Architectural Illustration: Perspective and Reinterpretation
A course by Felipe de CastroArchitect
A course by Felipe de Castro, Architect
Learn to depict architectural spaces through freehand sketching and give everyday objects a new perspective using pencils and felt-tips
According to architect and drawing professor Felipe de Castro, "architecture is essential for a good quality of life and hand drawing is an exercise for the mind and relaxation for the body." After working with major brands and having illustrations recognized around the world, in this online course, Felipe teaches you how to represent buildings on paper, exploring loose lines and imagination.
Throughout the course, Felipe explains perspective techniques and how to draw correct volumes with pencil and markers. He also shows you how to reframe everyday objects to idealize the most diverse constructions. The everyday is much more inspiring than it looks—an old microphone can turn into a hotel or a stapler into a cable-stayed bridge. So sharpen your creativity and design unusual spaces!
What will you learn in this online course?
14 lessons & 18 downloads
What is perspective and why is it important?
6 minutes, 8 seconds
Materials
2 minutes, 17 seconds
The main elements of the perspective
5 minutes, 22 seconds
Studying a single vanishing point
4 minutes, 26 seconds
Study two vanishing points
2 minutes, 55 seconds
The importance of scale for drawing
2 minutes, 17 seconds
What's included in this course?
To start, Felipe de Castro talks about his professional experience as an architect and designer and presents the influences that contributed to his career, such as Oscar Niemeyer and Zaha Hadid.
After seeing the materials Felipe uses, begin to understand what perspective is, its importance, and its main elements are. Your teacher also explains how to work with one or two vanishing points and how to apply real scales and volumes to each part of a drawing.
From there, Felipe shares a personal method for reinterpreting everyday objects, shaping architectural constructions, and exercising creativity. To do this, choose an element from your daily life and define what type of building to transform it into on paper. With this architectural idea in mind, learn both to analyze and represent the object and develop the building's surroundings with all the appropriate scales.
After refining the sketch, see how to add colors with markers to make the result more realistic and how to apply lights and shadows according to the position of the sun.
What is this course's project?
Design a building inspired by an everyday object.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
No previous knowledge is necessary.
All you need is paper, a pencil, an eraser, and markers.
Reviews
- ph1lPLUS6 months ago
Very pedagogical presentation not only of perspective, but also of scale as well as their respective values. I enjoyed very much that the teacher only deals with essentials. In a short time, you get a lot.
- 10 months ago
good
- 11 months ago
muito, mas muito bom o curso! muito didático, fácil e divertido de aprender, eu amei!
- 1 year ago
muy buen curso para entender lo básico de la perspectiva
- 1 year ago
Muy bueno y muy útil , lo recomiendo totalmente.
He is also known for creating reinterpretations of objects to idealize buildings. He developed these drawings for Brazilian celebrities and in partnership with brands such as Nikon, Cis, Kingston, Logitech, and Belgotex. These works gained popularity on Instagram and were subsequently featured on several international websites.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- U2
Understand and apply the perspective
- What is perspective and why is it important?
- Materials
- The main elements of the perspective
- Studying a single vanishing point
- Study two vanishing points
- The importance of scale for drawing
- Find inspiration in everyday objects
- U3
Practicing image depth
- First steps: represent the object on paper
- Work the shape of the object
- Application of human scale and outline
- U4
Enhancing and detailing your art
- How to work light and color in drawing
- Adding shadow to drawing
- FP
Final project
- Architectural Illustration: Perspective and Reinterpretation
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
This course is ideal for those with basic drawing skills who want to deepen their understanding of perspective, object reinterpretation, and architectural representation. It’s not for absolute beginners but covers intermediate concepts accessible to anyone who already draws.
You’ll need pencils (ideally 8B), Nankin pens, a ruler, tracing paper, art markers, a white pen for highlights, and a gel pen for details. These tools will help you explore all the techniques taught in the course.
You’ll learn how to transform objects into architectural projects, apply perspective, represent volume, use scale and proportion, plus contouring, coloring, and finishing techniques for realistic and creative architectural drawings.
Yes, there are modules focused on creating eye-catching architectural art for sharing on social media, including tips on presentation, visual composition, and how to showcase your drawings on Instagram.
It’s not mandatory, but having a basic understanding of perspective is recommended. The course covers everything from horizon lines and vanishing points to advanced techniques for depth and realism.
The course includes reinterpretation exercises where everyday objects are reimagined and adapted into architectural proposals, encouraging creativity, volumetric analysis, and functional design.
Yes, the course explores the influence of Oscar Niemeyer, Zaha Hadid, and Bjarke Ingels, highlighting their approaches to form, fluidity, use of concrete, and innovation in contemporary architecture.