Now, move just the left and right handles of the transform box to make the wheel approximately the right width (If you’ve already established the right width in your drawing this is easier). — IMPORTANT! Keep the vertical lines of the transform box VERTICAL – that is, keep the top and bottom handles straight up and down from each other as is shown here. Don’t let them angle to one side or the other or your wheel will look like it’s leaning (which you may want, but we don’t need here).
Almost done! Now establish some new perspective lines based on the top and bottom points of your new ellipse, and make a copy of the ellipse:
Finally, resize the second circle and align to the perspective lines. Then erase the inside of the second circle and add some straight lines to connect the front and back sides of the wheel.
Now, if you want to take your drawing further, you can print out your picture at the right size and trace it on a light board. Or if this is all you need to complete your sketch and start rendering in Photoshop, then just get going.
This only takes a few minutes and looks right every time. Remember, no one cares HOW you did it if it looks right! (Except in a perspective class where you need to show your work, but that’s another story!)
(Thanks to Tiffany Lagrange for providing the sketch in this example!)
Article by Patrick McEvoy.
