Customer Reviews

Perspective Drawing: A Step-by-Step Handbook

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This book contains the best most thoroughly explained and demonstrated professional use of the measuring point (MP) direct measure perspective method, as well as the other common perspective methods, that I have ever seen in my 30 years as an architect. For those who want to know how to fish rather than be given a fish, this is THE book. If you own only one book on perspective drawing, this should be that book. If you wish, combine it with Architectural Graphics by Francis D. K. Ching, Drawing as a Means to Architecture and Design Drawing both by William Kirby Lockard and Perspective for Interior Designers (especially interesting for deriving and understanding original perspective setups from finished drawings or photographs) by John Pile, and you will never need buy another book on perspective drawing (Of course I own several others anyway). The really nice thing about the MP method is that you can accurately determine the finished size of your perspective drawing before doing the drawing AND project scaled measurements directly into the perspective as you create it. No one explains and demonstrates this more completely and effectively than Helms. Shade and shadow are just as carefully discussed and illustrated. Short cut methods and techniques for getting out trouble, such as finding your way when no vanishing points seem available, are covered with the underlying understanding always near and emphasized to lend the necessary support. This unpretentious book is not an outstanding demonstration of rendering technique and does not intend to be; many others have done that well enough. But, better than any other, the book reveals the practical inner workings of perspective drawing, step-by-step. Job very well done Michael E. Helms! Thank you.

The info is presented in a fairly easy to follow step-by-step guide. If you are a student architect or technical illustrator who still values traditional media and genuine knowledge this book will benefit you. If you are an illustrator or sequential artist there are better books for you.

Also, the copy that I received is little more than photocopies of the original book and not bound very well at all.

This book seems to cover the material very well. I say it seems to because the copy I received is a cheap xerox and it was immediately apparent that it wasn't going to hold up to repeated use. After browsing through it once the covers had already started to split and I had to return it. I expect better for $83.00.