Bob Murrin — Simplifying Perspective in Urban Sketching

Understanding the basics of perspective can make the joy of urban sketching even more enjoyable. Many people struggle with perspective, but given a few tips about the rules of perspective, you can improve your confidence, layout, and composition. True perspective drawing can be very complex, often a laborious process to construct accurately. Bob believes that since the urban sketching experience has a relatively short window of time, you can learn to quickly dissect a scene with respect to the horizon line (or eye level) and vanishing points.

In this workshop you will learn…

• Common urban sketching perspective mistakes
• The difference between 1-point, 2-point and 3-point perspective 
• To compose a scene with an understanding of the scope of what you are seeing and what will fit proportionately on the page
• To locate the all-important horizon line, or sight level of your composition
• To find the vanishing points that lie on the horizon line
• To understand that elements which fade into the distance get smaller and closer together

SUPPLY LIST

• Pencil for layout
• Gum eraser
• Other tools and media you are most comfortable using

Optional:

• Ruler or straight edge
• Watercolor paper/ sketchbook 
• Brushes of a variety of widths and water container
• Waterproof pen such as Sakura micron or fountain pen with waterproof ink.
• Chair and small portable table