Gaining Perspective ...

Last night we spent our time in class learning about 1 and 2 point perspective. It was simple - it was amazing. Suddenly the notion of drawing a complex scene was relegated to 'staying between the lines'. I mean, it just simplified everything to realize that working to a vanishing point ( or points ) gives your drawing boundaries within which you must work. Suddenly, everything has a place where it fits and it looks 'real' when you're done.

As part of the 'in class' work, we were asked to draw a lighthouse, with a keeper's house and outhouse. We were to choose our own vantage point, but we were required to use 2 points of perspective. We could place the elements of the scene wherever we wished. I was floored by how easy it was to place everything where it belonged and to draw what was for me, previously, a scene far too complex to even begin to contemplate as a subject for my own work.

Way cool.

I think my perspective on all of this may be changing a little ... in a positive direction.