Perspective: horizon, vanishing points and characters in a scene

The horizon line

1. Step 1It's your eye level

   The horizon line is always at the viewer's eye level, whether or not the real line between sky and ground can be seen.

2. Step 2Above or below

   What is below the horizon is seen from above; what is above it is seen from below. A table shows its top, a ceiling shows its underside.

3. Step 3One height, one feeling

   Low horizon: the scene feels big and imposing. High horizon: we look down on the scene and the characters feel small.

4. Step 4Draw it first

   Before even the first character, place the horizon. Everything else in the panel is organized around it.

One and two vanishing points

1. Step 1One vanishing point

   Put a point on the horizon. Every line going into the depth converges toward it: a corridor, a road, rails. Perfect for a scene seen from the front.

2. Step 2Two vanishing points

   Put two points far apart on the horizon. Each side of a box runs toward one of them, and verticals stay vertical. It is the three-quarter view of a building.

3. Step 3Points far from the drawing

   Vanishing points too close together warp everything. Don't hesitate to put them outside the sheet.

Placing characters in a scene

1. Step 1The horizon crosses everyone at the same place

   If the camera is at a person's height, the horizon goes through the eyes of every standing character, near or far. Only their size changes.

2. Step 2Farther, higher and smaller

   A character farther away has their feet higher on the page, closer to the horizon, and is smaller.

3. Step 3Feet on the ground

   Draw the ground around the feet, even roughly: a shadow or a line is enough to keep a character from floating.

High and low angles

When the camera looks up or down, verticals are no longer parallel: they run to a third point. It is the angle of fights and towering heroes.

1. Step 1The third point

   Put it far above the panel for a low angle, far below it for a high angle. The verticals of buildings and bodies converge on it.

2. Step 2Low angle: power

   Seen from below, the feet are big, the head small, the chin and the underside of the nose visible. The character towers over the reader.

3. Step 3High angle: vulnerability

   Seen from above, the head and shoulders are big and the legs get shorter. We see the top of the skull and the ground around the character.

4. Step 4Build with boxes

   First draw the rib cage and pelvis as boxes in this perspective: the rest of the body follows.

The coach's tips

• Take a photo of your room and trace the floor and ceiling lines over it: you'll see where the vanishing points are.
• Use a ruler for perspective lines at first: freehand will come later.
• You don't need a full background: a floor, a wall and a door are enough to set a scene.
• If something looks off, extend its lines: the one that doesn't go to the right point is the culprit.
• In the app, look at characters seen from above or below and find where their verticals would go.

Practice right now

Once the lesson is read, draw this exercise: it takes about 15 minutes.