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8 Illustrator Perspective Grid

Perspective Grid

Many of you have turned it on accidentally, and wondered how to get rid of it. Now we will use it on purpose.  The grid will allow us to create "in perspective." In art, perspective is drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point. Basically, 3 dimensional.

Read through this page so that you know what the handles of the grid are and what they control.

Watch this video to see the grid and hear explanations of the controls and options.

Perspective Text

Create a new Illustrator file, Letter size, Landscape orientation. Save it into your Illustrator folder in your One Drive as #_lastname_perspective_text.ai.

Watch & follow along with this video to create your perspective text.
NOTE: This video is from an earlier version of the software, so it looks a little different. 

Save your file, then do an Export > Save for Web to save it as a JPG file for your Canvas ePortfolio.

Perspective Cityscape

Create a new Illustrator file, Letter size, Landscape orientation. Save it into the Illustrator folder in your One Drive as #_lastname_perspective_cityscape.ai.

Follow along with these videos to create your perspective cityscape.
NOTE: These videos are from an earlier version of the software, so it looks a little different. 

  1. Build the symbols of buildings | video
  2. Arrange the buildings on the grid into a city | video
  3. Create the color scheme & add gradient | video
  4. Create the reflection | video

Save your file, then do an Export > Save for Web to save it as a JPG file for your Canvas ePortfolio.

Turning it in

  1. Go to the Illustrator page of your Canvas ePortfolio
  2. Write your new entry at the top of the page
    1. Title of your assignment/challenge
    2. Answer...
      1. In your own words, what does perspective mean to an artist?
      2. How do you control which plane you are working with?
    3. Insert the JPG images (2) of your completed work.