How to draw A Box in Two-Point Perspective

How to draw A Box in Two-Point Perspective

What you need

• Drawing paper Cartridge or sketch paper with a little tooth.
• Blue pencil A light blue col-erase pencil, or a very light HB.
• Graphite pencils HB and 2B; a 4B or 6B for the darkest darks.
• Kneaded eraser Press and lift; pinch it to a point for highlights.
• Sharpener A sharp point makes cleaner hatching.

Step by step

1. 
   01

   Placement

   Horizon and vanishing points

   Draw the horizon, your eye level, across the page, and mark a vanishing point near each edge. Every level edge aims at one.

2. 
   02

   Big shapes

   The nearest edge

   Draw the corner nearest you as one vertical line. Then run lines from its top and bottom back to each vanishing point.

3. 
   03

   Construction

   The far verticals

   Decide how deep each side goes and draw a vertical there, from the bottom line up through the top line.

4. 
   04

   Construction

   Check, then correct

   Check each vertical against the side of the page. The right one leans outward: lift it and draw it again, plumb.

5. 
   05

   Construction

   Close the top

   From the top of each far vertical, run a line to the opposite vanishing point. Where the two cross is the far top corner.

6. 
   06

   Construction

   Draw through the box

   Run the bottom edges back the same way to find the hidden corner, then join it to the far top corner with a vertical.

7. 
   07

   Construction

   Commit the edges

   Now graphite, corner to corner: firm on the near edge and the shadow side, lighter going back, hidden edges faint. Then lift the blue.

8. 
   08

   Light and shadow

   Three values

   Light from the upper left: the top stays lightest, the left face a middle grey, the right face darkest.

9. 
   09

   Light and shadow

   The cast shadow

   The shadow falls down and to the right. Its far edge runs to the right vanishing point; darkest where it meets the box.