Isometric Drawing

and Sketching
By the end of this series of lessons you will have developed your
• Knowledge & Understanding of Isometric Drawing and

• Practical sketching and drawing skills

The lessons cover

• Isometric Drawing construction techniques

• Crating
• Extruding Shapes
• Drawing in Perspective
• Curves and Angles in Isometric
• Circles and Curves in Isometric
• Ellipses in Isometric
• Drawing Fillets
• Cylinders in Isometric
Isometric Drawing
This is the Standardised way for
engineers to present ideas in 3D.

It has been Standardised by the

ISO and the BSI

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 What does BSI stand for?

What does ISO stand for?

What is the importance to Engineers of BSI and ISO?

Write down answers to the above in your Exercise book

Isometric Drawing is
the correct way to present
ideas in 3D

The engineer uses

Isometric to present 3
clear views of an
Engineered product:-
The Plan View
The Front View
The Side View
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What three views of
an Engineered
Product does an
Isometric Drawing
clearly show?

Write down your answer

to the above in your
Exercise book
 Plan View

Front View End View

Here is a CAD assembly drawing in Isometric & an “Exploded Drawing” in isometric.

What does CAD

stand for?

What is an
Exploded
Isometric
Drawing?

Write down
answers to the
above in your
Exercise book
Isometric is used in Video games to give a “Top-down” view

What games have you played that show this view?

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 Isometric Drawings can be produced in various ways
1. Using a 30
Degree Set
Square

2. Using Isometric
Paper or Grid

3. Using CAD

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into your exercise book
Isometric drawings are
constructed at 30° to
the horizontal

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Isometric Drawing is produced using 3 Planes

These planes are the X, Y and Z Axes

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To be able to draw, sketch and present ideas in Isometric
an Engineer needs to be able to understand how to draw
and use a “Crate”.
Work book/blank paper EXERCISE: Construct a CRATE using your H Pencil and your 30° Set Square
 Constructing Shapes in Isometric : Crating
Work Book Exercise

Go from this

Draw/Construct a Crate Trim Identify

To This

Pick Out Shade/Tone/Render Thick & Thin….Make it stand out

Constructing Shapes in Isometric : Extruding
Work Book Exercise

Go from this

Draw/Construct a Crate Identify Shape on one side Extrude or Project onto

opposite side
To This

Pick Out Shade/Tone/Render Thick & Thin….Make it stand out

Practice Crating and
Extruding using your
30° Set Square.

In your Workbook draw

the 3D Shapes
Ensure you show the
construction of each
within a “Crate”
Add Tone & weighted
lines
Constructing Shapes
in Isometric : Angles

Work book Exercise

Go from Construct the crate Choose a face and draw the angled line

this

To This

Pick Out Weighted lines/Tone/Render

 Repeat
Constructing Shapes in angle
Isometric :
Angles in 2 planes
Work book Exercise

Go from
Choose a face and draw the angled line,
Construct the crate
this and extrude then repeat on adjacent sides

To This

Pick Out Weighted lines/Tone/Render

EXERCISE: Isometric Grid
Paper

You have already practiced

sketching and drawing in
Isometric, and its essential
that you keep practicing.

Exercise

Practice sketching the shapes

opposite using isometric grid
Circles and Curves in Isometric

Circles become
Ellipses when drawn
in Isometric

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Circles and Curves in Isometric The actual The Ellipse of
Circle the Circle

What you What you

think you actually see
should see

Which of these
drawings looks
correct?
Draw both interpretations of the tin in your
exercise book
Circles and Curves in
Isometric
A circle in Isometric is known
as an “Ellipse”

The shape and form of the

ellipse is dependent upon the
angle that the Tin is looked
at.

Study a coin from different

view points…see the ellipse?
The Ellipse
A Circle in Isometric is known as an
Ellipse

There are different techniques that

can be used to draw an ellipse, both
technically using tools and freehand.

When we discuss Ellipses we talk

about the MAJOR AXIS and the MINOR Write this in your
Exercise book
AXIS
The Ellipse

Copy this into

your Exercise
book
 CONCENTRIC CIRCLE
FREE HAND SKETCH METHOD METHOD

ONLY REQUIRES A PENCIL REQUIRES COMPASS, RULER

& PENCIL

The Ellipse:
Drawing
Techniques
THE TRAMMEL METHOD FOUR CENTRE METHOD

REQUIRES A RULER, PENCIL & REQUIRES A RULER, PENCIL &

TRAMMEL COMPASS
 FREE HAND SKETCH
METHOD

ONLY REQUIRES A PENCIL

We will focus upon
these two techniques
and the use of an
FOUR CENTRE Ellipse Template
METHOD

REQUIRES A RULER,
PENCIL & COMPASS
 FOUR CENTRE METHOD

REQUIRES A RULER, PENCIL & COMPASS

This method uses the original circle with a

series of Centre points and drawn arcs to
create an ellipse
FOUR CENTRE
METHOD; Tighten
with tool

Exercise, follow
the set of instructions
to draw an ellipse with
a major axis of 50mm

Firstly ensure you

have a sharp pencil,
and set up your
compass

You are going to

draw one circle
and scribe Arcs
Start with
a 50mm
square
FREE HAND SKETCH When you sketch an ellipse freehand, follow these simple rules
METHOD

ONLY REQUIRES A You are drawing FILLETS, or curved Corners

PENCIL
Time to Practice freehand Ellipses and “Fillets”.

Exercise:
Practice using Isometric Grid or Freehand on
blank paper, to produce up to 10 freehand
ellipses.
When drawing ellipses in Isometric you draw in any
one of the three planes
Exercise: Draw 3,
freehand cylinders
Time to Develop your Skills.

Exercise: Draw a Dice in

Isometric using Ellipses and
Fillets