Please help me understand how to proceed with a box after putting down an inaccurate mark

3:19 PM, Tuesday November 9th 2021

Hi, I'm doing the rough perspective exercise at the moment and I am confused about one thing. I put down all 4 points for the front face. Then I ghost and plan my line quite a lot, but many times the line still ends up being inaccurate. How do I proceed with the rest of the box when one line is inaccurate?

https://imgur.com/a/XM3LuD4

I added a picture to help explain. I drew it using a mouse, so it looks bad, sorry. So, the black points are my plan of how to draw the square. I then draw the red line, which doesn't hit the point as I wanted it to. How do I proceed with the next (turquoise) line? A, B or C or something completely different?

Thank you so much for helping me! :)

2 users agree
8:36 PM, Tuesday November 9th 2021
edited at 8:39 PM, Nov 9th 2021

One of the things you're supposed to be learning here is how to make convincing 3d forms despite inevitable mistakes. You're not just learning to draw accurate lines, but rather learning to see those lines as outlining a "real" object that exists within the context of your drawing. With that in mind, option A will never be the correct response to the initial mistake. The red line has been drawn, which means one edge of your box now exists there whether you like it or not. Ignoring that and placing the second line as originally intended will only compound that mistake, no matter how accurately you draw it. Instead of completing the box you will end up with a collection of lines.

As for what you should do instead, that's often a judgement call. In you're example where it's the first line that's gone wrong I would happily choose C and just end up with a smaller, but mostly accurate, box. it can get more complicated as more lines and vanishing points are introduced, but honestly I wouldn't worry too much. Just pick (based on you're own subjective opinion) whichever option results in the most convincing box and move on.

edited at 8:39 PM, Nov 9th 2021
2 users agree
9:38 PM, Tuesday November 9th 2021

You have 2 options, continue drawing the rest of your lines following the points you laid down or conform the box to the lines you drew. Which you should choose depends on the exercise. For rough perspective it's important that the the lines making up the front facing side of the box are vertical/horizontal to the horizon line, so I think in this particular case it's better to follow your dots.

4:35 PM, Saturday November 13th 2021

Thank you very much for your explanation! It makes sense that it depends on the exercise, I will keep it in mind for further exercises as well :)

0 users agree
6:19 AM, Wednesday November 10th 2021

sorry for the double reply. I just remembered uncomfortable answered a very similar question recently https://drawabox.com/community/submission/R7TE0RU9

4:33 PM, Saturday November 13th 2021

Sorry for the late reply!

Thank you for your explanation above and also for the link! It helped me understand what I should do. The goal of making realistic 3D forms kind of disappeared somewhere in the mountain of other things I feel like I have to pay attention to, so it was a good reminder of what I am actually aiming for. I will add it to my "things to keep in mind for doing lessons" - list. :)

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