In this post, I share my practical guide to excellent books on drawing perspective and online learning resources you can take advantage of. Let’s have a look!
My Recommendations
Marcos Mateu-Mestre, Design Studio Press, 2016
Marcos Mateu-Mestre, Design Studio Press, 2016
By Ernest R. Norling
Phil Metzger, North Light Books, 1992
Books on Perspective Drawing for Beginners
Join me in the class, where I take you through hands-on examples of basic perspective rules so you can improve your artworks.
Perspective Drawing for Beginners
A great beginner’s book, and also a fine choice for an experienced or advanced artist who wants a quick and fun refresher.
Beginner’s Guide to Successful Perspective Drawing
Mark Willenbrink, Mary Willenbrink, North Light Books, 2017
Covering interior space, exterior scapes and objects, this is a surprisingly complete work, perfect for the absolute beginner but going into advanced techniques and basic concepts as well.
Basic Perspective Drawing
Mostly focusing on architectural drawing and interior designers, John Montague’s book is a great place for beginners to start, with a fresh approach to understanding perspective.
Perspective Drawing Handbook
A classic and widely used handbook for artists of all types, D’Amelio’s clear and concise little book can be thought of as a reference for use when working.
Intermediate and Advanced Books on Perspective Drawing
Framed Perspective Volume 1 and 2
Marcos Mateu-Mestre, Design Studio Press, 2016
Marcos Mateu-Mestre, Design Studio Press, 2016
This volume is one of the highest rated books on drawing perspective.
The Art of Perspective: The Ultimate Guide for Artists
Phil Metzger, North Light Books, 1992
Remarkable for their natural approach to teaching and learning perspective drawing!
Perspective Made Easy
A fresh and delightful approach to teaching perspective, this extremely popular and critically acclaimed book offers fairly complete coverage of the basics of perspective drawing.
The Human Figure in Deep Perspective
John Cody, Wiley, 2002
While not offering specific instruction, Cody’s critically acclaimed classic atlas offers an exhaustive look at the human body in various depths of perspective.
Creative Perspective for Artists and Illustrators
Ernest W. Watson, Dover, 1993
Lovingly written and illustrated with examples from many interesting modern artists, this is a delightful book and I highly recommend it!
Drawing Perspective & Space
Markus Sebastian Agerer, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2016
An excellent basic text on drawing with perspective and a sense of space, Agerer’s book covers landscape perspective, light and shadow, object drawing and proportion, as well as offering a clear and understandable explanation of perspective as a concept and a part of art and artistic rendering.
Drawing Perspective
Especially valuable for two things – how to see the world in a clear three-dimensional way, and how to apply this new way of seeing to your art – Brehm’s very basic and easy to follow book is fast becoming a classic, and not just among artists.
Freehand Perspective and Sketching
With less emphasis on technical drills and data and more on seeing and spontaneously rendering, this is a book that captures not just the essence of perspective as an element of art, but the spirit of artistic creation itself.
Mastering One-, Two-, and Three-Point Perspective
Andy Fish, Walter Foster Publishing, 2020
This brand new book offers one of the most clear and effective explanations of what perspective is – especially as it applies to landscape / cityscape scenes – and how to achieve it effectively and consistently in your art.
Painting Perspective
For painters, who can’t always rely on all of the tricks and techniques available to people who are drawing, this is a wonderful book, helping you understand how to achieve a real and believable sense of space and depth in your paintings using not only some of the conventional methods, but also color, texture, light, flow and related ideas around placement and composition.
Perspective and Sketching for Designers
An industry standard and maybe the most effective and excellent book of its type, Beduhn’s comprehensive work details specific techniques, and the reasons and ideas behind them, for every single part of interior and space design.
Perspective for Artists
An inexpensive and exhaustive primer for all aspects of perspective, in concept and in practice, originally published in 1921, Cole’s textbook certainly takes an old-fashioned (and, for some, maddeningly slow and detailed) approach to teaching, but you will definitely leave with a complete understanding and mastery of perspective in art.
Perspective Series for Comic Book Artists
David Chelsea, Watson-Guptill, 1997
David Chelsea, Watson-Guptill, 2017
An important resource for comic artists who make comic books, graphic novels, animations, storyboards and the like, and a valuable and entertaining read for any artist, Chelsea’s three volume treatment of perspective and how it can enhance storytelling, drama and action is highly recommended.
The Complete Guide to Perspective Drawing: From One-Point to Four-Point, Five-Point and Six-Point Perspective
Craig Attebery, Routledge, 2018
Just as the name claims, this is the most complete and comprehensive book on perspective in art I have ever found, including history, concept and execution.
Easy Techniques for Mastering Perspective Drawing on Location (Urban Sketching)
These are both fantastic books that I recommend enthusiastically!
Join me in the class, where I take you through hands-on examples of basic perspective rules so you can improve your artworks.
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I hope my list of best books on perspective drawing has been helpful to you, and you will have a lot of fun mastering perspective in your drawings and paintings!
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Hi, I am Iva (rhymes with “viva”). I am a full-time self-taught artist behind Art Side of Life® and a Top Teacher on Skillshare. I have 15 years of experience in the creative field as a concept designer, illustrator, art director, and now freelance artist, content creator, and art instructor. My goal is to help you get your creative groove on with Procreate and make awesome art through practical classes, tutorials, Procreate brushes, and guides on art tools, supplies and resources. About me »
