HOME | DD

Description
Well, here it is, page one of my tutorial!

This shows the extremely basic views.

For this one, we must start from the upper left, and then move to the right.

The first view is of six sticks, seen from directly above. They are of the same size, equally spaced.

Next to it is a direct front view. Naturally, you can only see the nearest stick, since the others are blocked by it.

The next view is one that is in between the first two. Here, you see all six sticks, but from one end, at an angle. As a result, the near ones look bigger than the ones in the distance, and you'll also notice that the distant ones look closer together.

Now, right after that, we see two parallel lines, seen from directly above. They are, well, parallel.

But what's this? Next up are those two lines, seen from an angle, and now they seem to form a sort of "V," coming together in the distance- AND, they seem to be thicker when up close.

This, of course, is mere illusion in real life. Objects like those six sticks do NOT really get smaller the further away they are, and equally-spaced objects do NOT really get closer the further away they are.
Parallel lines of uniform thickness do not thicken or get skinnier, nor do they actually meet in the distance. It is merely subjective, an illusion- but vital, because without it, we'd have no depth perception.

In any artwork on any flat surface, be it paper, canvas, or computer screen, we are all just reproducing this illusion.

And so, here are a few helpful laws to remember- if you do, 60+% of it all becomes easier:

1) As an object is more and more distant, it looks smaller and smaller.

2) Equally-spaced objects, as they are further and further away, seem to be closer and closer together.

3) Parallel lines, seen from an angle, seem to converge (meet up) in the distance.

Starting on the second row, the first image combines the above, into a sort of flat train tracks. It merely obeys the three laws above- that's it.

But now, it's time to introduce something that is going to be central to this, the first tutorial- the SINGLE VANISHING POINT. This is where the image ultimately seems to go, where it vanishes.

For the next image, the third dimension will be brought in (an illusion on paper, but...). This is seen from above, so the "sides" cannot be seen. Notice how a flat, long triangle is made "3-D" by drawing the rectangle at the near end.

Last, and far from least, are several images, all coming from the same vanishing point. A couple are "solid colored," while the rest are "transparent," as if made from glass. Notice the difference, how the triangle/prism is made that way by drawing in another triangle? See how the transparent cube looks like a transparent cube by drawing in another square?

Erase the lines not involved in the shape you want, and it looks like a lone 3-D object. Notice which lines need to be erased for the "clear" and "solid colored" ones.

But, above all, notice how all corners connect to that SINGLE VANISHING POINT.

This simple page is the basis of all else here. Know it, and the rest merely builds up from it, piece by piece, like a building made of toy blocks.

And now- time to enter the realms opened up by the Single Vanishing Point.

Enjoy the trip!

Description
Well, here it is, page one of my tutorial!

This shows the extremely basic views.

For this one, we must start from the upper left, and then move to the right.

The first view is of six sticks, seen from directly above. They are of the same size, equally spaced.

Next to it is a direct front view. Naturally, you can only see the nearest stick, since the others are blocked by it.

The next view is one that is in between the first two. Here, you see all six sticks, but from one end, at an angle. As a result, the near ones look bigger than the ones in the distance, and you'll also notice that the distant ones look closer together.

Now, right after that, we see two parallel lines, seen from directly above. They are, well, parallel.

But what's this? Next up are those two lines, seen from an angle, and now they seem to form a sort of "V," coming together in the distance- AND, they seem to be thicker when up close.

This, of course, is mere illusion in real life. Objects like those six sticks do NOT really get smaller the further away they are, and equally-spaced objects do NOT really get closer the further away they are.
Parallel lines of uniform thickness do not thicken or get skinnier, nor do they actually meet in the distance. It is merely subjective, an illusion- but vital, because without it, we'd have no depth perception.

In any artwork on any flat surface, be it paper, canvas, or computer screen, we are all just reproducing this illusion.

And so, here are a few helpful laws to remember- if you do, 60+% of it all becomes easier:

1) As an object is more and more distant, it looks smaller and smaller.

2) Equally-spaced objects, as they are further and further away, seem to be closer and closer together.

3) Parallel lines, seen from an angle, seem to converge (meet up) in the distance.

Starting on the second row, the first image combines the above, into a sort of flat train tracks. It merely obeys the three laws above- that's it.

But now, it's time to introduce something that is going to be central to this, the first tutorial- the SINGLE VANISHING POINT. This is where the image ultimately seems to go, where it vanishes.

For the next image, the third dimension will be brought in (an illusion on paper, but...). This is seen from above, so the "sides" cannot be seen. Notice how a flat, long triangle is made "3-D" by drawing the rectangle at the near end.

Last, and far from least, are several images, all coming from the same vanishing point. A couple are "solid colored," while the rest are "transparent," as if made from glass. Notice the difference, how the triangle/prism is made that way by drawing in another triangle? See how the transparent cube looks like a transparent cube by drawing in another square?

Erase the lines not involved in the shape you want, and it looks like a lone 3-D object. Notice which lines need to be erased for the "clear" and "solid colored" ones.

But, above all, notice how all corners connect to that SINGLE VANISHING POINT.

This simple page is the basis of all else here. Know it, and the rest merely builds up from it, piece by piece, like a building made of toy blocks.

And now- time to enter the realms opened up by the Single Vanishing Point.

Enjoy the trip!