Two kinds of perspective
Perspective is how painters suggest three-dimensional space on a flat surface. In watercolor it helps to think of two kinds working together.
- Linear perspective uses lines, angles and sizes. Parallel lines appear to converge in the distance, and objects look smaller as they recede.
- Atmospheric (aerial) perspective uses value, color and edges. Distant things look lighter, cooler and less detailed than near ones.
Watercolor is especially good at the second kind because soft, pale washes naturally suggest distance. Linear perspective supplies the structure, and the washes supply the atmosphere.
Find your horizon line
The horizon line is your eye level. Everything in linear perspective is organized around it.
- A low horizon makes the viewer look up at buildings or trees.
- A high horizon gives a more bird’s-eye view.
- Lines of objects that sit above eye level slope down toward the horizon, and those below it slope up.
Choosing the horizon deliberately is also a compositional decision. Placing it near the middle often splits the painting in half, so many artists put it higher or lower. See composition in watercolor painting for more on layout.
One-point perspective
In one-point perspective, a single vanishing point sits on the horizon line. It works when you look straight down a road, a corridor or a row of buildings.
- Draw the horizon line lightly.
- Mark a vanishing point on it.
- Draw the front faces of buildings or objects as simple rectangles.
- Draw lines from the corners toward the vanishing point to find the receding edges.
- Vertical lines stay vertical, and horizontal lines on the front faces stay horizontal.
Two-point perspective
Two-point perspective is used when you see an object, such as a building, from a corner. Two vanishing points sit on the horizon, one on each side, and the receding edges aim toward them. Vertical edges remain vertical. It takes a bit more practice, and it is useful to keep the vanishing points far apart to avoid distorted shapes.
Keep it loose
An overly precise perspective drawing can make a watercolor look stiff. Many painters draw only the key lines lightly, check that they converge sensibly, and then paint freely, allowing the washes to soften the edges. You do not need to be perfect, since viewers generally accept small deviations, particularly in a loose style. Concentrate on getting the horizon and the main angles right. See how to draw for watercolor painting for light sketching methods.
Atmospheric perspective with washes
To push elements back in space:
- Use lighter values for the distance and stronger values in the foreground. See value in watercolor painting.
- Use cooler, grayer colors for far areas and warmer, more saturated ones near the viewer. Our color theory guide explains temperature.
- Use soft edges and less detail in the distance, with crisp edges and texture in the foreground.
A simple landscape can be made with three bands: pale cool hills at the back, a middle tone with some detail, and a darker, warmer foreground.
Other depth cues
- Overlapping: objects in front cover those behind.
- Size: similar objects get smaller as they recede, such as a row of fence posts.
- Spacing: repeated elements appear closer together in the distance.
- Placement: objects further away are generally higher on the page, below the horizon.
Common mistakes
- Putting the horizon line through the center without a reason.
- Letting building lines converge to different points when they should share one.
- Drawing precise details in distant areas.
- Painting the background as dark and detailed as the foreground.
- Ignoring the eye level of a figure or object against the horizon.
Practice
Draw a simple road leading to a vanishing point and add a few boxes along the sides. Then paint it in three layers: pale for the farthest, medium in the middle and darker near the viewer. Afterward, try a quick street scene using two-point perspective. Our easy cityscape tutorial walks through one. Repeat with different horizon heights to see how each changes the feeling of the picture.