Exploring 3D in Flash - Flash 3D: Animation, Interactivity, and Games - page 15

Types of Perspective Drawings

Perspective drawings are the most realistic type of representational drawing. If all
projection rays of an object converge on a common vanishing point, their intersection
with the picture plane produces a perspective image of that object. This is the most
realistic of the 3D drawings. Three types of perspective drawings can occur.

One-point Perspective

If one face of an object is parallel to the picture plane, or if horizontal lines and vertical
lines are parallel to the picture plane, the resulting image is a one-point perspective
(Figure 1.19).

VP

Horizon Line

Horizontal and vertical lines
are parallel to the picture plane

Figure 1.19 One-point perspective drawing has one vanishing point.

Two-point Perspective

If only vertical lines are parallel to the picture plane and no faces of the object are par-
allel to the picture plane, the resulting image is a two-point perspective (Figure 1.20).

VP VP

Horizon Line

Only vertical lines are
parallel to the picture plane

Figure 1.20 Two-point perspective drawing has two vanishing points.