Basic Perspective Drawing: A Visual Approach [Paperback]

John Montague (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1993

New to this Second Edition of a very popular instructional resource is a chapter on paraline drawing, appendices on tools, human proportions, and scales of drawings. The visual glossary of measured drawings of common objects gives readers a much better understanding of the basics of perspective drawing.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

A brand-new edition of the popular illustrated guide to basic perspective drawing . . .

Basic Perspective Drawing uses a clear and accessible visual format to help students and professional artists, illustrators, designers, and architects gain a firm and thorough grasp of the major principles and techniques of perspective drawing. Moving logically from simple concepts to specific tools and methods, it shows how to construct perspective views one step at a time, with illustrated examples that cover every key part of the process.

This Third Edition comes with dozens of drawings that make it easy to learn by doing, plus all-new chapters on freehand sketching, scaling the human figure, shading techniques, computer applications, and more.

An ideal coursework or self-study companion for students as well as a valuable reference for professionals, Basic Perspective Drawing, Third Edition provides an invaluable orientation and foundation for understanding the optical world and how it works. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

JOHN MONTAGUE, PhD, is Professor of Design and Technology at Buffalo State College, Buffalo, New York. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Van Nostrand Reinhold; 2nd edition (March 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0442012632
• ISBN-13: 978-0442012632
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,212,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not just for engineers and architects., February 2, 2003

By 

J. Beaulieu "danger-girl" (Michigan, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Basic Perspective Drawing: A Visual Approach, 3rd Edition (Paperback)

I got this book because I had a floor plan that I wanted to make into a 3D or at least 2D home elevation. I've never taken a drawing course and before this, everything I drew was rubbery or floating. :-)

I found this book to be a great help, even in drawing circles, cylinders and curves. It explains shading and light sources, multiple vanishing points, intersecting just about anything and even gives you an idea of how to draw unique shapes in a 3D perspective. All the examples are step-by-step progressions of each concept and really show you how to do it.

You don't have to know sines and cosines, and you don't need a compass or protractor (although they might help). All you need is a pencil, ruler and eraser.

About 85% of the book is dedicated to shapes and structures, but there are also examples of furniture, cars and even people.

An excellent starting point for drawing in perspective.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clear guide to basic perspective, June 18, 2004

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Basic Perspective Drawing: A Visual Approach, 3rd Edition (Paperback)

For some reason, perspective is the boogey-man of many people learning to draw. It doesn't have to be that way. This book will help you put that sense of solidity and reality into a drawing.

This book gives a clear, step by step introduction to the basics of drawing in perspective. Interior and exterior; 1-, 2-, and 3-point; they're all here. The techniques are all graphical, and require only basic ability to handle simple drafting tools.

As the title says, this covers just the basics. It covers them thoroughly, so the hard-working reader should come away from it with very usable skills.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perspective drawing for beginners, April 6, 2008

By 

J. F. Lye - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Basic Perspective Drawing: A Visual Guide (Paperback)

I have trouble getting things in perspective - especially when I start adding other buildings or objects that come in at different angles. This book is great because it gives 1, 2, and 3 point perspectives, contrast and tonal shading techniques, projections for plans, practice object drawings with curves and landscape drawings. It even gives example of people proportions, and movements, and clothing. I have been looking for a book like this for awhile. It is very easy to follow and it really has every aspect covered. A great foundation to build upon.