How to Draw Perspectives > Perspective Exercises and Solutions

Perspective Exercise Instructions

Overview

Thoroughly familiarize yourself with these instructions before you begin.
The nine exercises that follow are designed to test your understanding of perspective construction. Exercises #1 – #4 will test your ability to draw 1 point perspectives. Exercise #5 will test your ability to draw 2 point perspectives. Exercise #6 will test your ability to draw multi-point perspectives. Exercise #7 will test your ability to draw reflections in perspective. Exercises #8 and #9 will test your ability to draw shadows in perspective.
Readers are free to complete these exercises using traditional hand drafting techniques or with a computer using Computer-Aided Design software. These instructions can be used with either approach.
Download or pint a copy of each exercise. Feel free to make as many copies as you need.
Study each exercise worksheet carefully and note the relative position of all the elements on the page (e.g. the location of the observer, picture plane, ground line as well as the size and position of the object shown in plan and elevation).
You’ll note that hand drafting and CAD drafting each have their own set of instructions below. Follow the instructions that fits your work method.
Here are links to each of the exercises:

Phase 1: Preparation

(Hand Drafting Instructions)

If you choose to complete these exercises using traditional hand drafting techniques you’ll need to outfit yourself with a drafting table, drafting pencils, tape, erasers, triangles and some form of straight edge like a T-square or parallel bar.
Find a comfortable location where you can work on these exercises. Make sure your work area is well ventilated, has plenty of light and that there’s enough space around to lay out your supplies and equipment.
Arrange your supplies and equipment so they’re readily accessible. Then, adjust your chair, work surface and light for ergonomic comfort.
Clean your drafting equipment and work surface before you begin drawing.

(CAD Instructions)

If you’ve decided to complete these exercises using a Computer-Aided Design system make sure your CAD software and the Operating System it runs on is up-to-date and working properly.
You’ll also need a reasonably fast and reliable internet connection and an up-to-date web browser. In addition, you’ll also need access to a printer.
Finally, you’ll also need a USB Memory Stick, External Hard Drive or access to Cloud based storage.
Find a comfortable place to locate your computer workstation. Make sure it’s located where there’s subdued light, plenty of ventilation and ready access to electricity. Then, adjust your chair, keyboard, mouse and display for ergonomic comfort.

Phase 2: Drawing the Perspective

(Hand Drafting Instructions)

Begin creating a perspective for the exercise you’ve selected. As you draw, vary your line weights to highlight the differences between objects or surfaces in perspective and construction lines. Draw object or surface perimeter lines much darker than construction lines.
As your drawing progresses, make whatever adjustments, corrections or improvements you deem necessary.
Dust off your worksheet from time to time. Dust, grime and erasure shavings have a tendency to accumulate on your worksheet as you draw.
If you need more than one work session to complete the exercise, gather up, dust off and store your work-in-progress and all your supplies and equipment at the end of each work session
Pick up where you left off until the exercise is complete.

(CAD Instructions)

Select the workbook exercise you’re interested in drawing and start a new CAD drawing.
Copy everything you see on the worksheet into your CAD drawing exactly as you see it.
Begin drawing your perspective. Make use of your system’s built-in layering and color coding capabilities as you draw. This will help minimize any confusion that may arise as you add construction lines to your drawing. Layering can be used to control line visibility and colors can be used to control plotted line thickness.
As your drawing progresses, make whatever adjustments, corrections or improvements you deem necessary.
Save your work frequently.
You may need more than one work session to complete each exercise. If that’s the case, make a backup copy of your work. Copy all the digital files associated with each exercise to an alternate location (e.g. a USB memory stick, a removable hard drive or a remote Cloud based storage system).
At the start of your next work session, pick up where you left off until the exercise you’ve been working on is complete.
After completing each exercise, make a backup and store it in a safe and accessible location.

Phase 3: Feedback & Closeout

You’ll find the solutions to each exercise immediately below.
You’ll note that each solution contains of at least 2 illustrations. One shows how the correct solution was constructed. The other shows the correct, “cleaned-up” solution without construction lines. Review the solution sheets carefully and compare them to your own drawings. Based on the comparison, you may want to retry drawing an exercise again.
Store all your completed work in a safe and accessible spot so it can be easily retrieved in the future.