Drawing applications

isometric drawing

3/3/2017
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Drawing Applications Isometric Drawing - Principles by: M. Patrick ©

Remember we have just worked on the set of rules called "Orthographic Projection" which
allowed us to take a three dimensional object, or a picture and draw it in a form where it had
a "Front, Side and Top" view or "Elevation". We are now going to work in reverse - from the
three "Orthographic Views" (Front Elevation - Side Elevation - Plan), we are now going to
produce a "Three dimensional" drawing or a picture.

Uses of pictorial Drawings

Pictorial drawings are excellent aids in the design process, for they allow designers and
engineers to view the objects at various stages in their development. Pictorial drawings are
used in instruction manuals, parts catalogues, advertising literature, technical reports and
presentations and as aids in the assembly and construction of products.

Types of Pictorial Drawings

Artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci use a process called "Perspective Drawing"
where at least two vanishing points are required - this process is very realistic and life like and
equally complicated. The most common forms of pictorial drawing used in engineering drawing
are "isometric" and "oblique". These two basic forms of pictorial drawing are easy to master,
if you can visualize objects in orthographic projection and three dimensions.

ISOMETRIC PROJECTION
The word ISOMETRIC means equal (iso) measure (metric). The three principal planes and
edges make equal angles with the plane of projection.
.

Procedure
Three steps are used in making the Isometric drawing from the Orthographic drawings given
(Front view and plan).

1) Make an isometric rectangular box that will contain the object by drawing three lines, one
vertical, and the other two each at 30° to the horizontal. Along these lines, mark off the
height, length and breadth. (use construction lines at first)

2) Along the appropriate edges of the "box" mark off the dimensions given.

3) Darken-in the outline, and show the hidden detail by means of dotted lines. (broken lines)

30
50
24

75

30° 30°
40
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Drawing Applications Isometric Drawing - Principles by: M. Patrick ©

Exercises
Adopting the three steps we have just learnt, draw an isometric view of each of the other objects
below. Do not dimension them but show all hidden detail with dashed lines. Neatly Title each
one "FIG ?" with it's appropriate number.
20 20 15 15 45

30

50

50
50

10
25

75 75 75
40

28

40

28
40

FIG. 1 FIG. 2 FIG. 3

20 25
10 10

55
75
20
75
10

20 10 20 50 50
50 50 FIG. 5
FIG. 4
Procedure
Three steps are used in making the Isometric Drawing from The Orthographic drawings (Front
view and plan). - Repeat the same three steps producing an isometric drawing for this example.

35
60

75
30

20

FIG. 6
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Drawing Applications Isometric Drawing - Principles by: M. Patrick ©
Circles in Isometric
In an isometric drawing, a circle will appear as an ellipse.

Fig 1 Shows an orthographic view of a 50mm diameter

circle enclosed in a square (not to scale)

Procedure
Five steps in drawing the circle (Fig 1)
in Isometric on the 3 planes, A, B, & C
C

50
as seen on the cube are shown below.

Ø50
B A
Fig.1 50
50
The same steps are repeated for
all faces, A, B & C.

o i nt
d-p
mi

mid-point

A Place your
mid-point

120° Repeat the same compass point

Obtuse Draw a line process from the where the lines
Acute from the obtuse other obtuse angle. intersect (circled)
angle angle
angle to the opposite and draw the small arc
60° mid-point as shown. Repeat where
the other two lines intersect. Now place your
30° compass point
mid-point at the apex of the
obtuse angles (circled)
and draw the long arcs
to complete the ellipse.

mid-point
mid-point

B Place your
mid-point

120° Repeat the compass point

Obtuse Draw a line same process where the lines Now place
angle Acute from the obtuse intersect (circled)
angle from the other your compass
angle to the opposite obtuse angle. and draw the small arc point at the apex
60° mid-point as shown. Repeat where of the obtuse angles
the other two lines intersect. (circled) and draw the long
30°
arcs to complete the ellipse.
mid-point

C 30° mi
d-p i nt
o d- po
int mi
mid-point mid-point
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Drawing Applications Isometric Drawing - Principles by: M. Patrick ©
Exercises
Fig 2 shows two orthographic views of a cylinder resting on a square base and FIG 3 illustrates
two steps in making an isometric drawing of the combination. Try it!

50
93

75
18

75

75
Ø50

Fig.2 Fig.3

Exercises
Fig 4 to 6 below are other items involving isometric circles being quite a challenge to some!

Fig.4 Fig.5 Fig.6

Ø36 Ø36
70
11

45
80

45
70

11

25

20

120 100 88
20
66

70

20

100

Ø40 11 Ø60
20

60
Note:
The above exersises must be completed before the test.