Wood, John George: The Principles And Practice Of Sketching Landscape Scenery From Nature: Systematically Arranged, And Illustrated By Numerous Examples, From Simple And Easy Subjects, To The More Complicated And Difficult Combinations Of Objects. In Four Parts (Band 1): [Containing elements of the art applied to buildings, with progressive examples, practical and explanatory] (London, 1816)

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part of the door, From M (which is the Diminishing Point of the lines forming the top and bottom of the side B and their
parallels) lay a ruler; and draw from M through b towards d, and continue it at pleasure. This line will form the bottom of the
solid mass of the steps D. Draw d e to the same Diminishing Point R as the receding lines of the side of the building A, and it
will give the base of the first step L. Raise the perpendiculars d f, e h, and by drawing from f to R, the Diminishing Point of
d e, till it cut e h in h, the face of the first step L will be obtained. Through M, which is the Diminishing Point of the receding
lines in the side of the house B, and of the side of the steps D, draw the perpendicular M N; and if the ascent of the steps be
steep, assume a point at a considerable height in the line M N, which call the Diminishing Point of the ascent of the steps; but
if the ascent be more gradual, take the point N lower down. Draw from N through a, till it meet the line b d, which let it do
at d; then will d a, be the degree of ascent of the steps. Having completed the face of the first step L as directed, draw the
line f k towards M, its Diminishing Point, till it meets the line da at k; draw h n towards the same Diminishing Point M, and
by drawing k n towards R, the Diminishing Point of d e, the intersection of the two lines k n and h n at n, will give the upper
surface f h n k, of the first step L. From the point f draw f N to the same Diminishing Point N as the line d a. From h, the
other extremity of the surface of the step, draw to the same point N, by which the proportional heights of the steps will be regu-
lated, as are their widths by the lines d N, e N. From k and n raise perpendiculars, till they meet f N in p, and h N in o; draw
p o towards R, the Diminishing Point of d e, and the face of the second step is completed. Draw p q towards M, till it meets
d N in q, and o r towards the same Diminishing Point M till it meets e N in r; draw q r towards R, the Diminishing Point of
d e, and the upper surface of the second step is completed. In like manner proceed with all the other steps. In order to draw
the hand-rail perspectively, raise the pillars e S, and d S, and draw the lines S T towards the Diminishing Point of the ascent of
the steps, and S T gives the representation of the hand-rails as required. See Wood's Lectures, pages 66 and 75.

DISTANCE OF THE PICTURE.

In order that the instruction contained in the preceding pages may be successfully applied to practice, in drawing Views
from Nature, it will be necessary to give some directions by which the pupil may be enabled to determine the distance at