Perspective Grids

[Helzon]

Sorry if I am repeating something that has been covered but didn't find anything in this forum on the subject.
I was wondering if in fact there are Perspecitive Grids that one can download and add to Painter IX...to be more specific...2point, 3 point, orthographic...etc. If so..does anyone know where? Or is it something that will be added in a future version?
Any help would be appreciated.

[Jin]

Hi Helzon,

As far as I know, Orthographic drawings are not done using perspective. The drawing is either head on (facing the viewer) or rotated with all lines parallel. In perspective drawings, horizontal and vertical lines go to one or more vanishing points depending on the kind of perspective being used (i.e. one point, two point, three point perspective). Orthographic drawings don't give a realistic illusion of depth while Perspective drawings do give a realistic illusion of depth.

Orthographic Projection (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthographic)

Perspective: The technique of representing three-dimensional objects and depth relationships on a two-dimensional surface.

Painter 8 and Painter IX have a Perspective Grid (Canvas > Perspective Grid) but it's only one point perspective and, personally, I find it way to cumbersome to bother with.

I don't know of any one, two, or three point perspective grids available to download on the Web but you can create your own using the Pen tool to make straight line Shapes, then rotate those straight line Shapes as needed to form the particular perspective grid. Then Group the Shapes and save them as a template to be opened and used when drawing. The Grouped Shapes can be scaled up or down, and the height or width adjusted individually, as needed.

Or, you could draw your perspective grids in pencil or ink, then scan them to use as templates.

A couple of easy perspective grid tutorials on eyewoo's site:

Simple Two Point Perspective and Perspective - Quick Down & Dirty (http://www.eyewoo.com/display.ezb.php?mnElm=24&which=1&direc=ezb.tutorials&listFi=ezb.tutorials&PHPSESSID=ba89c832d95e83c2213eb9b8b0bee32e)


Jinny

[Helzon]

Thanks Jin for the info...
Sorry about the screw up on the orthographic...but would still like to see a more robust Perspective Grid feature in Painter in the future. This one as you say is too cumbersome to bother with and for me at least leaves a great deal to be desired.
Again thanks for the response and info.
Cheers!

[Jin]

Hi Helzon,

You're welcome!

I think if Painter included some perspective grid template files, that would be much better than the kind of Perspective Grid Painter 8 and Painter IX offer.

Just as when I worked as a tech illustrator (on the drafting board), it's easier and more flexible to use a "portable" grid that can be moved around easily below the drawing surface. (In the case of Painter, it could be above the drawing surface with Opacity lowered so it's not so distracting.)

It's not difficult to create your own grids, so give it a try.


Jinny

[jfrancis]

One problem people have is with VP's far off the page.

What might be handy is a tool that would let you zoom far out to a big overscan, place a point, then zoom back in again and have a line that automatically aims at the VP no matter where you place or drag the line.

[Helzon]

Ooh...sweet idea!
That would be great...zoom out...place horizon line ...then place Vpoints 1-3....then the grid would generate from there....
Also perhaps have the flexibility of then playing with the points...drag them about a bit...to get right feel that you are looking for before committing.
Anything to make it far more flexible than it already is.

[jfrancis]

http://www.digitalartform.com/archives/images/distantVP9.jpg

Here's a rudimentary version of this idea I put together in Photoshop.

http://www.digitalartform.com/archives/2005/07/vanishing_point.html

Is there an equivalent in Painter?