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One Point Perspective Sketching

A Tutorial by Architect Bhupesh Malviya

Bhupesh Malviya shares how to draw an architectural sketch using One Point Perspective.

"One Point Perspective is a type of composition. It can be created through a technical, systematic projection of lines based on a single vanishing point."

My name is Bhupesh Mithanlal Malviya. I am an architecture student based in Rajasthan, India, currently studying in Pune, Maharashtra. Whenever I get free time, I share my thoughts, ideas and tips for beginners, designers and architects through drawing. I started sketching when I was 12 years old. My main objective is to share and help others with my past experience and practice in sketching.

A tutorial I created for my 07SKETCHES channel on Instagram.

Before starting any project, I grab my iPad and start sketching rough ideas using Concepts App. As an architecture student, I have to think about my budget before buying any art supplies. The iPad is the best investment I have made. I don't have to pay extra for sketchbooks, markers or tracings every time - everything is there in Concepts.

Conceptual sketch of a house showing the concept behind Climatology, views and colours.

A proper workspace is not my thing! I keep my iPad handy and create wherever I feel comfortable. As an architecture student, I have to travel, observe and sketch ideas, whether its a site visit or work from home.

Concept showing the use of a tower as vertical height and how the building looks balanced.

One Point Perspective

I would like to walk you through the process of how to create a One Point Perspective view.

What is One Point Perspective? One Point Perspective is a type of composition. It can be created through a technical, systematic projection of lines based on a single vanishing point located at the horizon line. Using this projection, you can easily sketch a front-facing view.

Before drawing your view, think of what you want to include in the scene. Here are a few elements which can be added to an exterior view.

A. Street
B. Buildings
C. Colours
D. Composition
E. Human figures
F. Landscape
G. Textures and materials

Step 1 - Composition

Choosing a composition is crucial before turning the sketch into a final product. Sketch your basic composition first. Draw one vanishing point and draw your horizon line.

A pencil sketch showing the composition of my drawing.

In this sketch, you can see the single point that intersects all of the lines drawn, including the horizon line crossing the lower third of the image. Where you place this point and the horizon line determines where your lines will intersect, and what your final drawing composition will look like.

I have divided the composition of this drawing into two different parts using the street, with the buildings on either side.

Step 2 - Adding Architectural Elements and Landscape

In a new layer with an ink pen, add different kinds of architectural elements to the sketch. Roof lines, windows and decks help to create a more interesting and balanced composition.

Using a 1.5 pt Fixed Width Pen.

Now that you have a sketch, you can start to color it in.

Step 3 - Colouring

Create a new layer beneath your sketch. Choose the Filled Stroke tool to block in your colours.

When you are blocking in colours, use a darker shade for inner surfaces and lighter shades for outer surfaces. This helps to create a sense of depth.

Dividing colours to differentiate levels using the Filled Stroke tool.

Step 4 - Rendering

Next, create a new layer above the fill and select a narrower ink pen. Add materials wherever required to add detail and texture to the drawing.

Using a narrower 1.2 pt Fixed Width Pen.

Step 5 - Shadows + Human Figures

Finally, set your Filled Stroke tool to black and lower the opacity. Add shadows to help create a realistic depth to the sketch.

Adding shadows with a low opacity black Filled Stroke tool.

Place human figures to give a sense of scale and proportion to your buildings.

Final view, with human silhouettes from Concepts' object library.

I would like to share one important tip if you want to create from your imagination. Start practicing daily! Keep your sketching materials handy and start observing things. You don't have to be perfect in this process of creating. Start with a basic rough or conceptual sketch first, then draw in layers. Build your skillset with the time you spend sketching.

If you would like more step-by-step architectural sketching tutorials, I created an ebook you can download off of my website. They work great in Concepts if you have an iPad or tablet, or I just released a brand new sketchbook you can place into your bag for smooth paper and pen drawing. You can find this on my website as well. I also offer some free downloadable Concepts files for iOS that might help you with your practice. Good luck and keep sketching!

Bhupesh Malviya - I am the founder of 07SKETCHES, which helps beginners, designers and architects to enhance their architectural ideas and sketching. I wrote an ebook about Architectural Sketching which you can find on my website. Follow me on Instagram and Pinterest for more tutorials every week.

One Point Perspective Sketching

One Point Perspective

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