How do I draw the same subject from a different viewpoint and keep its proportions convincing?
Quick answer
Set up one subject and draw it from two distinct viewpoints, treating the second drawing as a fresh observation rather than a revision of the first outline. For each view, lightly mark the overall height and width, major angles, and where forms overlap. Compare those relationships between drawings: parts may look narrower, shift position, or hide one another. Keep checking the subject instead of relying on memory.
The question, the details, the next step.
I can draw an object from one angle, but when I move around it, I tend to copy the first drawing and just change a few details. How should I start the second view?
Begin again from observation. Leave the first drawing visible for comparison, but don't use its outline as a template. Move to a noticeably different position—such as from slightly left of the subject to slightly right—and look at the object from there.
Before adding detail, lightly mark the second view's topmost and bottommost points, widest points, main axis, and one or two large divisions. These are anchors, not a tracing guide. Ask what actually appears from here: Which surface is broader? Which edge changes direction? Which part is hidden? Record those observations even when they differ from what you expected.
What exactly should I compare between the two drawings? I want the proportions to feel related without forcing them to match.
Compare relationships, not identical measurements. Check the height-to-width impression, apparent width of major sections, tilt of prominent edges, and position of one part relative to another. Also compare overlaps: a form that was fully visible in the first view may partly cover another in the second, or a previously hidden edge may appear.
The subject stays the same, but the visible shapes do not have to. Keep parts consistent with each other within each drawing. For example, place a handle where you observe it in that view rather than moving it to imitate the first picture. If you're unsure, pause and look again instead of correcting from memory.
Could you give me a paired-view exercise I can do with a simple object?
Try a mug with a visible handle. Put it on a table and keep it in place; move yourself between views. For view A, sit a little to the left. For view B, move right far enough that the handle's relationship to the body looks different.
- Spend a minute looking at view A. Sketch the outer shape, opening, base, and handle. Note which part of the handle sits behind or beside the body.
- Move to view B and start a new sketch. Mark the overall width and height you see, then draw the opening and body. Add the handle where it appears from this position, including any part hidden by the body.
- Put the drawings side by side. Circle three changes you can point to, such as the opening's apparent shape, the body's visible width, or the handle's overlap with the body. Write one short observation beside each.
The exact changes depend on where you sit and how the mug is turned. Draw what your position lets you see, not a predetermined result.
My second drawing looks like a different mug. How do I tell whether I observed a real change or made a proportion mistake?
Check a few large relationships before redrawing. Look from the object to your page and back: Is the overall height-to-width impression close to what you see? Does the opening sit in the right place relative to the body? Does the handle attach at the observed height, and does the body hide the same portion you can see from your seat?
A changed apparent width or overlap can be a valid observation. A handle that floats away from the mug, or an opening that no longer connects plausibly to the body, may signal that the forms have drifted apart. Lightly revise only the relationship you can recheck on the subject; don't stretch the whole sketch to make it resemble the first. If you're unsure, make a quick third sketch from the same position and compare it with the subject in view.
A practical checklist
Choose a subject with a few clear parts and keep it in place while you change your viewing position.
Start the second drawing on a fresh area or page; don't trace or extend the first outline.
Mark the new view's overall height, width, main axis, and large divisions before adding details.
Check which parts look wider, narrower, shifted, or newly hidden from the second position.
Compare three visible changes between the drawings and label them with short observations.
When a proportion feels wrong, recheck that relationship against the subject before revising.
A few more useful answers
Should I draw the second view from memory to test whether I understand the object?
For this exercise, keep the subject in view. The goal is to practice re-observing a changed viewpoint, not to test memory. You can try a memory drawing separately after both observed sketches.
How far should I move between the two viewpoints?
Move far enough to notice at least one change in visible width or overlap. If the views look nearly identical, shift farther around the subject; there is no required angle.
Do the two drawings need to be the same size?
Not necessarily. Matching their drawn size is optional. Focus first on whether each drawing's parts relate convincingly within that view and reflect what you observed.