Mastering Perspective by Andy Fish

Mastering Perspective by Andy Fish is a clear, instructive, step-by-step guide to rendering one-, two-, and three-point perspective in illustrations. It’s admirably succinct, with just the occasional glimpse of humour.

Fish briefly covers the birth of linear perspective in Renaissance painting, and provides tips on eraser type, paper surface, pencil hardness and colour, as well as how to best mark vanishing points.

The chapters progress from introductions to each teaching point to demonstrations through guided drawings. The book culminates with the development of a three-point perspective city illustration with a light source vanishing point guiding shadows over pavements and curbs.

Mastering Perspectives is logically organised, with chapters becoming progressively more complex. Readers are encouraged not to rush, but to master each point before moving on. As a complete beginner, I was especially excited by the X-division method for determining window placement.

Despite having no former knowledge of the principles of perspective, I now feel perfectly capable of describing the different rules of perspective and in producing a three-point perspective illustration of my own with accurate shadow placement. In its core objectives Andy Fish’s book is clear and successful. What it lacks however, are examples of how these principles readily apply to drawings of people, still life, or landscapes.

Economically written and clearly illustrated, this is a useful guide for those new to technical drawing, for urban sketchers wishing to add the realism of perspective to their artwork, to students and drawing teachers.

Mastering Perspectives is part of the Success in Art series, which also includes Drawing Hands and Feet by Ken Goldman.

Many thanks to Andy Fish, Walter Foster Publishing, and NetGalley for my advanced reading copy.