Of the many types of perspective drawings, the most common categorizations of artificial perspective are one, two and three-point perspectives. The names of these categories refer to the number of vanishing points in the perspective drawing. All types involve establishing a horizon line. This imaginary horizontal line represents where the earth meets the sky. Vanishing points are added to this horizon line. A vanishing point, also imaginary, is the point to which the horizontal edges of all objects will meet. All vertical edges of objects remain vertical. A one-point perspective is created when only one vanishing point is positioned on the horizon line. A two-point perspective uses two vanishing points positioned on the horizon line. Vanishing points placed too close together produce a distorted view. The horizon line and vanishing points are only used for blocking in objects in a room or the elements of an exterior view of a building. They do not appear on the finished drawing. The view of an object changes when positioned above, on or below a horizon line. Above tends to show the underside. On the horizon line presents an eye-level view. Below shows the top. It is similar to the way the human eye sees objects based on where a person is positioned in relationship to them. It is important to consider this when planning an image of a room or building. For example, it is realistic to draw a building on the horizon line with the top of it above the horizon line. It gives the impression of looking up at the building from street level. One-point, two-point, and three-point perspectives appear to embody different forms of calculated perspective. The methods required to generate these perspectives by hand are different. The difference is simply in the relative orientation of the rectilinear scene to the viewer. The basic categorization of artificial perspective is by the number of vanishing points:
Two-point perspective reduces distortion by viewing objects at an angle, with all the horizontal lines receding to one of two vanishing points, both located on the horizon.
Three-point perspective introduces additional realism by making the verticals recede to a third vanishing point, which is above or below depending upon whether the view is seen from above or below. Three-point perspective gives a casual, photographic snapshot effect.
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