Activity 2.1 Isometric Sketching
Introduction
How do reading the face of a clock and sketching isometric pictorials relate to each other? Picture a cube in your mind. All of the surfaces of the cube form right angles with their adjacent faces. If you were to draw an isometric pictorial of the cube, you would see that the edges point toward 2 o’clock and 8 o’clock, 4 o’clock and 10 o’clock, and 6 o’clock and 12 o’clock. This idea helps when sketching isometric pictorials on writing surfaces that do not have isometric grids.
Isometrics are a common pictorial used both for concept sketches and to represent designs in technical drawings.
Procedure
In this activity, you will develop your isometric sketching skills by first drawing isometric views of objects that are already given in an isometric orientation. You will apply your sketching skills in later exercises to sketch orthographic views of objects that are not given in isometric orientation and to represent your ideas and designs.
When referring to the orientation of an isometric view, the isometric view is labeled in the order of first face, second face, then third face. For example, the image on the left below shows a top, front, right-side isometric view. The same object is pictured again on the right but is shown in a top, left-side, front view orientation. We will almost exclusively use the top, front, right-side view in this course. In fact, the orientation of the isometric will dictate how you label and show the orthographic projections (or side views) of the object in later activities.
How do reading the face of a clock and sketching isometric pictorials relate to each other? Picture a cube in your mind. All of the surfaces of the cube form right angles with their adjacent faces. If you were to draw an isometric pictorial of the cube, you would see that the edges point toward 2 o’clock and 8 o’clock, 4 o’clock and 10 o’clock, and 6 o’clock and 12 o’clock. This idea helps when sketching isometric pictorials on writing surfaces that do not have isometric grids.
Isometrics are a common pictorial used both for concept sketches and to represent designs in technical drawings.
Procedure
In this activity, you will develop your isometric sketching skills by first drawing isometric views of objects that are already given in an isometric orientation. You will apply your sketching skills in later exercises to sketch orthographic views of objects that are not given in isometric orientation and to represent your ideas and designs.
When referring to the orientation of an isometric view, the isometric view is labeled in the order of first face, second face, then third face. For example, the image on the left below shows a top, front, right-side isometric view. The same object is pictured again on the right but is shown in a top, left-side, front view orientation. We will almost exclusively use the top, front, right-side view in this course. In fact, the orientation of the isometric will dictate how you label and show the orthographic projections (or side views) of the object in later activities.
Conclusion
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages to using an isometric pictorial compared to using an oblique pictorial in technical drawings? Oblique pictorials use a vanish point and "guide" your drawing, but requires you to do some estimation. Isometric pictorials are used on Isometric line paper, giving you an easier guide for sketching your sketches, but require you to judge which direction the edges go and how much depth to include.
2. What is the difference between a two-dimensional sketch and an isometric sketch? A 2D sketch doesn't include depth while an isometric sketch does.
3. Why do designers use tonal shading? Designers use tonal shading to help distinguish which sides will be more exposed to sun and also to improve the look of the drawing and "make" them look more 3D.
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages to using an isometric pictorial compared to using an oblique pictorial in technical drawings? Oblique pictorials use a vanish point and "guide" your drawing, but requires you to do some estimation. Isometric pictorials are used on Isometric line paper, giving you an easier guide for sketching your sketches, but require you to judge which direction the edges go and how much depth to include.
2. What is the difference between a two-dimensional sketch and an isometric sketch? A 2D sketch doesn't include depth while an isometric sketch does.
3. Why do designers use tonal shading? Designers use tonal shading to help distinguish which sides will be more exposed to sun and also to improve the look of the drawing and "make" them look more 3D.