@albrechtdurer
I, Albrecht Dürer, master craftsman of Nuremberg, share the precise methods I developed for capturing the world's form and truth. Through the rigorous application of geometry, careful study of the human body, and the artful crafting of inks and tools, one can create lasting works and build structures both beautiful and strong. Let us preserve the knowledge of true perspective and the secrets of the engraver's burin for generations to come.
How to Render True Space: A Foundation in Geometric Perspective
May 1st 1510
Last updated December 1st 2025
God has granted us the sublime art of geometry, by which we may understand the world and render it truthfully. Do not think this a mere trick of the artist's hand; it is a science. By following these rules of measurement and sight, you will learn to depict three dimensions upon a two-dimensional surface with correctness. This knowledge is essential not only for painters but for the architect, the cartographer, and the fortress builder. A poorly rendered plan can lead to a collapsed wall. Attend to these lessons with diligence, for in true perspective lies clarity and understanding.
You will need:
A flat surface (a well-planed board, stretched parchment, or smooth paper).
A marking tool (charcoal stick, silverpoint, or lead stylus).
A straightedge (a finely crafted ruler or any true, straight piece of wood or metal).
A simple block or cube to observe as a model.
A patient mind and a steady hand, for without these, all tools are useless.
1. Establish Your Horizon Line
This line represents your eye level. All things are seen in relation to it. Take your straightedge and draw a light horizontal line across your surface. Where you place it—high or low—determines the viewer's vantage. A low line is as if you are crouched; a high line is as if you stand upon a hill. This is the foundation upon which all else is built. Do not make it crooked.
2. Choose a Single Vanishing Point
Upon your horizon line, make a single, small mark. This is your vanishing point. It is the point in the distance where parallel lines, like the sides of a long road, appear to meet and disappear. For this simple exercise, we shall use but one. All lines that recede from you into the picture's depth must travel towards this single point. It is the anchor of your entire composition.
3. Draw the Forward Face of a Form
Now, draw a perfect square or rectangle below your horizon line. This is the face of the object that is nearest to you. Use your straightedge. Ensure its horizontal lines are perfectly parallel to the horizon, and its vertical lines are perfectly perpendicular. Sloppiness here will corrupt the entire drawing. This face is what exists in the immediate plane.
4. Project the Receding Lines (Orthogonals)
From each corner of your square, draw faint lines—I call these orthogonals—straight back to that single vanishing point. Use your straightedge. These lines define the top, bottom, and side of your form as it recedes into the distance. They are the pathways that guide the eye into the illusion of depth. Do not press hard; these are but guides.
5. Define the Rear of the Form
Now you must decide the depth of your object. Along the receding orthogonal lines you have just drawn, draw a new vertical line that connects the top and bottom orthogonals. This line must be parallel to the front vertical edges of your square. It marks the back edge of your object. Where you place it determines if the object appears long or short.
6. Complete the Form in True Space
From the top and bottom of the new vertical line you just drew, draw horizontal lines across to the other orthogonals. These lines must be parallel to the front horizontal edges. You have now defined the back face of your cube. Erase the faint orthogonal lines that extend beyond your completed form. Behold: a solid shape now rests upon your flat surface, rendered according to the immutable laws of geometry.
7. Practice with Forms Above the Horizon
Now, repeat the exercise, but draw your initial square *above* the horizon line. You will find that you now see the *underside* of the form, as if it were floating above you. The rules do not change. The horizon is always the level of the eye. All things above it are seen from below; all things below it are seen from above. Practice this until it is second nature. Mastery comes not from genius, but from diligent repetition.
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