UNIT 2
TECHNIQUES FOR GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION AND
EXPRESSION
1.- Mediums, instruments and equipment for drawings and
measuring
2.- Measuring lengths
3.- Standardisation. Formats, borders and title blocks
4.- Types of lines
5.- Sketches, diagrams and technical drawings
6.- Object views. The primary views
We can communicate the features of objects from our environment using words and pictures.
If we choose to do it with pictures, we will get the idea across much better if our drawing is
accurate. Before we start designing the projects we want to build, we need to learn drawing
techniques and how to use the necessary tools and instruments. Before we start building the
things that we have designed, we need to know their measurements, so we will also learn how
to measure, add dimensions and use units of measurement.
• Indicate whether the following statements are true or false:
- Measurements are not important in drawings.
- Technical drawing is useful for project design.
• What are the three most important words in the text?
• In what two ways can we communicate the features of objects from our environment?
Optional project
At the end of the unit you can create a poster of the plan of your flat or house,
adding all the information learned.
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1.- Mediums, instruments and equipments for drawing and measuring
Technical drawing is a means of expression or language; in other words, it has a set of rules that
we must learn if we want to understand or do a drawing correctly.
The first step to express your ideas through drawing is to know the medium that you will be working
on and the main 2part and instruments that you will use: paper, pencils, refillable pencils, rulers,
compasses, set squares, erasers, stencils and templates, and protrators.
Ø Paper
Paper is the part that is usually used for drawings. The most common type is opaque paper, but
there are other types too:
- Opaque paper. White paper with a surface that can be smooth or rough, depending on the finish.
It is used for pen or pencil drawings.
- Square paper. White paper with black or blue squares printed on it. This is the type we normally
see in notebooks, because it helps to keep our handwriting neat.
- Graph paper. One side of this paper has horizontal and
vertical lines printed one millimetre 2parto n it. It is used for
scale drawings, lettering, and drawings that need to be very
accurate.
- Tracing paper. Translucent paper, mainly used to trace
plans and drawings.
- Cartridge paper. A type of card that is much thicker than
normal paper. We use it for drawing on because it does not
rip when we rub lines out.
Ø Pencils
Pencils will be your main drawing instrument. There are different types of pencils and we can
classify them by the hardness of their leads.
Leads numbers letters applications
Soft 0 to 1 9B to 3B Artistic drawings, shading, outlines, etc
Medium 2 to 3 2B, B, HB, F Freehand drawings, sketches, diagrams, etc
Hard 4 to 5 H to 5H Fine lines in technical drawing
Extra-hard 6 to 9 6H to 9H Drawing on tracing paper or very hard
material
Ø Refillable pencils
Most refillable pencils use HB leads and
0,5mm of thickness, but some have leads of
different hardness or thickness.
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Ø Rulers
Rulers are used for drawing straight lines
and measuring objects and distances. They
can be made of plastic, wood or metal. They
normally show centimetres and millimetres.
To measure bigger distances, we can use a
metre stick, a tape measure, or a
retractable tape measure. If we want to
measure very small distances, we can use a
caliper and micrometer.
Ø Compasses
We use compasses to draw circumferences and arcs and to transfer
measurements. A compass has two moveable arms: one arm holds a pencil lead
and the other has a metal tip. We press this tip into the paper to stop the
compass from moving while we use it.
Ø Set squares
We use set squares to help us draw parallel lines, perpendicular lines and lines that form different
angles. 45º set squares are shaped like an isósceles triangle with one 90º angle and two 45º angles.
30º/60º set squares are shaped like a scalene triangle and have 90º, 60º and 30º angles.
Ø Erasers
Erasers are used to eliminate pencil marks when we make a mistake. There are different erasers
for pencils and ink.
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Ø Stencils and templates
We can use stencils and templates to help us draw different types of lines. We use stencils to make
neat, uniform letters. There are many types of templates but the most commmon one are used for
drawing circles, ellipses, installation symbols, electrical symbols, etc.
Ø Protractors
A protractor is a special instrument for measuring and drawing angles. It can be in the shape of a
circle or a semicircle. It has marks showing the different angles and their subdivisions. The angles
go up to 180º if the protractor is a semicircle, and up to 360º if it is a circle.
So how do we use a protractor?
- If you have a semi-circular protractor, start by putting the centre of the protractor where you
want to draw the angle form. Then, line up the 0 line on the straight edge of the protractor with
the line where you want the angle to begin.
- Look on the protractor for the number of the angle you want to draw and mark it on the paper.
- Remove the protractor and connect the points with a line.
2.- Measuring lengths
The World’s most widely used symbols of measurement is the International
System of Units. This system is abbreviated to SI and its standard unit is the metre.
In some parts of the World, like the United Kingdom, the Imperial System is also
used. In the Imperial System, the unit of reference is the inch (1 inch=2,54 cm).
We do not measure very big objects or distances in metres, we use multiples of metres
(hectometres, decametres, kilometres, etc). When we measure very small distances or objects, we
use submultiples of metres (decimetres, centimetres, milimetres, etc).
The following table organices all the units of measure on a scale:
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3.- Standardisation. Formats, borders and title blocks.
When countries want to manufacture products that can be used all over the world, they need to
agree on a set of common standard, or rules: we call this standardisation. Naturally, standardisation
applies to technical drawing too. To be able to interpret drawings done by other people, we need
to know and use the same standards and symbols. Think about the floor plants of a house, for
example.
Standardisation is the set of standards that regulates every element of technical drawing:
formats, lettering and symbols. These standards are agreed by agencies. In Spain, this agency is
called AENOR and the standards that it creates are called UNE, which is an abbreviation of “una
norma española”. UNE standards are very similar to the international standards, which are called
ISO.
The size of the paper we do a technical drawing
on is called the format. The most common format
is A4.
The A3 format is the same size as two A4s, the A4
format is the same size as two A5s, and so on. An
A0 sheet has an area of 1 m2.
We do our drawings on a sheet of paper that has a
line called a border drawn around the inside edge.
At the bottom of the sheet, there is a small box
called a title block, which contains information
about the drawing and its author.
4.- Types of lines
The different types of lines are also standardisation in technical drawing. Each line has a different
function in a drawing, so we need to know how to interpret it. The following table contains the
most common ones:
Line Name Application
Heavy line Visible outlines
Visible edges
_________ Fine line Dimension lines and auxiliary dimension lines
Axis lines
Hatching
_._._._._._ Fine dash-dotted line Centre lines
______ Fine dashed line Hidden outlines
Hidden edges
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5.- Sketches, diagrams and technical drawings
We have seen that drawings express ideas and represent objects. The objects around us have three
dimensions; in other words, they have volume.
A perspective drawing is a drawing with volume. This can be difficult to do because we have to
draw the three-dimensional object on a flat surface (our sheet of drawing paper), which only has
two dimensions.
A sketch is a quick drawing that transmits the general idea of an object or
concept. Sketches are always done freehand. They do not normally show
a lot of detail. They do not have dimensions (measurements) written on
them and we do not have to draw them to scale (they only need to be in
proportion) or use a design sheet (a sheet of paper with a border and title
block).
Sketches are a quick way of putting on paper our initial ideas for the design of an object. We can
use these sketches to communicate our ideas.
A diagram is more detailed
than a sketch. It is also done
frehand but more detail is
added and it includes the
view of the object. Diagrams
can also be represented in
perspective, to make them
clearer. They must be in
proportion to the actual size
of the object and they must
include all the necessary
notes to complete the
information about the
drawing: measurement,
clarifications, etc
Diagrams give us a better idea of the real object because they give us more details. Diagrams are
done after the initial sketch.
The final drawing is called the technical drawing, and it is done using rules. Technical drawings
are done to scale and have measurements (dimensions) marked on them. Technical drawings
indicate all the details of the objects. We do them in pencil and then go over them a fine-line
pen.
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6.- Object views. The primary views.
When you try to represent an idea for a project, you will sometimes find that a sketch in not
enough: the object may be too complex, and you may need to show another side or other details.
We use perspective when we want to draw objects as they really are, but there is another way to
represent object: using views.
Object views are two-dimensional representations of each side of an object. As you know, we
can view objects from above, below, in front, behind, from the left and from the right, so we
say that they have six views: plan, bottom plan, front elevation, rear elevation, left elevation
and right elevation.
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We do not always need to draw all six views to represent an object in full. Most of the time, three
of these views –called the primary views- will be sufficient. The three primary views are: plan,
front elevation and left elevation.
One of the views that we are going to represent in Technologies is the plan of a house. These
drawings have their own special symbols.
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Activities
1.- Try if you can form the following angles using set squares:
15º, 30º, 75º, 105º, 120º, 135º.
2.- Draw parallel lines and perpendicular lines using set
squares.
3.- Sketch these objects: the chair you are sitting in, your desk, your pencil case.
4.- Use set squares to copy the following designs:
5.- Complete the following table with the number of the view the matches each figure:
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EXAMPLES:
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Sheet nº1
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Sheet nº2
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Sheet nº3
13
Sheet nº4
You have to use milimeter paper
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Sheet nº5
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Sheet nº6
You have to use square millimetre paper
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