technical notes and examples
WHAT IS ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE?
“A mathematical system for representing three-dimensional objects and space on a two-dimensional surface by means of intersecting lines that are drawn vertically and horizontally and that radiate from one point on a horizon line as perceived by a viewer in an arbitrarily fixed position.”
In other words, it's a technical method for creating the illusion of depth and three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface, like a drawing or painting. All shapes are shown radiating from a fixed vanishing point on the horizon line. One-point perspective can be applied to interior or exterior spaces.
“A mathematical system for representing three-dimensional objects and space on a two-dimensional surface by means of intersecting lines that are drawn vertically and horizontally and that radiate from one point on a horizon line as perceived by a viewer in an arbitrarily fixed position.”
In other words, it's a technical method for creating the illusion of depth and three-dimensional space on a two-dimensional surface, like a drawing or painting. All shapes are shown radiating from a fixed vanishing point on the horizon line. One-point perspective can be applied to interior or exterior spaces.
ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE IN ART HISTORY
The painters from the Italian Renaissance are often considered the founding fathers of one-point perspective. They strategically used the vanishing point by placing it in an area of the painting to which they wanted to draw attention. Since then it's been widely used throughout art history. Here are some examples:
ONE-POINT PERSPECTIVE IN THE REAL WORLD
It's all around us!
It's all around us!