Practical exercise at OUMNH: Spaces
(These exercises are set in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, but could easily be adapted.)
(For larger images and information, see the image gallery at the end of this section.)
These studies of Venice show how perspective creates a grand sense of distance. Ruskin focuses on one part of the architecture and allows the outer edges of the drawing to fade into the distance.
Materials: Ruler, pencil, fine liner, china white pencil.
Place yourself on the upper gallery with a view down the side of the Museum.
Draw a low horizon.
Lightly sketch in the perspective lines to create space.
Fill in the architectural patterns using a fine liner.
Allow the drawing to get fainter as it spreads to the edges of the paper.