The Complete Guide to Perspective Drawing: From One-Point to Six-Point

by Craig Attebery

Overview

As a professional, understanding the foundations of drawing, how we process images, and how we interpret what we see are principal skills. Understanding linear perspective enables artists and architects to accurately communicate their ideas on paper. The Complete Guide to Perspective Drawing offers a step-by-step guide for the beginner, as well as the advanced student, on how to draw in one-point through six-point perspective and how to make scientifically accurate conceptual illustrations from simple to complex situations. This new edition has been updated to include:

• Over 30 completed case images showing real applications of the processes and techniques discussed

• Expanded information on ellipses

• Expanded information on three-point perspective shadows

• Integrated video tutorials throughout

• A new design for ease of navigation across chapters

With over 400 simple, clear drawings, written explanations, exercises and video tutorials, as well as historical and theoretical background, this book is an essential visual guide for current and future architects, interior designers, landscape architects, graphic designers, video game designers, animators, and artists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781032784786
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/04/2025
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	444
Product dimensions:	8.25(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Craig Attebery is a native southern Californian. He graduated from ArtCenter College of Design in 1980, receiving a BFA with Honors. He then completed his MFA studies at Otis/Parsons Art Institute in 1984. Craig has worked as a freelance illustrator for advertising agencies, science books, and the entertainment industry, as well as creating conceptual art for JPL/NASA and the aerospace industry. Craig’s illustrations have appeared in many publications including Newsweek and Time magazine. In addition to his commercial work, he has participated in exhibitions at galleries and museums throughout the country and internationally, including the Fry Museum (Seattle, WA), the Arnot Museum (Elmira, NY), the Art Museum of South Texas (Corpus Christi, TX), and the Oceanside Museum (Oceanside, CA). His work is in the permanent collection of the de Young Museum (San Francisco, CA). Craig is a faculty member at ArtCenter College of Design where he has taught perspective for over 20 years.

Table of Contents

Introduction  Tools of the Trade  Part 1: The Basics  1.Basic Perspective Terms  2. One- Through Six-Point Perspective, an Overview  Part 2: One-Point  3. One-Point Perspective  Part 3: Reference Points  4. Reference Points  Part 4: Two-Point  5. Two-Point Perspective  6. Measuring Point Geometry  7. Horizontal Angles  Part 5: Ellipses  8. Ellipses, Spheres, Spiral Forms, and Random Curves  Part 6: Inclines  9.Inclined Planes  10.Inclined Cuboids  11. Incline Geometry  12. The Problem of Distant Vanishing points  13. Falling and Rotating Forms  14.Tilted Tapered Forms  Part 7: Plan/Elevation View Perspective  15. Plan/Elevation View Perspective  Part 8: Three-Point  16. Three-Point Perspective  17.Three-Point Angles  18. Combining One- and Three-Point Perspective  19. Combining Two- and Three-Point Perspective  20. Combining Three-Point Perspective Diagrams  21. Compound Inclines in Two-Point Perspective  Part 9: Shadows  22. Shadows  23.Shadows of Round, Spherical, and Curved Objects  24. Positive Shadows  25. Negative Shadows  26. Shadows from Artificial Light Sources  27. Three-Point Shadows  Part 10: Reflections  28. Reflections  29. Reflections on Curved Surfaces  Part 11: Anamorphic Perspective  30. Anamorphic Perspective  Part 12: Curvilinear Perspective  31. Four-Point Perspective  32. Five-Point Perspective  33. Six-Point Perspective  Part 13: Miscellaneous  34. Miscellaneous

Editorial Reviews

"Full of very clear illustrations with a straightforward text, knowledge of algebra and geometry is not required. [...] This is an excellent guide that is easy to use. It is well laid out, allowing information to be easily accessed."

Ray Needham FAIA FFA FIPA FMAAT, Building Engineer, September 2018

From the Publisher