The Secrets to Drawing: One Point Perspective

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This course features:
5 Hours of Instruction
28 Videos
26 eBooks
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Lesson Description

Space is explored further in this video through one point perspective. Concepts covered include horizon line, vanishing point, one point perspective.

Lesson Materials

White drawing paper, medium grade drawing pencil, ruler, eraser.

Lesson Resources

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Course Curriculum

Lesson 1: Introduction (5:03)Lesson 2: Line (14:25)Lesson 3: Shape (8:19)Lesson 4: Form (13:00)Lesson 5: Value (11:59)Lesson 6: Space (6:13)Lesson 7: One Point Perspective (12:58)Lesson 8: Two Point Perspective (12:13)Lesson 9: Three Point Perspective (10:27)Lesson 10: Basic Drawing Techniques (15:03)Lesson 11: Drawing From Life (9:01)Lesson 12: Drawing From Photos (15:25)Lesson 13: Composition (12:20)Lesson 14: Graphite (9:00)Lesson 15: Charcoal (10:32)Lesson 16: Ink (9:00)Lesson 17: Color (14:28)Lesson 18: Colored Pencils (11:56) Lesson 19: Oil Pastels (11:51)Lesson 20: Soft Pastels (11:21)Lesson 21: Facial Proportions (13:56)Lesson 22: The Eye (14:05)Lesson 23: The Nose and Mouth (12:24)Lesson 24: The Ear (4:51)Lesson 25: Hair (14:02)Lesson 26: Figure Drawing (20:00)Lesson 27: Foreshortening (12:54)Lesson 28: Conclusion (2:58)

Lesson Discussion

  8. Great video! It was easy to understand. One question, let’s say that all the trees are at the same distance (10 meters), how I know the correct position of each tree? Thanks!

  14. I am so glad I found you online. I really am learning a lot. This subject on perspective was amazing and very challenging. I got through it and learned very well. Thank you for sharing your talents and helping us to grow with Art.

    • Hi Lynda,

      All of the videos are set to play in High Definition by default. This can cause “skipping” or buffering if your internet connection isn’t super fast. You can turn off this feature by scrolling over the video embed and clicking on the “HD” icon. This will make the videos play much faster without much buffering.

  21. Hi Matt! Thank you for the amazing tutorials!
    I have question: how far should the second cube be placed? How do we determine the depth of the cube? Should all the sides be still equal? Or does it change in perspective?
    Thank you!

    • Hi Elena,

      You can place additional cubes wherever you would like them. If they are closer to the viewer, then they should be placed lower on the picture plane than the first. If they are farther away, then they should be placed higher on the picture plane. I hope this helps.

  26. Hi Matt – what about triangles/pyramides – how do we combine them with the cubes – is it up to me where I place the 3rd “arm” of the triangle (meaning the backline) – or do I simply draw a straight line to join the 2 bottom lines that are connected with the vanishing point which will show me where the 3rd arm of the triangle should be? I hope you understood my question 😉 and what about the different ypes of base they could have … 🙂 thanx in advance for your reply

  30. Super helpful, and very logical. However the question is how can one identify looking at a picture or a scenery if it has one, two or three perspectives. (Not second nature right now, hence asking if there is simple rule of thumb) Thank you Matt.

  35. This is easily the simplest and most effective demonstration of this concept I’ve seen in half a year of “online tutorials.” You are an excellent teacher, Matt, and these lessons are working for improving my skills and understanding. Thank you for your work in simplifying key concepts into easily digestible videos.

  37. Thanks so much! I am a semi-professional portrait artist who is self-taught. I am able to reproduce an image quite well and can play around with what I am seeing a bit. However, I never learned the fundamentals and thus struggle to experiment in my work the way I desire to. I have been struggling with finding a way to fill in the gaps of my knowledge and have even considered art school (despite the cost and the fact that I am already in grad school). These videos are literally an answer to prayer! I stumbled on them a few days ago and I am so impressed. Thank you for your clear instruction and thoughtful presentation.

  39. This is wonderful. I’ve read so much about this and got completely confused but with your video, I totally understand it right away. Thank you.

  40. Really good lesson. Worth noting that you will see the top of objects drawn below the horizon line and the bottom of objects drawn above the horizon line.

  42. Hello Matt
    I really appreciate your work and your passion for this courses. I want to ask a question. As far as I know, the videos can be downloaded. For some reason, though, I can’t download them. Can you tell me why? Thank you.

  44. I have literally Hundreds of art books. . . Several of them are on perspective drawing. You made it look simple enough for me to go get my paper, ruler, pencil, and eraser and get to work. . . I was amazed at how well it turned out! Thank You for giving me the confidence to TRY! ( I did this after completing the tutorial on the water glass in graphite on toned gray paper. THAT was the hardest drawing I have ever completed. I usually draw by grid method, but followed your directions and used my pencil to measure from the photo on the computer screen. Although it took all my spare time for two days, it was time joyfully spent GROWING! Growing in skills, Growing in confidence, and Growing in observation. . . Words can not express how grateful I am!!!!) Thank You! Thank You! THANK YOU!!!!!

  45. I was experimenting with the one-point-perspective method to attempt to make a drawing of a small space. After drawing a basic rectangle to represent a bar (without bar stools) and locating the vanishing point about center of the horizon or viewer’s eye line, I completed the second, smaller rectangle and connected the lines for a 3D representation of the rectangular “box”. It became obvious that if there was to be say a 3-foot wide space behind the bar and then another 2-foot counter behind that… the drawing was going to look extremely squished.
    This one-point method works great for sketches of large buildings and streets, etc. Is there some other method for interior spaces too small for a vanishing point? Thanks, Lee
    PS: So far I’m really enjoying the drawing course. Maybe I’m just getting ahead of myself?
    So far I’m really enjoying the course. Maybe I’m just getting ahead of myself

  46. Loved it . Love your accent 😁 I was able to stay focused which is a huge deal for me with my learning difficulties and I found that you’re explanations held my attention.
    I’m looking forward to alot more of your videos 👍

  47. These are great videos and show so much that I often go through them once to get the theme and then go back a second time to get the drawing part of it. One thing I would like though is if the introduction and phase out display and its music were not so much louder than the voice instruction on the video. I have to drop my sound bar setting from about 70-80 to 35-40 so as not to get overwhelmed by the volume of these parts of the video.

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