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In a non-perspective drawing there are no vanishing points therefore lines that disappear into the distance have to be treated in one of two ways - a) they don't exist (an orthographic or elevation) or b) they exist, but no perspective will be applied to them (oblique and isometric view). We create these orthographic drawings because you can take a designed part, draw it, dimension it and then give all the needed information to the manufacturer. In a 3D environment dimensions become burdensome.
The following diagram is a sample of the typical reference material you might expect to receive on a technical illustration project. Most major plans after being designed will be broken down into elevation views (top view, front view and right view) built to make an isometric projection (image at upper right) to be given to the people in charge of manufacturing the product.
All objects of course are 3 dimensional and when displaying them in a 2D fashion we must include features not visible from the 2D viewer's angle (straight on in the case of an orthographic drawing, or from an edge-view from the case of a oblique or isometric view). Therefore, hidden lines must added to show that these features DO exist.
An orthographic view is simply an elevation view of an object with no perspective. Often called elevations in architecture here is a typical orthographic view of the front of a house (the front elevation).
Orthographic views are often used to show information about a face of an object. In the case of the designs at right you see the elevation at top, then other orthographic views of the interior of the house (called floor plans).
Technically an orthographic projection is simply the 3 elevations (orthographic views) combined into a page and spread so that the top, front and side views are positioned to easily convert them into an oblique or isometric view.
If we want a 3 dimensional representation of our object, but don't want to mess about with perspective (or alternatively we want to keep our scale going into the Z axis) we can draw our object in what is known as an isometric or an oblique view. The difference between those two views is that :
In ISOMETRIC : the front and Z axis are both 30 degrees to the horizon.
In OBLIQUE: One face is flat, the angle of the Z axis is then 45 degrees off of this.
Isometric
Oblique
Try This: Convert the following isometric drawing into an orthographic projection
Convert the following into orthographic front, RS, top views. [trick - ensure that the maximum height is maintained as well as the edges]
Taken from Kevin Hulsey from his Tutorial Series
A thorough understanding of the principles of 1-Point and 2-Point Perspective is essential to creating an accurate, and visually appealing piece of work. A lay-person with no technical understanding of the principles of perspective drawing will nonetheless have an intuitive negative reaction to drawing in which something is amiss. Using the perspective techniques shown in the preceding tutorials, the mental impression they will make on a viewer will be so strong that once mastered, the illusion of 3-dimensional depth will remain, even when the visual trickery involved in the process has been revealed.
Any good technical illustration starts with well executed line art. If you are working from any type of reference other than a CAD output in the desired angle, you will need to have a strong fundamental understanding of the principles of perspective drawing. This page will cover the various types of perspective angles you will encounter. In the tutorial lessons that follow this page, you will be given the tools needed to map out a perspective grid for any s-dimensional situation. From this grid, you will be able to create realistic three dimensional drawings from flat or "Off Angle" reference.
The three photos below demonstrate the difference between 1-Point and 2-Point Perspective, as well as 3-Point Perspective. The first photograph (Fig. 1) is an example of one-point perspective. All of the major Vanishing Points for the buildings in the foreground of Fig. 1 converge at one central location on the horizon line. The angle of view or Point Of View (POV) in Fig. 1 is referred to as Normal View perspective. In Fig. 2 the vanishing points for the two opposing faces of the center foreground building project towards two different vanishing points on the horizon line. In Fig. 3 we see that the horizontal building elements project to the left and right horizon and the vertical building elements project to a central vanishing point in the sky. This upper vanishing point is called the Zenith. If one were looking down on the object from a Bird's Eye perspective, the vanishing point below the horizon and would be called the Nadir.
In the next three diagrams, you will see the same three photographs with Vanishing Point trajectory lines (magenta) and Horizon Lines (blue) traced over the subject matter. Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are both examples of Normal View perspective. A Normal View angle places the Horizon Line at a natural height as if the viewer was looking straight forward without tilting the head/camera up or down. In these two examples, you will notice that all of the vertical features of the buildings are straight up and down.
Fig. 6 is an example of a Worm's Eye perspective. In Fig. 6 the head/camera is tilted upward placing the Horizon below the picture. The perspective when the view is tilted in an upward direction, creates a third vanishing point at the Zenith. All of the vertical building features will converge at this upper vanishing point. If we were looking down on a subject, the viewing angle would be a Bird's Eye View and the vertical details would converge at the Nadir.
In design we use one and two point perspective drawings in order to sell ideas to clients. While as technical drawers we can understand an orthographic drawing (or a projection) - the average member of the public cannot.
from: DesignSojourn.com
One of the greatly misunderstood concepts of design is that a good designer must be a good sketcher. Sketching can be self-taught and doesn't need to be perfected in order to succeed. There have been famous designers who have created terrible sketches but end up with great designs, and great sketchers that are hopeless designers.
Essentially you would only need to draw or sketch well enough to communicate your concept on paper without you having to explain what it is. You don’t have to win the beauty contest, but you WILL have to do well enough so that a fellow designer (or if you want it to be tougher on yourself, a non-designer) can understand what you are attempting to communicate. Notice the key word here? It’s not drawing, draw, design, or sketch, it’s communicate. A good sketch communicates an idea clearly and succinctly.
Sketching is also one part of the design process that makes up a successful design. Strong understanding in proportions, colors, and manufacturing processes are other important elements that can make or break a design. So don’t despair if your sketching ability, at this time, is not up to par, as you will have a chance to refine it in the downstream design process.
Before we go on lets take a look at the different kinds of sketches so as to not confuse yourself when you go crazy over somebody’s apparently great work.
Thumbnail or Napkin sketch
A thumbnail sketch is a very basic sketch that has an almost child like quality to it. This type of sketch is mainly about getting your ideas down on paper as quickly as possible without too much care about proportions and beauty. Its often pretty rough focusing only on the key“big” idea.
Thumbnails sketches are often the most frequently used sketch technique used to communicate ideas.
Emotion Sketch
These are the sketches people go ga-ga over and a main source of a designer’s spine tingling sensation as well as frustration. Also called inspirational sketches, such sketches are often use to set the tone of a design, brand language or product range.
Emotional sketches are also very difficult to do. Simply because an emotional sketch is extremely form orientated, and used as a means to communicate emotion. Hence the designers who create emotional or inspirational sketches are often called “form monsters” and have the uncanny ability to turn an emotion or expression keyword into a line, form or silhouette.
However one if you look closely into such sketching style you would realize such sketches don’t actually communicate a lot of information. If you look at the example above, can you ask yourself how does the door open? Where is the door handle? The side mirrors?
Its because such sketches are meant to convey just the look or feel of a product and nothing more. It intentionally or unintentionally leaves out things like mechanical fixtures, part lines, or assembly information etc. The best emotional sketch designers are actually able to convert their sketches into great products, but unfortunately you be also surprised to know most cannot and remain in just form or concept development.
Information Sketch:
The information sketch is perhaps the level at which what most designers, whom are worried about their sketching ability, should aspire to. It’s the minimum type of sketch level that would allow other designers to understand what you are trying to draw.
Take 15 minutes to complete perspective challenge 1 - 1 point perspective SKETCH
Take 15 minutes to complete perspective challenge 2 - 2 point perspective SKETCH
Take a look at this (below), you are to complete a sketch of EITHER the 1 point or the 2 point drawing below.
You are to research, sketch designs thumbnails, then create a passive amplifier for a phone.
Design a product that allows your phone to be able to channel its sound to a larger projection void (hole) in either landscape or portrait orientations.
Keep the product size under 10" x 6". The design criteria are simply to ensure an aesthetically pleasing faceplate adorns the front of the design.