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Here is a Sample Lesson for you to enjoy today.  This would be the first lesson from a study course that would include 3 or 4 lessons altogether.

Connect the Dots and Learn to Draw

Linda Coulter teaches a method of drawing that is similar to the childrens' game of  "Connect the Dots".  When you understand where the dots are, you can simply draw a line to connect them.  It's easy!

Lesson One ... Getting started with linear perspective.

In order to understand linear perspective, you must first know the meaning of a few basic terms. 

Linear Perspective is a method used by the artist to create the illusion of distance.  It is used in landscapes, still life, portraiture, architecture and all other forms of painting. Linear perspective simply makes all the pieces in your picture plane fit appropriately to create realism in your art. 

Viewpoint.  The place where you’re standing to view the scene is called the "viewpoint".  Your point of view is set according to your own taste. 

If you stand on the dock, looking down at the boat, you have chosen a viewpoint. 

Your eye level is above the boat.  You will see more of the top of the boat and less of the side of the boat.

To illustrate viewpoint.

Here you are standing to the side of the porch.  This would be different from standing directly in front of the porch. 

You cannot see the door squarely in front of you.  Notice how the top line of the door angles down toward the right.

Notice also that you are standing on the ground looking up at the underside of the porch roof, looking straight at the edge of the porch floor, looking down at the top of the lower steps.  This scene illustrates both the view point and the eye level. 

Eye level: The level at which you’re eyes are when you view the scene.  It’s interesting to note that the horizon line will be at your eye level.  All perspective is based around this fact.

Horizon Line:  The "horizon" is your line of sight that is directly in front of you without looking up or down.  The horizon line is your eye level.

The horizon line determines what is below or above your line of vision. 

Don’t confuse this term with the horizon.  (where land meets sky). 

By establishing the horizon line, you’ll determine a balance of what is above your line of sight, and what is below your line of sight.  This determination is very critical for an artist, and must ALWAYS be considered in every painting or drawing.  Even in photography! 

For example

Here you see that you are standing on the ground looking up a hill.  We have chosen a viewpoint where everything in the picture is above eye level.

Now you see that you are standing on the top of a hill looking down at the rooftops.  Our eye level is above the picture plane.

Picture plane.  This is the part of the scene you are looking at that you will actually include on your canvas when you paint the scene. 

View Finder:  When looking at a scene, you can use a cardboard with a rectangle cut out of the center.  When you look through the rectangular hole everything you see can be included in your canvas.  You can move the view finder around and choose the best area to put on canvas.  This method will give you a birds eye view of what your painting will look like when its finished.   

The picture plane is that portion of the scene which will be painted or drawn for the art work.  When standing outside in the big open world, the view finder will help you visualize what you could include in your painting.  In other words, you may not want to put the whole scene in a painting, so you choose the best part and just paint that on your canvas.

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