How to Draw Repeating Elements in Perfect Perspective (Without a Ruler!)

Most architecture and design students freeze when it comes to drawing repeating elements in perspective.
Columns. Arches. Facades. We intuitively know they should shrink with distance… but how do you actually draw that — especially without a ruler?

Good news: architects have a beautifully simple trick.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to repeat elements accurately in perspective using nothing but diagonals — no grid, no ruler, no stress.

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The Challenge of Repeating Elements in Perspective

When you're drawing something like a row of columns or electric poles, the first two are easy. Your brain gets lazy. You "eyeball" the third, fourth, and fifth. Suddenly the depth feels off, and your sketch looks amateur.

What’s causing that?

Foreshortening. It’s the visual phenomenon that makes equal distances appear shorter as they recede into the distance. It’s what makes perspective drawing tricky — and what throws off your intuition.

Without a method, guessing just isn’t reliable. That’s where the diagonal trick comes in.

The Diagonal Technique: How It Works

Let’s say you’re repeating a square or rectangle along a surface. Here's the basic move:

1. Draw your first shape — could be a square or rectangle.
2. Find the center using diagonals from corner to corner.
3. Use that center point to align your next shape in depth.
4. Repeat the process — connect a corner through the midpoint to find where the next shape should go.

This works in both 2D and full perspective. Instead of guessing, you're using simple geometry to accurately space your elements — even freehand.

Real Examples: Poles and Facades

In the video, I show two real-world examples using the same method:

- A series of electric poles receding into the distance
- A building facade with repeating arches

Both start with one or two known anchor points, and we use diagonals to accurately place the rest — in full perspective.

Even when I intentionally tried to “eyeball” the midpoint, I got it wrong. But with the diagonal method, I placed 7 poles in a row, freehand, with shockingly accurate spacing.

Why This Works for Beginners

This technique simplifies one of the most intimidating parts of perspective drawing — repeating modular elements.

No complex vanishing point setup. No measurement tools. Just pure logic, geometry, and a bit of patience.

It’s ideal for beginners in architecture, design, and urban sketching — especially those working in analog or digital tools like Procreate or Morpholio Trace.