Stephanie Bower’s Understanding Perspective

[Book review by Tina Koyama] Architect, artist and instructor Stephanie Bower is
well-known in the Urban Sketchers community for her sweeping watercolors of
landmark architecture as well as more ordinary buildings. Lucky students in the
Pacific Northwest (her home is in Seattle) and Urban Sketchers symposium attendees
have been illuminated by her “Good Bones” workshops that focus on architectural
perspective. Now anyone can learn her methods from her new book, the latest in
The Urban Sketching Handbook Series: Understanding Perspective: Easy Techniques for Mastering Perspective Drawing on Location.

Beginning with basic terms and principles related to understanding
perspective, the book moves on to its heart: analyzing a view’s potential
levels (eye; bird’s eye or aerial; worm’s eye) and angles (one- and two-point
perspective; multiple vanishing points). While beginning and intermediate
sketchers might choose one-point, eye-level perspective, more advanced
sketchers can use the same techniques to challenge themselves with a scene of
multiple buildings, each rotated so that none is parallel to another.

The how-to section breaks down perspectival drawing into
layers – what Stephanie calls the Shape of the Face, the Shape of the Space and
the Shape of the Box. Each step is fully illustrated to explain the concept. In
addition, many sketches, either by Stephanie herself or other urban sketchers
worldwide, are shown as examples of the concepts taught.

In the final chapter, perspective challenges unique to architecture, such as arches and domes, are covered, as well as more general challenges like ellipses and reflections.

Instructions for drawing circles in perspective are illustrated with teacups by Liz Steel.

While the book is worth skimming for its beautiful location
sketches (you’ll find many of your favorite urban sketchers here), those
illustrations are not just eye candy. Unique among the many current titles focusing on urban sketching, Stephanie’s book is full of sketches annotated with
the artist’s view when the sketch was made as well as the number of perspective
points. These notes are not limited to architecture. If you’re like me, you might
think about perspective issues only when drawing architecture, but perspective
principles apply to everything (even clouds! Stephanie points out), and these
annotations are surprisingly helpful in driving that point home. For example,
Steve Reddy’s sketch of some utility pipes was drawn from a three-point, aerial
view (looking slightly down on the pipes from a seated position). An
accompanying diagram shows how the lines in his sketch could be extended to a third
vanishing point below ground.

A diagram shows how Steve Reddy’s sketch of utility pipes was made with 3-point perspective and an aerial viewpoint.

Urban sketchers of all levels can be inspired and challenged
by this technique-rich volume. It’s a welcome addition to the Urban Sketching
Handbook series. 

Opinions expressed by our correspondents and guest contributors don’t necessarily represent an official view of UrbanSketchers.org.