Types of Drawings

Drawing

A drawing is a graphic representation of an object, or a part of it and is the result of creative thought by an engineer or technician. Graphic communication involves using visual materials to relate ideas. Drawings, photographs, slides, transparencies and sketches are all forms of graphic communication. One of the most widely used forms of graphic communication is the drawing.

Technically, it can be defined as “a graphic representation of an idea, a concept or an entity which actually or potentially exists in life”. Drawing is one of the oldest forms of communicating, dating back even farther than verbal communication. The drawing itself is a way of communicating all necessary information about an abstract, such as an idea or concept or a graphic representation of some real entity, such as a machine part, house or tools. There are two basic types of drawings: Artistic and Technical drawings.

1) Artistic Drawings

Artistic Drawings range in scope from the simplest line drawing to the most famous paintings. Regardless of their complexity, artistic drawings are used to express the feelings, beliefs, philosophies and ideas of the artist. In order to understand an artistic drawing, it is sometimes necessary to first understand the artist. Artists often take a subtle or abstract approach in communicating through their drawings, which in turn gives rise to various interpretations.

Artistic drawing

2) Technical Drawings

The technical drawing is not subtle, or abstract. It does not require an understanding of its creator, only an understanding of technical drawings. A technical drawing is a means of clearly and concisely communicating all of the information necessary to transform an idea or a concept in to reality. Therefore, a technical drawing often contains more than just a graphic representation of its subject. It also contains dimensions, notes and specifications.

                      Technical drawing

Purpose of Technical Drawings

To appreciate the need for technical drawings, one must understand the design process. The design process is an orderly, systematic procedure used in accomplishing a needed design. Any product that is to be manufactured, fabricated, assembled, constructed, built or subjected to any other types of conversion process must first be designed. For example, a house must be designed before it can be built.

Application of Technical Drawing

Technical drawings are used in many different applications. They are needed in any setting, which involves design and in any subsequent forms of conversion process. The most common applications of technical drawings can be found in the fields of manufacturing, engineering and construction. For instance, surveyors, civil engineers, sanitarians use technical drawings to document such works as the layout of a new subdivisions or the marking of the boundaries for a piece of property. Construction personnel use the technical drawings as their blue prints in converting architectural and engineering designs into reality.