How to Lesson & Freebie: Two Point Perspective Drawing

Drawing in perspective is a concept that seems to capture the attention of even the most hard to reach student. Perspective drawing is a technique that can make drawings look realistic and very three dimensional, something that many students feel is out of reach and past their ability level. So, when I tell my students that they can learn to draw in perspective if they know how to draw straight lines with a ruler, they look at me like I am the one not thinking straight. However, once I have shown them the basics and taught them the rules they are amazed at their own drawings, which is a great delight to me.

Perspective drawing is not only something for art class, however. It's a technique you can incorporate into other subject areas as well, such as history and math.

Historically perspective drawing became popular during the Renaissance when many artists such as Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci used this technique in their drawings and paintings. Even The Last Supper uses perspective. Learning a bit of perspective drawing in history class would be a natural fit.

Math is also used in perspective drawing. Students have to use parallel lines while drawing, drawing horizontal and vertical lines as well. Check out this website for great advice on using two point perspective drawing in a math lesson.

I also think that measuring angles would be an easy way to incorporate math into perspective drawing. The angles become smaller and smaller as lines come nearer to the vanishing points. Different parallelograms could also be studied as well.

Here are two lessons I have created that will make learning about and teaching perspective drawing easy. First up is a freebie, a basic how to draw boxes in two point perspective. This PowerPoint lesson will teach students basic steps they need to learn perspective drawing - and it's free!

Next is a great lesson for taking basic perspective drawing to the next level by creating a city block in two point perspective. This lesson takes students from start to finish and shows them how to add all details from their first building to windows and a sidewalk.

Enjoy these lessons - for history, art, math, or ???