Stonelaw High
S1 Graphic
Communication
Sketching
Techniques
1
Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
Contents
Freehand Sketching ......................................................................... 3
Three Dimensional Sketching ........................................................... 4
Isometric Sketching .......................................................................... 5
Thick & Thin Line Presentation ......................................................... 7
Oblique Sketching ............................................................................ 8
One point Perspective ...................................................................... 9
Texture ........................................................................................... 10
Two-Point Perspective Extension Materials .................................... 12
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
Freehand Sketching
The ability to generate ideas and put them on paper in the form of
sketches is the basis of all good design.
The designer must be able to sketch and draw, initially using
sketches to communicate their ideas and then developing and
refining these ideas before producing a final working drawing of the
finished product. Freehand sketching allows you to develop your
own ideas and shows other people your thoughts and ideas by
sketching them on to paper.
Freehand sketching must be done without the use of a ruler or set
square as this can break up the flow of your ideas and prevent you
from working quickly.
These ideas can be presented in several different ways. Your
teacher will show you how to sketch isometric views, oblique
views, one and two-point perspective. Each of these pictorial
views can be used to communicate your ideas in a different style and
effect.
Remember that the only way to improve your sketching is
through practise. To improve your sketching you could try it in
your spare time.
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
Three Dimensional Sketching
To show your ideas clearly you will need to sketch in three dimensions. This
means you will show your sketches as a solid rather than a flat twodimensional shape.
A two-dimensional shape has only two measurements
or dimensions:
LENGTH and HEIGHT
HEIGHT
LENGTH
A three-dimensional form has three measurements or dimensions:
LENGTH, HEIGHT AND BREADTH
HEIGHT
Crating
BREADTH
LENGTH
To make freehand sketching easier crating is often used. A 3D crate is
sketched which will contain the object. In other words everything that is
sketched will be inside this crate. Try following the method below to produce
a crate.
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
Isometric Sketching
An Isometric view is way of showing three dimensions or measurements on a
drawing. The view is sketched using the method below.
Lightly sketch a vertical line.
1. Lightly sketch two lines approximately at 30 to the horizontal. You
should have what looks like an arrow pointing downwards.
2. Estimate the LENGTH, BREADTH and HEIGHT of the object and mark
these off.
3. Add in vertical lines to make the object look like an open book standing
up.
4. Complete the crate lightly. Take care to ensure that all vertical lines are
parallel. All lines at 30 (approximately) up to the right and left are also
parallel to one another.
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
Tonal Scale
Shade and tone can be added to a design to give it a more realistic
appearance. Assuming the further a surface is from light the darker the shade
will be on the surface. It shows the effect of light falling on an object. The
variations of light and dark are called tone.
The easiest way to show tone is to use an HB pencil or coloured pencil. The
side, which is closest to the light source, will have light tone and the surface
the furthest distance away from the light will be the darkest.
To add tone you must be able to add different levels of tone. This can be
done using a tonal scale of five sides.
1
2
3
4
5
Increase in Tone
When adding tone do not lean heavily with the pencil as this can damage the
paper. You should darken the tone by going over the surface each time until
you reach the level of tone you require.
Try this yourself using an HB pencil and coloured pencils. You could also try
adding tone to a pictorial view using the scale as shown below.
No.1 on
tonal scale
No.2 on
tonal scale
No.3 on
tonal scale
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
Thick & Thin Line Presentation
When you use crating, it is important to make the final object stand out from
your light outlines on the paper. A darker outline distinguishes the shape from
the construction lines.
Change the line thickness to give your object a more three-dimensional
appearance. By following the guidelines below the presentation and effect of
your object will be improved.
1. Add a thick line to an edge where only one surface is visible.
2. Leave a thin line where two visible surfaces meet.
3. For extra impact, draw in the thickest line around the outline of the object.
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
Oblique Sketching
Oblique Sketching is similar to isometric sketching. Sketching the flat shape
of a rectangle or square starts oblique sketching. In the case of isometric
views the lines are projected at 30 to the horizontal. In oblique views the
lines from the shape are projected at 45 to the horizontal from the flat shape.
The procedure for sketching an oblique object is as follows.
1. Lightly sketch a vertical and horizontal line as shown.
2. Lightly complete the front surface of the rectangle or square.
.
3. Sketch the oblique (sloping) lines at approximately 45 to the horizontal as
shown. Try to keep these lines parallel to each other.
4. Lightly complete the crate shape.
5. You should keep your design within
your crate.
6. Use the Thick & Thin Line technique to improve the presentation of your
design or object.
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
One point Perspective
For presentation purposes, you may wish to show your design in the
environment where it will be used. A technique often employed to do this is
called perspective drawing. It allows the designer to give an impression of
depth as well as height and length just as you would see them in real life.
The further an object is from your eyes the smaller it appears. The nearer it
moves towards you, the larger it becomes. When an object is so far away that
you can no longer see it, then it has disappeared usually at the horizon. Our
eye level determines the horizon. This is known as the vanishing point.
A perspective drawing creates this impression on paper. One point
perspective drawings are often used by interior designers and in stage sets.
To produce one point perspective follow these stages.
1. Take a sheet of A4 paper and divide it into four.
2. Mark the vanishing point (eye level) in the centre of the paper ( vp).
3. Sketch four Squares or rectangles one in each of the for divisions
4. Project a light line from each corner back to the vanishing point in the
centre.
5. Draw a horizontal and vertical line to join up the projection lines.
6. Use the Thick & Thin technique to emphasise the objects you have
drawn.
Notice that where the object is in relation to the vanishing point will effect how
the object is seen
Add horizontal
and vertical
lines.
Vp
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
Texture
All surfaces have surface texture. The texture of a material is the feel of a
surface. Some surfaces are rough some are smooth and o on.
Shown Below are some examples of how an object can be rendered to make
it look more interesting.
Try sketching some pictorial crates adding in texture to your object.
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
Two-Point Perspective Extension Materials
Two-point perspective is very similar to one point perspective. The position of
the horizon will have an effect on how the object is viewed. The procedure is
as follows
1. Sketch a light horizon line across the full length of the paper and mark on
the points VP1 and VP2. These points are known as the vanishing points
and this line as the eye level.
VP1
VP2
2. Sketch a vertical line representing the nearest edge of the block (the
leading edge) and mark off the height.
VP1
VP2
3. Sketch light lines from the two marks you made on the vertical line to meet
the two vanishing points.
VP1
VP2
4. Estimate the length and distance from the front to the back of the block
VP1
and sketch vertical lines.
VP2
5. Sketch light lines from the top corners to the opposite vanishing pints as
shown
VP2
VP1
Depending on where the front
edge is sketched, in relation to
the horizon line, gives different
views of the block.
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
Marker Rendering Exercise
Use Markers to render the DAB Radio below. You should apply the
techniques of shade and tone to show highlight.
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Stonelaw High
Faculty of Home Economics & Technical
Education
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