Using Square Shapes to Measure Perspective!

Wouldn't you like to know how to measure objects? Square shapes will not only teach you how to create three-dimensional shapes, but it will teach you how these shapes work in different perspective viewpoints!

This is perhaps the most fundamental shape all artists know and should know. Don't expect to make any drawings until you understand the square and the cube completely. They are very important in making your pictures look right!

Even if you're doing 2d digital art on an amateur or a professional level, you can't continue to develop without understanding the square. In fact, you'll be just holding your potential talent by not knowing this basic shape!

1. The significance of the square

Have you ever looked at a painting with excellent perspective and proportions? It just seems right in all the right places. Well, to get that right feeling in your painting, you need to understand the importance of the square.

Just think about it for a second. A square is perfect in all its dimensions. The length of each side is proportionate to the other. The angle on each corner is a perfect 90 degrees. What does this mean? It means that the square is perfect for measurements!

Not only that, you can build additional shapes using the square. Like I said before, all shapes are derived from the square in some form or another.

Let me show you how.

2. Finding the basic unit of measurement

First, I need you to draw a square. You can use whatever digital tools are available to you as long as it creates perfect straight lines. For example, I can use the line tool in Photoshop and then hold the shift key down to lock it into perfect 45 degree angles.

When you finished drawing the square, you need to divide it into four triangles by doing diagonal lines linking one corner to the opposite corner.

Finally, you need to divide the square into four equal quadrants using the intersecting diagonal lines as the point of reference. If done correctly, you will create a Cartesian plane within the square.

The result will be the absolute basic shape for measuring non-spherical objects. But that's not all. You can still go farther!

Next, I want you to draw smaller diagonal lines that link the x axis and y axis of the Cartesian plane with each other. If you have done that correctly, you will have a smaller square, rotated 45 degrees, within the larger square.

Now, you have a measuring square for measuring spherical objects (which I will teach you later). At this point, you can still continue to repeat the process to get more measuring points.

3. Using it to create a 3d cube!

At this moment in time, I want you to learn is how to convert a 2d shape into a 3d shape.

A 3d shape is defined as having volume. Typically, a cube has width, length, height to create volume.

Use the measuring square that you made, and put one behind the other. You do this by duplicating it on another layer, and then, manipulate that shape in the second layer to your desired size. After that, connect the four corners of one square to the other four corners of the other square. This will form a simple 3d cube.

If you can, draw the exact same measuring square on each side of the cube. This will get you started at looking at things in relative space.

Although it is a 3d object, if both the square in the foreground and the background are similar in size, the perspective cube will not exist in real life. This is because there is no vanishing point to the cube!

When you include perspective into the calculations, the square shapes will be an excellent measuring tool for objects around it. You can try to do it right now by changing the background square into a smaller dimension and then connect both squares that way!

4. Setting the foundation for perspective

One method of using square shapes is to form basic shapes in which all other shapes are derived from. Any kind of drawings that you see has some form or another created from these shapes.

For example, if you extend the cube, you get a rectangle. That's one particular shape. Two more basic shapes derived are the cone and the sphere. If you have a lot of these shapes arranged in a certain way, they may make up an object we recognize like a dog or a cat!

As mentioned, the second method will use the square shapes as a measuring device. That is, you will put the actual object inside the cube and place it in perspective through perspective lines.

Of course, you will learn the different levels of perspective and how it acts on those shapes. These levels can range from one-point perspective to multiple point perspectives.

In fact, you have even begun learning the fourth level of perspective when you drew square shapes in this exercise: the zero-point perspective (think of a mountain range in the background)!

All these other perspective points will be explained in other lessons. For now, continue your motivation to learn by practicing those squares as the foundation for measuring perspective and proportions!

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