Keeping things in perspective
Two point perspective drawing uses lines to create the illusion of space on a flat surface.
It’s a fascinating process well described in this YouTube video. The technique involves imposing a horizon line with two vanishing points on it. When drawing horizontal elements, either the left or the right vanishing point is used as a pivot point.
This means that before any horizontal line is to be drawn, the artist must relocate the ruler to pivot around the vanishing point. This could slow the work and imposes an extra burden of concentration on the artist.
Serving two rulers
This Kickstarter campaign introduces the Vanishing Point Ruler
…which allows for quick and precise drawings of any kind. It is easy to work with, comes with additional uses and prevents any smudging or tearing of the paper, a problem that usually occurs with similar tools.
It uses a pair of rulers which are set to pivot around the vanishing points. Because they are fixed to their pivots, this permits faster, more accurate work.
Prior Action
This is an example of Principle 10 – Prior Action. By taking the time to fix the rulers on their vanishing point pivots, the artist saves time and effort during the remainder of the drawing.
Your turn
What problems do you face that this inventive principle could help solve? Have you used this principle before?