Ceist Eile

Ceist Eile is in development. Features, questions and prices may change while we refine it.

Subjects · Leaving Cert Design & Communication Graphics (DCG)

Leaving Cert Design & Communication Graphics (DCG): Perspective drawing

How often Perspective drawing comes up on the Design & Communication Graphics papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 7 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

OL Asked on 9 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Perspective drawing, Higher Level(8 marks)

Quick ones on Perspective drawing.

(a)How are vertical edges drawn in a two-point (angular) perspective?
  1. Converging to a third VP
  2. Vertical
  3. Parallel to the ground line
(b)Lines slope downwards as they recede from the viewer. Where is their auxiliary vanishing point?
  1. On the horizon line at their VP
  2. Above the horizon, directly over their VP
  3. Below the horizon, directly under their VP
(c)Where can heights be measured at true size in a perspective drawing?
  1. On a height line lying in the picture plane
  2. On any vertical edge of the object
  3. Anywhere along the horizon line, at eye level
Show the answers

(a) Vertical

(b) Below the horizon, directly under their VP

(c) On a height line lying in the picture plane

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Perspective drawing.

Higher Level

Asked on 7 of the last 9 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2025. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025B3
2024A1
2023Not asked
2022B2
2021A1
2019A4
2018B1
2017B3
2016Not asked

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Perspective drawing questions

Perspective drawing, 3 marks

Why is the station point kept well back from the object?

  1. To bring the vanishing points closer together
  2. To lower the horizon line
  3. To keep it within about a 60° cone of vision
Show the answer

To keep it within about a 60° cone of vision

Objects outside a cone of vision of about 60° look badly distorted. Standing further back reduces the angle the object fills, and also spreads the VPs apart.

Perspective drawing, 3 marks

An object stands in front of the picture plane (between it and the spectator). How does it appear?

  1. At exactly true scale
  2. Larger than true scale
  3. Smaller than true scale
Show the answer

Larger than true scale

Only what lies in the PP appears at true scale. Behind the PP things shrink; in front of it the visual rays spread further before reaching the PP, so the object is enlarged.

Perspective drawing, 3 marks

Inclined lines run straight away from the viewer, square to the PP in plan. Where is their auxiliary vanishing point?

  1. Directly above or below the centre of vision
  2. On the ground line
  3. Out to one side of the centre of vision
Show the answer

Directly above or below the centre of vision

Their plan direction is square to the PP, so its vanishing point is the CV. Rising lines vanish above it and falling lines below it, by (S to CV distance) × tan of the slope.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 9 of the last 9 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2025. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2025A1
2024A2
2023A2
2022A1
2021A3
2019A2
2018A3
2017A1
2016A2

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Perspective drawing questions

Perspective drawing, 2 marks

In perspective drawing, what does PP stand for?

  1. Principal point
  2. Plan projection
  3. Picture plane
Show the answer

Picture plane

The picture plane is the upright see-through plane between the eye and the object. The perspective image is where the sight lines pass through it.

Perspective drawing, 3 marks

In plan, how do you find the vanishing point for a set of horizontal edges?

  1. Join S to the nearest corner of the object
  2. From S draw a line parallel to them to meet the PP
  3. From S draw a line at 90 degrees to the PP
Show the answer

From S draw a line parallel to them to meet the PP

A line from the station point parallel to the edges meets the picture plane at the plan of their vanishing point. Project it to the horizon line.

Perspective drawing, 2 marks

How many vanishing points for horizontal edges does angular (two-point) perspective use?

  1. Two
  2. One
  3. Three
Show the answer

Two

The object is turned so both sets of horizontal edges are at an angle to the PP. Each set gets its own vanishing point on the horizon line.

Other Design & Communication Graphics (DCG) topics

All of Leaving Cert Design & Communication Graphics (DCG)