Who wouldn’t love to design their own building!
After 4 weeks of perspective with an introduction, name project, room, and birdhouses, we are ready to finish off this perspective series. Our final project is a culmination of our problem solving skills with perspective.
We are designing a detailed building.
We have 2 days with 1.5 hr classes. Plenty of time to make a good project.
Just to kick it up a notch we extended the vanishing points off of the paper. I do this for 3 reasons.
1.) Its more accurate to what we see in the world around us.
2.) It allows us more room for details.
3.) I want them to know we aren’t limited by our paper.
We start with making the front corner edge of the house and taking it back to the vanishing points. The shape is completed with the top and bottom and back edges just like the Bird Houses only bigger.
By this time most of the students are getting the idea of using a light hand and only drawing the reference lines they know they will need.
The roof was added by finding the center of the side with the roof peak. From the center point we draw a vertical line up as high as we want the peak. For more details check out the Bird House Project.
Now we need to add all the structural elements. Like windows, doors, frames, etc.
Vertical lines will all be parallel to the front corner edge and the sides. Horizontal lines all go back to a vanishing point. I found that it helps to remind students that every horizontal line needs to line up to a vanishing point.
Another tip to keep in mind is that windows usually line up so use the same horizontal lines for all windows on one side. You can also take the lines to the front corner edge to use for windows on the other side of the house.
Other details can be added at this point as well. This student added siding keeping very nice lines.
What skills with the ruler these kids have!
They never fail to impress me!
This student decided to add a porch. Look at the detail!
I love when they use those problem solving skills to really challenge themselves.
One of my students wanted to go large so she attached 3 sheets of paper together. I think the next time I do this project with a group I’ll use larger paper. I think several of the students would have liked to work a bit bigger.
Once the structural elements and additional details have all been added we outline with a fine sharpie marker.
Then, since we had time, we added color.
This perspective series was a huge success. The students learned so much and gained confidence that allowed them to challenge themselves.
If we had more time we would have ventured into 3 point perspective and circles/ellipses. But now I know one of the series we will be doing next year…
Check out these beauties!
What bigger perspective projects do you like?
