The pupil as he advances in the study of perspective should have this rule firmly impressed on his mind: The lines drawn from the -point of station to the two vanishing points should always form a right angle (90°). (See Fig. 29.)
However the point of station is shifted, the angle remains the same. Thus, in Fig. 30, the point of station is moved to the left, but the angle referred to remains the same. For this reason, if the point of station is established and also one of the vanishing points, the other vanishing point will be at a point on the horizon touched by a line at right angles from a line drawn between the first two points mentioned. Thus, in Fig. 30, A is one vanishing point, and B the point of station; now, a line drawn at right angles from A to B touches the horizon line at C, and is therefore the proper spot for the second vanishing point.
Posts, Etc., in Relative Distances Apart – We determine the relative distances and widths of a series of houses, posts, windows, tiles or other objects in perspective in this manner. We will suppose that instead of one house, as seen in Fig. 30, we wish to draw five houses – four added to the left of the house mentioned.
Proceed thus: First copy Fig. 30, then describe a vertical line from the vanishing point at the left to a point where it meets a line drawn horizontally to the left from the point of station. From this meeting point, describe a line to the corner of the house at A.
Where this line intersects the base line at B is the place to project an upright line – the left side of the second house. A line from C in a similar manner gives the side for the third house at D; E to F, the fourth house, and G to H the fifth and last.
Perspective of a Mosaic Floor - Fig. 32 shows how a mosaic floor may easily be put into perspective with sufficient accuracy for illustrative purposes. The lines marked A are first extended to the vanishing point B; next, the line C is described. Lines D are now carried through wherever line C intersects lines A. The spaces thus formed may be again further divided as here suggested or in accordance with any other arrangement or design.
The “Horizon” the Most Important Line
The word “horizon” is used to denote where the earth apparently meets the sky. This is not to be taken literally, for one might be making a drawing in a cellar, or even in a coal mine, where, not alone would the sky be unseen, but be far above the level of the beholder. In such cases, the “horizon” would be the line level and opposite the artist’s station point; that is to say, at a line and level with the eye of the artist, no matter where he happened to be. If he were sitting down, instead of standing, his particular “horizon” would be lower than if he were making the drawing in a standing position.
Above all rules in perspective, the one to be ineradicably recorded on the mind more than all others is this: All receding lines above the horizon descend, and all lines below the horizon ascend to it.
In landscape drawing, to retain proportions in human figures that appear in the background, block out a figure in the near foreground and then project lines to the proper vanishing points from that figure. The figure in the first place must be made in proper proportions by comparison with some other object in the foreground. Then place the background figure in the space so projected.
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