Chapter Five: Boxes
LESSON THREE
Boxes in Three Point Perspective
Our world has a total of three dimensions, this includes width, height, and depth. When we are working in perspective, the number of vanishing points determines how many of those dimensions will recede towards a vanishing point in your scene. In one point height and width are both parallel or perpendicular to the edge of your paper or screen, while the depth recedes away from the viewer and towards the vanishing point.
In two point two dimensions recede towards either vanishing point and only one dimension remains either parallel or perpendicular with the edge of your paper or screen, depending on how you draw your box.
That means that in Three Point, all three dimensions must be receding towards one of three different vanishing points.
Technically this shape is already distorted, and because of this, there aren’t any rules to help prevent possible distortion. However, if you follow the same rules of the cone of vision, but exchange the station point with a third vanishing point, the theory remains the same.
Using triangulation, create a 90 degree angle starting from the third vanishing point, our replacement for the station ponit, tracking those two lines towards the two vanishing points on the horizon line. Establish 30 degrees on either side of the bottom vanishing point to establish the width of your cone - and use this measurement to create a circle on the horizon line.
Just like before, anything within this circle will be less distorted compared to any objects outside of it. If you keep this in mind when working in three point, your scene will come out just fine.
