Learn How to Draw a House!

Would you like to learn how to draw a house? Here is where you can take flat shapes and give it depth to make it real! To do that, we are going to use zero point perspective for your house drawing!

Just think of the cube. If you look straight at it, you will get a square. It's the same thing with a cone: you will get a triangle when you look straight at it.

Zero point perspective will help you apply what you already know in using the vanishing points of any perspective to give the correct measurements! This lesson on how to draw a house will take these simple shapes and turn them into a 3d picture!

Let's get started!

1. Giving depth to flat shapes

You can turn any technical drawing into a 3d drawing that has length, width, and height dimensions!

It's not that difficult, either! There will be two steps to doing this correctly. The first is to create just a flat drawing where all your details are.

The second step is to transfer this flat design into a perspective grid. Like the example above, we will be doing exactly this in this excersize on how to draw a house!

The techniques that you will learn here will be the backbone for all other drawings where you are required to give an object form.

Practice it well and you will go far!

2. Objects in zero point perspective

We will use the most basic shapes for learning how to draw a house: a triangle and a square. Putting them together, you will get a very simple looking idea of what a house will look like at the front.

Now, if you look at the house from the sides, it simply looks like a square, or a rectangle depending on how long you want to make the house, which is divided in two.

In your digital art program, put these two shapes on separate layers...

...and then move them together!

The great thing about doing it on a computer is that your efforts won't be in vain as you can always edit each individual layer or add on top of it!

You can design your house to be as simple or complicated as you want in this step!

3. Figuring out the perspective points

To see both instances of the front and the sides, you will need to use at least two point perspectives.

For that, draw the perspective lines from the intersecting vertical line and connect them with the corresponding vanishing point.

Next, draw guide lines linking the zero point perspective diagrams to the two vanishing points. Then after that, reflect two additional vanishing points near the vertical line and the horizon. These two new vanishing points should criss-cross one another!

Do you see something emerging already? This step in learning how to draw a house is satisfying because you are about to change the house from nonlinear perspective into something that fits into a two perspective drawing!

At this point, all you need to do is match up the zero point perspective correctly. Use everything you know about measuring that we have discussed as well as any guide lines that you think will help you.

4. Reflecting the measurements

Remember how I said that every shape is derived from the cube? Well, now's your chance to use this concept! Hence, the first step is to actually contain the entire house in a box.

It'll make it easier.

Divide the box up into the correct measuring points. Split the box in two pieces: one for the bottom of the house and one for the roof of the house. From there, you can get a sense of how the house will fit into the two point perspective.

For me, putting it in a box is optional. I only use when I am really having troubles picturing what a complex object looks in perspective.

When everything is said and done, you will have the house with the right perspective vanishing points! Remember where your digital picture plane will be: make sure the house doesn't go outside of it or else you'll begin distorting its shape!

That's about it! You can make the house as complicated as you like by putting in windows or doors. Regardless, it'll still use this concept. You just need to put more perspective guide lines in case you get lost!

As you can see, zero point perspective is very useful when you want to place complicated structures in perspective perfectly.

In the end, don't forget to practice on concepts that you are having challenges in as well as improving on concepts you are strong in as we are starting to build and incorporate them in all your drawings!

No matter how many concepts to build on, your motivation to learn is what will help you out the most in the end!

I hope you enjoyed this lesson on how to draw a house using zero point perspective. Don't forget to upload your artworks to this site's gallery as I would love to see what you have came up with!

Didn't find what you were looking for? Use this search feature to find it.

I hope you liked (tweeted, and +1 too) this site as much as I liked building it!

Tweet