Product Description

If an artist can draw an appealing character but is only able to create a flat, two-dimensional rendition, then that artist lacks sufficient skills in portrayal. Being able to create the illusion of three-dimensional space on a flat surface allows you, the artist, to portray a space with depth. Positioning a character within that space then allows you to create a richly portrayed scene with impact. Knowing perspective techniques is absolutely essential to creating such enriched scenes. Characters are inseparable from their settings. This book is two volumes condensed into one: a manual that thoroughly explains the basic techniques in drawing one-point, two-point, and three-point perspective plus other perspective techniques, as well as an advanced manual that offers and explains numerous, specific, practical examples.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #105004 in Books
• Published on: 2008-12-10
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 200 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9784766119145
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Customer Reviews

A must-have book about perspective.
I ordered this book a few weeks ago just to keep up with the series. I had not been disappointed with the prior books, but I didn't have high expectations for this book either. It blew me away!

But first, the technical stuff.

This book is organized slightly different than others in this series. While the content table was in page 3 or 4 after a brief introduction, in this book it is in page 18. This is because the prior pages were used for a hands-on introduction to perspective called "Portraying Space and Volume".

In addition to the interesting introduction, the book is organized into three chapters:

Introduction: Portraying Space and Volume
o From Solids to Spaces
o Portraying a Space That Expands Infinitely into the Distance
o How "Horizon" Lines Divide Space into an Above and a Below
o The Evolution of a Two-Dimensional Space into Three Dimensions

Chapter 1: Basic Compositions Begin with One-Point Perspective
o The Basics of One-Point Perspective
--- Differences between Flat and Solid Objects
--- Solid Drawn Using One-Point Perspective
--- Where to Position the Horizon Line
--- Where to Position the Vanishing Point
o Using Angles of Perspective Appropriately
o Learning How to Portray Depth in a Corridor
--- Drawing a Corridor Using One-Point Perspective
--- Drawing Corridor Components Successfully
--- Drawing Characters in a Corridor
o From Corridors to the Outside World
--- Narrow Streets and Broad Avenues
--- Street Intersection in a Residential Area
--- Shopping District
o Using One-Point Perspective to Draw Bends and Slopes in Roads
--- Bending Roads
--- Sloped Streets
--- Steps

Chapter 2: Two-Point Perspective for Practical Composition Creation
o The Basics of Two-Point Perspective
--- Differences between Solids Drawn in One-Point and Two-Point Perspective
--- Tips for Drawing Buildings in Two-Point Perspective
o Drawing Architectural Structures
--- Drawing Buildings and Houses
--- Drawing Houses and Streets
--- Drawing Room Interiors
o Schools
--- Exterior View
--- Classrooms
--- Nurse's Offices
--- Gymnasiums
o Drawing Familiar Establishments
--- Family Restaurants
--- Fast Foods Restaurants
--- Convenience Stores

Chapter 3: Advanced Compositions Using Perspective
o The Basics of Three-Point Perspective
--- Compositions Portraying High or Low Angles
o Seated Characters Drawn in Perspective
o Drawing While Using Photos as Reference
--- Tracing Photos
--- Making Corrections While Drawing
o Methods for Creating the Illusion of Depth without Using One-Point, Two-Point, or Three-Point Perspective Techniques
o Beyond Perspective

In beyond perspective, it shows how the artist created the cover illustration.

This book lacks the lengthily demonstrations and interviews of previous books, but retains the instructional aspects. In my opinion, this change works well in this book. Also, It doesn't teach you anything about perspective that other books in the subject hadn't cover before like in Perspective! For Comic Book Artists. However, what is good about this book is that it provides very useful tips about using perspective while sketching manga-style.

If you had bought other books in this series, you won't be disappointed with this volume. If you hadn't, but want a good how-to-draw book about perspective, this is it.

A great supplement for learning perspective
I always thought the perspective book in the original How to Draw Manga series was one of the better of the group. This edition of the much higher quality Sketching Style series expands on that book, presenting a practical guide to some specific perspective problems you might have to tackle while drawing.

Many perspective books focus mainly on abstract boxes and circles for much of the teaching. In this one all the lessons center around applying perspective to comics compositions, such as placing characters in depth and evenly spacing out windows down a hallway.

Most of the examples are specific perspective challenges you might face when drawing a comics scene, like depicting a curved/sloping street or a staircase. It also show the perspective of smaller parts of scene you might not think about that still need good perspective,like desks and doors.

Admittedly some of the architecture examples are rather Japan-centric and might not be instantly useful unless you're drawing in a true manga style. But even if you aren't, the principles being showcased can be adapted to any style of drawing.

This probably shouldn't be your first book on perspective. If you're new to all this start out with a book like Perspective! For Comic Book Artists: How to Achieve a Professional Look in Your Artwork and grab this book when you're ready for some great practical help in drawing your backgrounds.

For Advanced Artists Only
The Sketching Manga-Style series of books are amazing in that they are the only series of books that have hand drawn images and no computer made images for the aspiring artist to copy. The series ranges from intermediate to advance skill for the artist to use. I bought this book thinking that it would help me draw characters in different angles, but I was wrong. Unlike the other three books, this one deals mostly with backgrounds, drawing backgrounds at different angles and trying to fit as many characters as one can in a background. The book also deals a lot with vanishing points. (An example of a vanishing point is the girls head on the cover of this book.) There are some more advanced subjects covered like one point, two point and three point perspective techniques. The book does cover these topics, but in my opinion to truly understand these subjects is to take a painting class and do some paintings using these techniques. If you have already drawn manga scenes before or are an experienced drawer, then this book will suit you just fine, but if you are just a beginner and are looking for books to buy then do not buy this book.