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Drawing from Nature: A House Seen from a Point Elevated Above the House Itself.

The observer is assumed to be on a mountain or any other point higher than the house to be drawn from nature, as represented by figure 12. Remember that the viewpoint is always at the observer's eye level. Here, the viewpoint or focal point when drawing the house from nature will be higher than the house itself. Thus, all vanishing lines will ascend. You can see the tops of chimneys, etc.

To draw the house from nature as shown here (fig. 11 and 12), we use the same methods as for the modeled box in plate 3, figure 10. We begin by finding the large mass, represented here by figure 11 (plate 5), which is the sketch of figure 12.

The line represented by AB (fig. 11) is arbitrarily placed on your drawing. You compare the height represented by BC with AB and find the square or geometrical plan represented by ABCD. Comparing the width EA in the perspective plan represented here by ADFE with the height AD or width AB, you find that this width of the perspective plan, taken horizontally, is one-fifth of the width AB of the geometrical plan. You then draw a vertical on your drawing of an undetermined height, parallel to your line AD and raised at a distance from this line AD, equal to one-fifth of the line AB. By holding the pencil horizontally, you see at what height the horizontal line where angle E is represented intersects the side AD, here the meeting point and part of point A, about one-fifth of AD. On your drawing, starting from point A, you then take one-fifth of your line AD, and drawing a horizontal through the point marking that fifth, it will intersect with the vertical represented by EF at a point E, which you join to point A, and you have the side EA of your perspective plan.

Next, compare side EF represented on the modeled house with AD: you find that EF is smaller than AD, but the difference is very small. Therefore, on your drawing, starting from point E, on your vertical, mark a part slightly smaller than your line AD to get point F, and joining FD, you've found your perspective plan ADFE.

Compare the roof's height with the house's height. The roof height equals one-third of AD. On your extended AD line, you thus take a distance equal to one-third of AD, and drawing a horizontal at this distance parallel to DG, you know it will be on this line where points G and H, roof angles, will be found. As for finding these points themselves, hold the pencil upright so that it hides one of these angles, as was done to find the roof angles of figure 7.

If you extended the lines AE and DF from figure 11 simultaneously, they would meet at a point, which is the viewpoint of the observer, the focal point for all vanishing lines of the house.

The windows on the geometrical plan and the perspective plan of the house (fig. 12) are like those of the house in figure 8.

Regarding the staircase, compare its height and width represented by ab with the house's height. This staircase is seen in profile; we will later describe how to draw staircases from nature and in perspective from a profile view.

The lawn in front of the house (fig. 12), forming a circle laid horizontally, becomes an ellipse. You begin by comparing with the house or staircase's height the distance separating the lawn from the house. Then compare the large diameter RS with the house's height. As this diameter is larger than the house's width or height, see how many times the width or height fits within. You find that RS is slightly less than double AB (fig. 11). Having found the large diameter, it will provide you the small diameter by comparison, finishing the drawing of the ellipse as in plate 4, figure 4.

Translation Notes:
'Plan géométral' could be considered as a basic ground plan; 'point de concours' can be interpreted as a focal point.