Chapter 13 Creating Solutions
287
object in your imagination. Sketching is
often thought of as seeing and thinking
with a pencil. Good designers can easily
see their ideas and use pencils to recreate
them. Seeing your ideas takes practice.
The more designers sketch, the better
they become.
There are two ways designers see
objects. They can see objects in either
two or three dimensions. When designers
see in two dimensions, they see the object
in six different views. They see the front,
top, left side, right side, back, and bottom.
Sketches made in two-dimensional views
are called orthographic sketches. See
Figure 13-13. Orthographic drawings,
which are more precise than sketches,
are discussed more in Chapter 17. People
who are not trained to read them might
find orthographic sketches and drawings
hard to understand. At this stage in the
design process, it is easier for designers
to see ideas in three dimensions. Three
dimensions are the easiest because this
is how the eye sees things. This is also
best because almost all people can under-
stand a drawing in three dimensions.
Three-dimensional drawings are called
pictorial drawings. The three major types
of pictorial drawings are isometric, oblique,
and perspective drawings, all of which are
discussed later in this chapter.
Once the designers can see the idea,
they begin by breaking down the object.
Breaking down the idea requires the
designers to divide their ideas into basic
shapes. Some designers are able to see
the basic shapes easily. Other designers
must work harder to see the shapes. All
objects, however, can be broken into
one or more of these basic shapes. See
Figure 13-14:
• Box. A box can be either a cube or a
prism. A cube is a three-dimensional
square. All sides of the cube are the
same length. A six-sided die is an
example of a cube. A prism is very
similar to a cube. The difference is that
a prism has at least one side that is a
different length. A cereal box is a prism.
• Cylinder. A cylinder is a round shaft.
This shaft has one circle on each end,
similar to a tube. A soda pop can is an
example of a cylinder.
• Sphere. A sphere is a perfectly round
object. Baseballs and basketballs are
spheres.
• Cone. A cone is a shape that is round
at one end and comes to a point at
the other. An ice-cream cone is an
example of a cone.
• Pyramid. A pyramid is similar to a cone
because it comes to a point at one end.
The other end of the pyramid, however,
is a square. The Egyptian pyramids are
examples of this shape.
Blocking Out Shapes
After the object or idea has been
broken down into pieces, the sketching
begins. The sketching starts by blocking out
shapes. Blocking out means drawing light
lines where the basic shapes will be. These
lines serve as guidelines used to make the
sketch. Blocking out is very important for
beginners. The more advanced designers
are able to block out shapes very quickly.
Figure 13-13. Orthographic sketches show
each side as a separate view. (Keith Nelson)
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Chapter 13 Creating Solutions
287
object in your imagination. Sketching is
often thought of as seeing and thinking
with a pencil. Good designers can easily
see their ideas and use pencils to recreate
them. Seeing your ideas takes practice.
The more designers sketch, the better
they become.
There are two ways designers see
objects. They can see objects in either
two or three dimensions. When designers
see in two dimensions, they see the object
in six different views. They see the front,
top, left side, right side, back, and bottom.
Sketches made in two-dimensional views
are called orthographic sketches. See
Figure 13-13. Orthographic drawings,
which are more precise than sketches,
are discussed more in Chapter 17. People
who are not trained to read them might
find orthographic sketches and drawings
hard to understand. At this stage in the
design process, it is easier for designers
to see ideas in three dimensions. Three
dimensions are the easiest because this
is how the eye sees things. This is also
best because almost all people can under-
stand a drawing in three dimensions.
Three-dimensional drawings are called
pictorial drawings. The three major types
of pictorial drawings are isometric, oblique,
and perspective drawings, all of which are
discussed later in this chapter.
Once the designers can see the idea,
they begin by breaking down the object.
Breaking down the idea requires the
designers to divide their ideas into basic
shapes. Some designers are able to see
the basic shapes easily. Other designers
must work harder to see the shapes. All
objects, however, can be broken into
one or more of these basic shapes. See
Figure 13-14:
• Box. A box can be either a cube or a
prism. A cube is a three-dimensional
square. All sides of the cube are the
same length. A six-sided die is an
example of a cube. A prism is very
similar to a cube. The difference is that
a prism has at least one side that is a
different length. A cereal box is a prism.
• Cylinder. A cylinder is a round shaft.
This shaft has one circle on each end,
similar to a tube. A soda pop can is an
example of a cylinder.
• Sphere. A sphere is a perfectly round
object. Baseballs and basketballs are
spheres.
• Cone. A cone is a shape that is round
at one end and comes to a point at
the other. An ice-cream cone is an
example of a cone.
• Pyramid. A pyramid is similar to a cone
because it comes to a point at one end.
The other end of the pyramid, however,
is a square. The Egyptian pyramids are
examples of this shape.
Blocking Out Shapes
After the object or idea has been
broken down into pieces, the sketching
begins. The sketching starts by blocking out
shapes. Blocking out means drawing light
lines where the basic shapes will be. These
lines serve as guidelines used to make the
sketch. Blocking out is very important for
beginners. The more advanced designers
are able to block out shapes very quickly.
Figure 13-13. Orthographic sketches show
each side as a separate view. (Keith Nelson)

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