Note that parts four and five are included only in the Universal Edition.

Part Four: Conventional Theory

For those artists who studied perspective drawing before and found it hard, here you will find out why. This takes a very frank and honest look at the conventional subject of perspective drawing and painting, correcting and updating dozens of its basic flaws, glaring omissions and misconceptions perpetuated for centuries.

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

32. The Picture Plane – Considered "the foundation of perspective" for artists, the picture plane only describes the flat surface we work on. Picture plane theory in art has mostly just been an interesting exercise in the past used to fill in the void of genuine understanding for how perspective drawing and painting really worked. As it turns out, it is not actually one thing but has three separate meanings instead. Complicated notions about its relation to the artist and scene we are depicting are finally made clear, while its true, unsuspected effect on our art is brought into view.

33. The Vanishing Point – This is conventionally defined in art as, "that point at which parallel lines appear to converge into the distance."

Learn how every definition of vanishing point ever stated in art is wrong.

Once correctly understood, simple, never-before uses for it are brought into light.

34. The Horizon Line – The horizon line is that place where the earth and sky appear to meet. There is an old familiar perspective drawing and painting rule that "the horizon line is always at eye level." The correct reason for this behavior has finally been discovered and is spelled out here for the first time in art.

Arbitrary rules surrounding the horizon, perpetuated in most perspective drawing studies, are also dispelled regarding its "proper" placement in a picture.

Also explains any effects the curvature of the earth has on the horizon line.

35. The Cone of Vision – This topic basically involves the overall area we are able to see in a perspective drawing or painting. Several other concepts, though, have become entangled with it, making something more confusing than need be.

36. The Line of Sight – The line of sight can be generally summarized as, "the direction we are looking." Although that sounds quite simple, the line of sight in conventional perspective drawing and painting is not actually one thing, but has taken on at least seventeen different meanings, unbeknownst to most or all artists. These are distinguished and clarified from each other, valid or not.

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

Have a website, social networking page or blog? Link to us and share this resource with other artists.