Technical drawing

How a thing is specified rather than depicted, and the wording for each.

Every other group here draws something to be looked at. These seven draw something to be built, filed, understood or repaired, and that changes every decision on the page. There is no light, because a light source would say more about the moment than about the object. There is no perspective, because perspective makes the far end smaller and a measurement useless. What is left is line, and the whole craft is in what each line is for: an edge, a hidden edge, a dimension, a leader pointing at a part that has a number.

Drawn to be built

3

Three conventions from the drawing office, where a picture is a set of instructions.

Blueprint: White line on a deep cyan ground, with no shading and no colour anywhere else.

White line on a deep cyan ground, with no shading and no colour anywhere else.

Orthographic Projection: The same thing drawn from front, top and side at one scale, with no perspective at all.

Orthographic Projection

The same thing drawn from front, top and side at one scale, with no perspective at all.

Patent Drawing: Ink line with hatched shading, every part numbered, and no colour at all.

Ink line with hatched shading, every part numbered, and no colour at all.

Drawn to be understood

2

Two conventions that take a thing apart or open it up, so a reader can see inside.

Exploded Diagram: Every part pulled apart along one axis, with dashed lines showing where each returns.

Exploded Diagram

Every part pulled apart along one axis, with dashed lines showing where each returns.

Cutaway: The outer shell opened or made transparent, so the inside is visible in place.

The outer shell opened or made transparent, so the inside is visible in place.

Drawn without a camera

2

Two conventions that describe a solid with no light, no lens and no vanishing point.

Isometric Infographic: One solid view with every parallel edge staying parallel, drawn at a fixed 30 degrees.

Isometric Infographic

One solid view with every parallel edge staying parallel, drawn at a fixed 30 degrees.

Wireframe: Edges only, with the edges at the back drawn rather than removed.

Edges only, with the edges at the back drawn rather than removed.

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Other style groups

Drawn traditionsHow a character is drawn by hand, and the wording that gets each tradition.9 drawn styles Anime and mangaThe looks from Japanese animation and comics, and the wording for each one.8 anime and manga styles PaintedThe painting media, and the wording that gets each one out of a model.7 painting media Made by handStyles built from real material, and the wording that gets each one.10 handmade styles Rendered in 3DHow a computer model is made to look like something, and the wording.11 render styles Soft materialsThe surfaces that make a hard form soft, and the wording for each one.10 soft surfaces Gradient and noiseHow a colour transition is handled, and the wording for each one.5 gradient styles Applied overStyles that put one thing on top of another, and the wording for each.4 layered styles Character shapesHow a figure is built and finished, and the wording for each decision.12 character styles Studio looksThe looks asked for by studio name, described by what is on the screen.8 studio looks

Print stylesPrinting a sheet rather than drawing a character? The same reference, for ink on paper.

Shading implies a light source, which describes one moment rather than the object. A drawing meant to be built from has to show true edges and true lengths, so tone is either removed or built from line.