After MUCH prodding, I'm actually going to go ahead and finish my
manual on "Perspective Projection by Descriptive Geometry: A Manual
for the Artist" (working title).

I have studied, and applied, this method of obtaining aircraft *and*
landscape details (runways/buildings, etc) in proper perspective
"views" for a long time now (See my site link below for many
examples). Proper knowledge of and *application* of "DG" results in
correct perspective and size context for each object as it relates to
the canvas dimensions and to other objects in the scene as the work is
seen from a preferred viewer's distance - much the same as if the
canvas were simply a clear piece of glass, and one were 'seeing' real
objects through the glass . . . in other words, if the typical viewer
of your painting is standing "here" (the *preferred* distance), and
the object depicted is "this big" in relation to the "canvas/pane of
glass", then the object, by definition, is "that far" away. Using this
information, one can "project", from accurate 3-views of the object,
the object in its correct perspective view for that distance.

A perfect and well-known example of this method in action is Keith
Ferris' "Fortresses Under Fire", his 25' x 75' mural in the World War
II gallery in the NASM. Standing at the preferred viewer's distance
(determined by the confines of the WWII gallery) of 60' from the
wall/canvas/clear window, you see a B-17G at the exact perspective and
size as if it were an actual 1:1 scale B-17 about to crash through the
wall/canvas/pane of glass - with it's nose perspex just touching the
wall/canvas.

Now, 1:1 scale paintings such as this can only be done with canvases
*that* big, but I will outline how you can create, in effect, 1/12th
scale "murals", where all elements relate to each other properly,
perspective-wise, at 1/12th scale. As an example of the latter, Ferris
first laid out a 25" x 75" working model of his mural - an exact
1/12th scale replica of the full-size mural as sort of a "proof of
concept". Using the same principles, I will show that it is entirely
possible for every artist to do the same thing. By the way, yes,
Ferris' 1/12th scale model has a preferred viewer's distance of 60"!
We cannot predict exactly where our viewers will stand when observing
our work, but we can work everything out so that it looks correct from
a comfortable, average and typical art gallery (or any other
perdetermined/preferred) viewing distance.

There, I'm already boring you with details. I'm posting this in case
any of you have struggled with the DG system, or would like to know
more about it. I know from my emails that quite a few have - and more
folks than I would have imagined are also painters like me. In the
end, I'm actually saving time by writing the manual rather than spend
all that time explaining WHY I (or somebody else?) haven't yet
completed it!

I will try to make the manual //extremely// concise and to the point,
with numerous examples illustrated with simple stick figure airplanes
and ground elements used to get the main points across. I will assume
that the reader has a good working knowledge of 2 and 3-point
perspective already, and, hopefully, has pulled out a few hairs
actually struggling with the DG system. To keep costs down, I'll run
off copies at the local copy center and put the pages into a thin
3-ring binder so that you can take out each page and arrange them on
your drafting table as necessary.

I have no idea how the final format will look, as so far the manual
only exists as random ideas in my head, and in a folder full of notes
I've made over the years. So, no "pre-orders" for this one.

If you may be interested in a copy of this manual when it's finished,
email me and I'll let you know when it's available.

By the way, you can get college texts on DG - it's actually an old
system for drafing, but be prepared - most I've seen are over 400
pages, and intended for the college classroom, with a seasoned
instructor leading you through the muck!

Wade

Email: