Mastering Perspective Drawing: Procreate Guide
Written by  Daisie Team
Published on 10 min read

Contents

  1. Perspective Drawing: What is it?
  2. Procreate Guide for Perspective Drawing
  3. How to Set Up Your Canvas for Perspective Drawing
  4. Drawing in One-Point Perspective
  5. Drawing in Two-Point Perspective
  6. Drawing in Three-Point Perspective
  7. Procreate Tools for Perspective Drawing
  8. Tips for Improving Your Perspective Drawing Skills
  9. Conclusion: Why Perspective Drawing Matters?

Are you an artist aiming to enhance your digital drawing skills? If so, you've come to the right place. This guide will serve as your compass, pointing you in the right direction to master Procreate perspective drawing. Let's dive into this fascinating world of digital art and learn how to bring depth and dimension to your artwork.

Perspective Drawing: What is it?

First things first, let's get to grips with what perspective drawing is. Picture a straight road stretching out in front of you. Notice how it seems to get narrower the further away it goes? That's essentially perspective — it's all about creating a sense of depth and distance in your drawings.

When you're doing Procreate perspective drawing, you're trying to depict how objects look in real life. It's a way to make your 2D artwork feel like it's 3D. This is achieved by using vanishing points and horizon lines. These elements help you to plot where objects are in relation to each other and how they change in size and shape depending on their position.

There are three main types of perspective drawing:

  1. One-point perspective: This is where all lines recede to a single point on the horizon. It's often used in images of roads, hallways, or buildings viewed front-on.
  2. Two-point perspective: Here, lines recede to two points on the horizon. It's commonly used for drawing buildings at a corner view.
  3. Three-point perspective: In this type, lines recede to three points — two on the horizon and one either above or below the scene. This is useful for drawing skyscrapers, looking up at tall trees, or viewing a cityscape from above.

With Procreate, you can use these principles of perspective and transform a flat image into a lifelike scene. It might seem tricky at first, but with a little practice, you'll get the hang of it. Plus, Procreate makes the process a lot easier with the perspective guide feature. So, are you ready to take your Procreate perspective drawing skills to the next level?

Procreate Guide for Perspective Drawing

Now, let's walk through the process of creating perspective drawings in Procreate. Remember, like any other skill, mastering perspective drawing in Procreate requires a bit of patience and practice. So, don't worry if you don't get it right the first time around. Let's start!

How to Set Up Your Canvas for Perspective Drawing

Before you start your Procreate perspective drawing, you need to set up your canvas correctly. First, open a new document in Procreate. You'll see a plus sign on the top right of the screen. Tap it and choose the canvas size you want. A 2048x2048 pixels square canvas is a good starting point.

Next, let's add a perspective guide to your canvas. Go to the Actions menu (the wrench icon), select the Canvas tab, and tap on "Edit Perspective Guide". Now, you can set your vanishing points and horizon line. You can add up to three vanishing points depending on the type of perspective you want to draw.

Drawing in One-Point Perspective

Let's start with one-point perspective. This type of perspective has one vanishing point. It's great for drawing roads or hallways. To create a one-point perspective drawing in Procreate, set one vanishing point on your horizon line. Then, using the perspective guide, draw lines from the vanishing point to define your space. Remember, all lines should lead to the vanishing point, creating the illusion of depth.

Drawing in Two-Point Perspective

Two-point perspective is a bit more complex. It has two vanishing points, making it perfect for drawing buildings or objects at a corner view. Set up your perspective guide with two vanishing points on the horizon line. Draw lines from both points to create your shape. The vertical lines stay vertical, but the horizontal and depth lines will recede towards one of the two points.

Drawing in Three-Point Perspective

Three-point perspective is the most dynamic. It's excellent for drawing skyscrapers or looking up at tall trees. In this perspective, you have two vanishing points on the horizon line and one either above or below the horizon. This third point allows you to show height or depth in your drawing.

Remember, the key to mastering Procreate perspective drawing is practice. So, grab your iPad, open Procreate, and start drawing.

Procreate Tools for Perspective Drawing

Procreate is packed with a variety of tools that can make your perspective drawing work a breeze. So, let's get to know them!

First up, the Perspective Guide. This is the tool you'd use to set up your vanishing points and horizon line. You can find it in the Actions menu under Canvas. The Perspective Guide allows you to create one, two, or three-point perspective grids.

Another vital tool is the QuickLine feature. This allows you to draw perfectly straight lines. Simply draw a line and hold your stylus in place. Procreate will auto-correct the line to make it straight. And guess what? If Snap to Guide is turned on, these lines will snap to your Perspective Guide. How cool is that!

Next, the Transform Tool. This tool enables you to move, scale, and distort your drawing to match your perspective grid. You can access it from the arrow icon at the top of your screen.

Lastly, the Layering feature. Working in layers allows you to draw different elements of your piece separately. For example, you can draw the foreground on one layer, the middle ground on another, and the background on a third layer. This way, you can edit each part without affecting the others—quite handy for complex Procreate perspective drawings, right?

Tips for Improving Your Perspective Drawing Skills

Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Don't worry! Here are some tips to help you improve your Procreate perspective drawing skills:

  1. Start with one-point perspective drawings before moving on to two and three-point perspectives.
  2. Practice drawing simple shapes in perspective before tackling complex scenes.
  3. Use the Perspective Guide and other Procreate tools to your advantage.
  4. Don't forget to work in layers—it will make your life a lot easier!
  5. And most importantly, be patient and practice regularly. You'll improve over time.

Conclusion: Why Perspective Drawing Matters?

Perspective drawing is a crucial skill for any artist. It brings depth and realism to your artwork. And with Procreate's powerful tools, mastering perspective drawing has never been easier. So, why wait? Start your Procreate perspective drawing journey today and see the difference it makes in your artwork!

Drawing in One-Point Perspective

If you're just starting out with Procreate perspective drawing, one-point perspective is a great place to start. As the name suggests, a one-point perspective uses a single vanishing point on the horizon line. This method is excellent for drawing objects or scenes that face the viewer directly. So, how do you get started?

First off, you'll need to set your horizon line. This line represents the viewer's eye level. Simply draw a straight line across your canvas.

Next, place your vanishing point. This is where all the lines in your drawing will converge. It can be anywhere along the horizon line. For beginners, it's easiest to put it in the middle.

Now it's time to draw! Start with the front face of your object, which is typically a square or rectangle. Then, draw straight lines from each corner of your shape to the vanishing point. These are your perspective lines.

Finally, draw the back edges of your object. These lines should be parallel to the corresponding front edges. And there you have it—a simple shape in one-point perspective! Pretty neat, huh?

Keep practicing with different shapes and scenes. Soon, you'll be creating stunning Procreate perspective drawings with just one vanishing point.

Drawing in Two-Point Perspective

Once you've mastered one-point perspective, it's time to step up your game with two-point perspective. This technique uses two vanishing points on the horizon line, adding depth and realism to your Procreate perspective drawing. So, let's dive right in!

As before, start by setting your horizon line. Remember, this is your eye level. A straight line across the middle of your canvas will do the trick.

Next, set your two vanishing points. These should be at either end of the horizon line. Now, don't be too close to the edges of your canvas, or your drawing could end up looking distorted.

Now, draw a vertical line for the corner of your object. This is the edge closest to you. From the top and bottom of this line, draw two perspective lines to each vanishing point. These will form the sides of your object.

Add vertical lines where these perspective lines intersect the horizon. These lines represent the far edges of your object. To finish your shape, draw lines parallel to the horizon from the top and bottom of these lines to the corresponding points on the original vertical line.

And voila! You've just created a shape in two-point perspective. The more you practice, the more natural it will become. So keep at it, and before you know it, you'll be creating stunning Procreate perspective drawings in two-point perspective.

Drawing in Three-Point Perspective

Ready to take your Procreate perspective drawing skills to new heights? Let's explore three-point perspective.

Just as the name suggests, three-point perspective involves three vanishing points. Two are along the horizon line, just like in two-point perspective, but the third one is either high above the horizon line (for a bird's eye view) or far below it (for a worm's eye view). Sounds fun, right? Let's get started!

First, draw your horizon line and place two vanishing points on it, as we did in the two-point perspective. Now, depending on whether you want a bird's eye or worm's eye view, place the third vanishing point either above or below the horizon line.

Next, draw a line from your third vanishing point to meet the horizon line. This will be the corner of your object. From here, draw lines to the two vanishing points on the horizon. This will give you the top and bottom edges of your object.

For the sides of your object, draw lines from the top and bottom edges back to the third vanishing point. These lines should intersect with the horizon line.

Finally, draw vertical lines from these intersection points to the corresponding edges on the horizon. And that's it! You've just drawn an object in three-point perspective.

Three-point perspective might seem a bit tricky at first, but like anything in Procreate perspective drawing, practice makes perfect. So keep at it, and soon you'll be creating some amazing three-dimensional drawings!

Procreate Tools for Perspective Drawing

Creating a Procreate perspective drawing is a lot easier when you know about the tools available. Procreate is packed with features that can assist you, so let's uncover some of them.

Firstly, the Drawing Guide. You can activate this by tapping on the wrench icon, selecting 'Canvas', and then 'Drawing Guide'. This feature overlays a grid on your canvas, helping you align your drawings and maintain perspective.

Not only that, but you can also customize this grid! Tap on 'Edit Drawing Guide' and then select 'Perspective'. Here, you can add your own vanishing points and control the density of the grid. This is perfect for one, two, and three-point perspective drawings.

Next is the QuickLine tool. This tool is a lifesaver when it comes to drawing straight lines. Just draw a line and hold at the end – the line will snap into a perfectly straight one. You can even adjust the angle after it's drawn by keeping your finger on the screen and dragging it around.

Last, but certainly not least, is the QuickShape tool. This tool helps you draw perfect geometric shapes, which can be incredibly useful when blocking out objects in perspective. Simply draw a rough shape, hold at the end, and watch as it transforms into a perfect circle, square, or triangle.

With these tools at your disposal, Procreate perspective drawing should feel much more manageable. Remember, art is all about experimentation, so don't be afraid to play around with these features and see what works best for you!

Tips for Improving Your Perspective Drawing Skills

Now that you're familiar with the tools, let's dive into some tips that can further improve your Procreate perspective drawing skills.

Firstly, practice makes perfect. The more you draw in perspective, the better you will become at it. Try to draw different scenes and objects to challenge yourself and understand perspective better. Don't be afraid of mistakes — they are part of the learning process.

Secondly, start with simple shapes. Before diving into complex scenes, build your confidence by drawing simple shapes in perspective. Cubes, cylinders, and spheres are a great starting point. Once you're comfortable with those, you can start combining them to create complex objects.

Another great tip is to use reference images. Observing real-world objects and how they behave in perspective can be extremely helpful. This will not only improve your understanding of perspective but will also enhance your observational skills.

Lastly, be patient. Mastering perspective drawing in Procreate is a journey, not a destination. There will be times when you might get frustrated, but don't let that discourage you. Keep drawing, keep learning, and most importantly, keep enjoying the process.

Armed with these tips and the right tools, you're well on your way to mastering Procreate perspective drawing. Happy drawing!

Conclusion: Why Perspective Drawing Matters?

Perspective drawing isn't just about creating lines and shapes on a canvas. It's about breathing life into your work, giving it depth and making it more realistic. It's about transforming a flat image into a 3D world that draws the viewers in.

With perspective drawing in Procreate, you can take your art to another level. You can create more dynamic and engaging pieces that tell a story. You can play with angles and viewpoints to evoke emotions and create a sense of immersion. Isn't that the magic of art?

Moreover, perspective drawing isn't just for artists. It's a valuable skill for anyone involved in visually creative fields, from graphic design to architecture. It's a language that communicates volume, space, and depth.

In the end, mastering perspective drawing in Procreate isn't just about improving your art. It's about enhancing your visual communication skills, expanding your creative possibilities, and expressing your unique perspective. After all, isn't that what art is all about?

If you want to further enhance your perspective drawing skills, especially in Procreate, we highly recommend checking out the workshop 'A New Perspective on Perspective' by Roberto Bernal. In this workshop, you'll learn valuable techniques and tips to master perspective drawing and take your art to new heights.