Drawing isometric objects

[Availor]

I would like to bring this discussion as drawing isometric schemes becomes a must for an artist.

I was totally impressed by John Clements isometric illustrations (http://www.xaraxone.com/html/featured_art_2003.html)
A link brought me to a site where you can purchase a program (a plug in for CorelDraw) that helps you making the isometric calculations. http://www.isocalc.com/cooltools/index.htm

I thought that maybe drawing these things in Autocad or another 3D would be better (even faster), but if I want to make these complex isometric drwaings in a 2D program, is there a specific method, or do I have to imagine the perspective? Using Autocad (I think its cost is about 2000$ - not something anyone would want to buy if he doesn't own a company) is very complicated... Is there an easier way?

I just posted this message as a thought http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Availor]

I would like to bring this discussion as drawing isometric schemes becomes a must for an artist.

I was totally impressed by John Clements isometric illustrations (http://www.xaraxone.com/html/featured_art_2003.html)
A link brought me to a site where you can purchase a program (a plug in for CorelDraw) that helps you making the isometric calculations. http://www.isocalc.com/cooltools/index.htm

I thought that maybe drawing these things in Autocad or another 3D would be better (even faster), but if I want to make these complex isometric drwaings in a 2D program, is there a specific method, or do I have to imagine the perspective? Using Autocad (I think its cost is about 2000$ - not something anyone would want to buy if he doesn't own a company) is very complicated... Is there an easier way?

I just posted this message as a thought http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/smile.gif

[molucca]

The X1 mold tool is excellent for dividing perspective space. The alternative is dividing space with diagonals.

I draw in an older version of AutoSketch. Same company as AutoCAD. Not a powerful as AutoCAD, but is a lot less in cost. I have to use a WMF export to use the drawings in X1. The part I like is that the AS solid fills are readable as objects in X1. I think this is unique to AS.

Rich

[gwpriester]

Foster Coburn also has an excellent plug-in for CorelDRAW called EZ Metrics that you can get at his site Unleash.com EZ Metrics. (I did the EZ Metrics logo years ago for Foster and used his software to to the Isometric rendering.

But Rich's point is a good one. Create a rectangle with no Isometric scaling, add all your divisions, then use the Perspective Envelope to mold the rectangle to a specific shape.

There is also an Isometric Snap to Grid option you could try.

Gary

[molucca]

X1 is excellent for shaping circles in perspective. I set up the vanishing points, draw a circle, and mold the circle to the perspective shape.

You can draw a line and group it with a circle. Then drag the drawing to shape the circle correctly. Rich

[foxa]

I have been using EZ Metrics for years, mainly for technical illustrations. It's a great program and very cost effective if you already have Corel Draw. I have also been playing around with making 3D models and using Swift 3D to pose and convert the models to 2D vector (AI) files, it's kind of fun and looks very promising.

Art

[Availor]

Excellent tips there, but I suppose it's hard to create isometricaly correct complex shapes if not using 3D modeling (like the exmple of certein technicle drawings)... anyway great tips, and neat link Gary - I wish the plug in would work in Xara since I don't use CorelDraw. I have a very buggy version of 10 (probably a pirate version - the store I bought it from does not exist anymore).
Anyway, I wish Xara had this plug in

[Grafix Smelter]

Sorry if this sounds pedantic (I'm a design engineer not a graphic artist) but "perspective" is not the same as "isometric" projection. For an isometric projection of the drawing done by rich as below, all the vertical (and long side lines) remain parallel and the same length, and all diagonal lines are at 30 degrees to the horizontal.
Isometric projection is a recognised engineering drawing practice which is basically a cheat to make "perspective" looking drawings ,but has the advantage of using simple geometry avoiding the need to accurately draw each line with respect to the vanishing points.

There is lots of info about it on the web, my first hit with a search engine cam up with this site that explains it well.
http://www.ul.ie/~rynnet/keanea/isometri.htm

[Albacore]

In the steam driven days of the Acorn when I had to do Isometrics for school work I had a small utility which scaled each line on the X & Y axis which allowed me to draw Isometrics fairly easily but this is no help here.

When teaching this drawing method to pupils and especially to pupils who had learning diffuculties we used isometric grid paper. Why not construct a template which could be imported into layer and then used and with the page units set at 30, 90, 150, ect you will get a rough appox. of the drawing you want although if I can remember correctly the snap is not that accurate in Xara X.

[Ross Macintosh]

Or you could get SketchUp, sketch your project in an intuitive 3d workspace and output as an isometric if you want. Of course you can also output true perspectives - even ones matching real world cameras. I sometimes export isometrics and bring them into autocad for dimensioning and notes. It really snazzes up a boring autocad drawing!

Regards, Ross