How to Draw Hexagonal Pyramids

How to Draw Hexagonal Pyramids

Video by Vladimir London, a Life Drawing Academy tutor

In this video, I will show you special methods of drawing standing and reclining hexagonal pyramids that are not taught anywhere else. Let's begin with a standing object. To begin with, I divide the depth in perspective in half. Through the middle, goes the axis of a circle depicted in perspective, which appears as an oval in drawing. This oval touches two vanishing lines in green dots. The remaining two vanishing lines complete a perfect square in a two-point perspective. The depth of this square is divided into four equal parts. Those divisions are also marked in green dots. Two vanishing lines go through those dots and cross the circle. Such cross-points are used to draw a perfect hexagon in the same two-point perspective. This is the footprint of a pyramid. Its pinnacle is connected with all six corners of the footprint, giving us the hexagonal pyramid. Also, note how I suggest the aerial perspective by drawing edges with different boldness.

I will now draw a reclining hexagonal pyramid. Once again, it will start with a perfect circle in perspective. To draw this circle, I divide the distance between two vanishing lines in half. Through the central point goes the pyramid's axis. It is a vanishing line that crosses two other lines in green dots. A circle in perspective appears as an elliptical oval. It touches two vanishing lines in green dots. Two more green dots is where this oval touches the remaining sides of a square. These dots are used to draw a vertical circle, which is equal in size to the first one. This vertical circle will be used to plot the base of the pyramid. I divide the depth into four parts. Two vertical lines cross the vertical circle in four points. These are the corners of the future hexagon. It will be a modular pyramid. What the module is and how to draw modular prisms is explained in a dedicated video tutorial.

I can now outline the hexagonal base in darker lines and connect its corners with the vertex of this modular pyramid. Note how varying boldness of lines indicates the aerial perspective. This pyramid was drawn from its center. The distance from its vertex to the ground is indicated now.

But what if you need to draw a pyramid from the ground up? I will show you how to do it in the next drawing. A special method developed by me for the Life Drawing Academy Correspondence Course students works perfectly well for this case. On the ground, I draw in perspective a virtual circle as a perfectly elliptical oval, which is inscribed into a square. Through its center go several axes. I divide the depth into four parts in perspective. These landmarks are used to draw a vertical circle in the same two-point perspective. This circle is inscribed into a vertical virtual square. This geometry allows to build a perfect vertical hexagon in a two-point perspective. Several methods of drawing a hexagon are explained in a separate video lesson.

As you can see, this hexagon is depicted from the ground up. This also will be a modular pyramid. I use a special method to find its vertex. All that is left is to connect this vertex with six corners of the hexagonal base.

I hope you have learned something new in this video. This demo is a small part of only one task out of 100 that students get in the Life Drawing Academy Correspondence Course where you can learn everything you need from constructive drawing principles to how to draw portraits and figures and reach the advanced level of drawing skills.

To learn good drawing techniques, enroll in the Life Drawing Academy course: