane, you
can easily avoid the problem of
accidentally drawing outside the
triangle.

There are a few ways to do this:

You can tape down your paper to keep it

stationary, then place pieces of tape on
your work surface outside of your
paper to locate your VPs.
Or you can keep your VPs on the page,
place a rectangle within the triangle
and only draw within that rectangle.
Later, you can crop your image to the
size of this smaller rectangle.