3 Point Perspective Made Easy

3 Point Perspective doesn't have to be all technicalities and vanishing points. It quite happily can exist in a loose, freehand, gestural drawing style. Watch this video demo and then have a go drawing it yourself. Reference photos can be found on and printed from the channel Community Page.

[@mariapeagler2667]

Wonderful video tutorial on perspective without all of the initial guiding lines. The red strips were helpful to see point of perspective. It was also encouraging to see your attitude about fixing mistakes. Thank you!

[@stephentraversart]

Glad it was all so helpful Maria. Yes, mistakes are always such a great part of the learning process. 😀

[@riyasaharan9482]

Thanku so much Stephen,,we are learning so much from you,especially those kind of videos I really like it, so we can draw while u r drawing ✍️

[@stephentraversart]

Thank you Rita for taking the time to tell me. I really appreciate it. 😀

[@CC-hv6yt]

Beautiful 😍 What a pretty reference pic too!

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks. You’ll find the reference on my Community Page if you want to print it and draw it yourself. Why not?😀

[@ianboreham454]

The rule for determining "eye level" by looking for horizontal lines only applies when the eye is aimed horizontally, such as in a typical 1- or 2-point perspective. In a 3-point perspective like this, the eye is aimed up at an angle, and the plane containing the eye intersects vertical surfaces at different heights according to their distance from the eye in the gaze direction, not in horizontal lines.
(This is why you were struggling to find an eye level by looking for horizontal lines.)

[@stephentraversart]

Eye level is still at the level of the eyes, but it won’t be seen in the ‘view’ or photo if looking up. It will be below. The same happens in a tall building looking down. Eye level can be above what we see. Eye level is the level of our eyes off the ground, not the level of where our eyes are looking too. 😀

[@cindyyeates8998]

best explanation I've seen. Thank you!

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Cindy. Much appreciated 😀

[@maxanime001]

Beautiful job, great tutorial 👍

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks Max. Glad to be helpful 😀

[@muhhhring6090]

your videos are very helpful thank you!

[@stephentraversart]

That’s what I’m hoping for. Thanks 😀

[@aimanabbas981]

Highly appreciated

[@stephentraversart]

Thank you. 😀

[@yollexart]

So I don't have to ability to get photos printed. And it seems much easier to use your pen to find angles when it is side by side.
So how does one use a their pen/pencil to find angles if it is a live sense, from a small reference photos on the phone and so forth?
Your vidoe is explain so much I didn't know but I feel defeated trying to apply it when my only access to photos are on a small phone or live.
Do you have examples of how to measure and find angles with out a printed photo reference?

[@stephentraversart]

You can hold the pen in front of you eyes angled to an object in front of you and then bring it down to the paper. Sounds terrible but can be surprisingly accurate. I use it for location sketching 😀

[@yollexart]

@@stephentraversart It must takes lots of practice. I feel as though I am unable to do this well.
Time will tell. Haha! 🥲💛

[@daveartmusic2025]

Stephen, great videos on perspective! Where did you get the colored strips used in your videos? I want to get them to help with my drawings. Thank you.

[@stephentraversart]

Thanks. I cut up some coloured cardboard! I’m a pretty low-tech old fella. 😆

[@daveartmusic2025]

@@stephentraversart thank you!

[@AbiNomac]

Using white out as a highlight is genius. Remember when we use to call it liquid paper?

[@stephentraversart]

Yep. It’s actually made by COPIC to use over their marker ink, but I’ve never particularly needed to use it till today! 😀

[@AbiNomac]

@@stephentraversart - Thank you. I did t realise Copic had their own.