Manual drawing techniques (sketching, perspective, orthographic projection, isometric drawing, shading, rendering)

Manual Drawing Techniques

Sketching

Sketching is a rapid method of freehand drawing that is not meant to be a finalised work.
It is often used to experiment with ideas and visualize concepts quickly.
Key tools include pencils, pens, markers, and charcoals, among others.
Basic techniques cover construction lines, contour lines, and hatching for texture and shading.

Perspective Drawing

Perspective drawing provides a three-dimensional view of an object on a two-dimensional surface.
There are three types of perspectives: one-point, two-point, and three-point perspective.
One-point perspective has a single vanishing point and is used mainly for interiors or when the facing side is the most important.
Two-point perspective has two vanishing points and is often used for buildings.
Three-point perspective adds a third vanishing point, usually for exaggerated perspectives or when viewed from great distances or heights.

Orthographic Projection

Orthographic projection involves creating two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional objects.
It includes plan, front and side views.
The drawings are created to scale and are used to accurately represent the shape and dimensions of an object.
A key characteristic is that it shows each feature of the object without any distortions.

Isometric Drawing

Isometric drawing is a method of visually representing three-dimensional objects in two dimensions.
They retain the actual measurements and scale and can represent height, width, and depth in a single view.
In isometric projection, all the lines are drawn at 30 degrees from the base line and all verticals remain vertical.

Shading and Rendering

Shading is the technique of using different tones to suggest light and shadow.
It helps to make objects appear more three-dimensional by adding a sense of depth.
Rendering can be viewed as an advanced form of shading that involves adding colour and texture.
Techniques cover hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, blending, shading with the edge of a pencil, and others.