4 ms·

Drawing and illustrating in the pre-digital time (2019)

68 points by cardamomo 3y ago

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
z5h 3y ago
Timely article. I’m doing straightedge and compass constructions for fun, and want them to look good. I’ve realized that in terms of compasses (at least), they don’t make em like they used to. Browsing for used stuff turns up plenty of incredible high quality gear for technical drawings. At very good prices.
- thsksbd 3y ago
  See if rotring still makes them. I had one for high school and it seemed good enough EDIT: I still sometimes make compass constructions to solve quick problems
  - z5h 3y ago
    Oh I’ve faaaaaar down the rabbit hole of brands, kits, gear, etc. Rotring, Essel, Hughes Owens, Kneufel & Esser, Kin, Ecobra. I spent a few hours this weekend researching inks.
- gilleain 3y ago
  Some (possibly) interesting material related to this, that I have enjoyed: * The Celtic Goldsmith : https://www.youtube.com/@TheCelticGoldsmith https://www.youtube.com/@TheCelticGoldsmith * Mohamad Aljanabi : https://www.youtube.com/@BawabatAlkhatAlarabi https://www.youtube.com/@BawabatAlkhatAlarabi * Zak Korvin : https://www.youtube.com/@geometryptamine https://www.youtube.com/@geometryptamine Although Mohamad Aljanabi uses animations, the challenge of reproducing these patterns using the traditional compass and straightedge can be fun. Also Zak Korvin's dexiterity with a compass is a sight to see :)
gondo 3y ago
Oh, I remember some of these tools from my school days. I might even still have them in the storage. Fond memories.
liampulles 3y ago
My mother is a children's book illustrator. She has always done it by hand until very recently, mainly because she doesn't understand computers, but also because the watercolour effects she understood how to do by hand were tricky for her to achieve on the computer. But I think she prefers using the computer now, the dual monitors, layers, and undo button are huge value adds.
- windenntw 3y ago
  Get her to try https://www.escapemotions.com/products/rebelle/about https://www.escapemotions.com/products/rebelle/about , it is reaaaaally close to the original watercolour finish.
  - liampulles 3y ago
    Looks cool, thanks!
  - CrimsonCape 3y ago
    That software is lifetime license only at $70 for the basic and $110 for the pro... I wonder how that pricing model is working in today's day-and-age? It's not common anymore.
paganel 3y ago
My dad was a civil engineer back in the '80s when I was a kid and seeing that first large image with all the instruments made me highly nostalgic, because he had a drawing tool-set very similar to the second from the left (it was manufactured and designed in the German Democratic Republic). I distinctly remember playing with those template drawing instruments.
titchard 3y ago
Thank you for this, I am very much an amateur comic artist and prefer "analogue" methods so this list of items is exceptionally helpful for items I haven't seen before4 / didn't know the name of.
california-og 3y ago
Are there any digital tools that would replicate the workflow of drawing with ruler and compass? I've tried dozens of different apps but none of them get it quite right. Here's my wishlist: Compass: — Set a radius and "lock" it in place. — Move the origin of the compass anywhere, without having to set the radius again. — Press down to draw an arc (CW or CCW), starting and ending anywhere along the radius. — Ability to snap to other lines and intersections. — Hotkey to draw in increments, like 10°, 20°, 30°, 45° etc. — Ability to draw the arcs as guides to aid in geometric construcion. Ruler: — Change the angle of the ruler — Move the ruler without having to set the angle again — Press down to draw a line, starting and ending anywhere along the ruler. — Ability to snap to other lines and intersections. — Hotkey to rotate in increments of 10°, 20°, 30°, 45° etc. — Ability to draw the lines as guides to aid in geometric construcion. + A fill tool to color shapes.
- red_trumpet 3y ago
  Krita's "Assistant Tool" somewhat does this. You can define (infinite or finite) rulers, and circles (as a special case of ellipses, press Ctrl when choosing the third control point to get a circle). When drawing with the "Freehand Brush Tool", choose "Snap to Assistants" to draw along the defined assistants.
- lmpdev 3y ago
  Not the answer you want but all of these are nicely achievable in Rhino3D with aliasing for a couple of your dot points Added benefit is it’s integrated with Grasshopper so you could extend any of these to your liking in Python or C#
- amelius 3y ago
  Personally I'm hoping for a constraints solver (like exists in FreeCad) but in Inkscape.
- johnofthesea 3y ago
  Isn't this common in CAD? Most of those things are possible in AutoCAD or Rhino. For fill tool there is hatch command with solid hatch.
0x0203 3y ago
Many of these tools and techniques are still very useful for woodworkers for laying out cuts and shapes on the timber. I have and use many of these in my workshop.
xtiansimon 3y ago
When I went to Jr High School they still had drafting. We used the same textbook my dad used 20 years before. Lol. And I participated in the computer club where we played around on Apple II’s. Fast forward, my first year at university in typography class we were specing type lines, cutting them up and laying them out with wax on board, and photographing the composition in a positive film stat. Next year it was all about the Quark on Mac SE. I found it funny, even then, to grow up on the cusp of change.
javier_e06 3y ago
My brother was in architecture school in the 80s and the had some amusing contraptions like the Leroy Lettering set: https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QPpgVpDDqDU/VT-JJ417kvI/AAAAAAAAUes/0jl7l-SzVoM/s1600/16918867_3.jpg https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QPpgVpDDqDU/VT-JJ417kvI/AAAAAAAAU... Interesting.

68 points by cardamomo 3y ago

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

z5h 3y ago

Timely article. I’m doing straightedge and compass constructions for fun, and want them to look good. I’ve realized that in terms of compasses (at least), they don’t make em like they used to. Browsing for used stuff turns up plenty of incredible high quality gear for technical drawings. At very good prices.

thsksbd 3y ago
See if rotring still makes them. I had one for high school and it seemed good enough EDIT: I still sometimes make compass constructions to solve quick problems
- z5h 3y ago
  Oh I’ve faaaaaar down the rabbit hole of brands, kits, gear, etc. Rotring, Essel, Hughes Owens, Kneufel & Esser, Kin, Ecobra. I spent a few hours this weekend researching inks.
gilleain 3y ago
Some (possibly) interesting material related to this, that I have enjoyed: * The Celtic Goldsmith : https://www.youtube.com/@TheCelticGoldsmith https://www.youtube.com/@TheCelticGoldsmith * Mohamad Aljanabi : https://www.youtube.com/@BawabatAlkhatAlarabi https://www.youtube.com/@BawabatAlkhatAlarabi * Zak Korvin : https://www.youtube.com/@geometryptamine https://www.youtube.com/@geometryptamine Although Mohamad Aljanabi uses animations, the challenge of reproducing these patterns using the traditional compass and straightedge can be fun. Also Zak Korvin's dexiterity with a compass is a sight to see :)

gondo 3y ago

Oh, I remember some of these tools from my school days. I might even still have them in the storage. Fond memories.

liampulles 3y ago

My mother is a children's book illustrator. She has always done it by hand until very recently, mainly because she doesn't understand computers, but also because the watercolour effects she understood how to do by hand were tricky for her to achieve on the computer. But I think she prefers using the computer now, the dual monitors, layers, and undo button are huge value adds.

windenntw 3y ago
Get her to try https://www.escapemotions.com/products/rebelle/about https://www.escapemotions.com/products/rebelle/about , it is reaaaaally close to the original watercolour finish.
- liampulles 3y ago
  Looks cool, thanks!
- CrimsonCape 3y ago
  That software is lifetime license only at $70 for the basic and $110 for the pro... I wonder how that pricing model is working in today's day-and-age? It's not common anymore.

paganel 3y ago

My dad was a civil engineer back in the '80s when I was a kid and seeing that first large image with all the instruments made me highly nostalgic, because he had a drawing tool-set very similar to the second from the left (it was manufactured and designed in the German Democratic Republic). I distinctly remember playing with those template drawing instruments.

titchard 3y ago

Thank you for this, I am very much an amateur comic artist and prefer "analogue" methods so this list of items is exceptionally helpful for items I haven't seen before4 / didn't know the name of.

california-og 3y ago

Are there any digital tools that would replicate the workflow of drawing with ruler and compass? I've tried dozens of different apps but none of them get it quite right. Here's my wishlist: Compass: — Set a radius and "lock" it in place. — Move the origin of the compass anywhere, without having to set the radius again. — Press down to draw an arc (CW or CCW), starting and ending anywhere along the radius. — Ability to snap to other lines and intersections. — Hotkey to draw in increments, like 10°, 20°, 30°, 45° etc. — Ability to draw the arcs as guides to aid in geometric construcion. Ruler: — Change the angle of the ruler — Move the ruler without having to set the angle again — Press down to draw a line, starting and ending anywhere along the ruler. — Ability to snap to other lines and intersections. — Hotkey to rotate in increments of 10°, 20°, 30°, 45° etc. — Ability to draw the lines as guides to aid in geometric construcion. + A fill tool to color shapes.

red_trumpet 3y ago
Krita's "Assistant Tool" somewhat does this. You can define (infinite or finite) rulers, and circles (as a special case of ellipses, press Ctrl when choosing the third control point to get a circle). When drawing with the "Freehand Brush Tool", choose "Snap to Assistants" to draw along the defined assistants.
lmpdev 3y ago
Not the answer you want but all of these are nicely achievable in Rhino3D with aliasing for a couple of your dot points Added benefit is it’s integrated with Grasshopper so you could extend any of these to your liking in Python or C#
amelius 3y ago
Personally I'm hoping for a constraints solver (like exists in FreeCad) but in Inkscape.
johnofthesea 3y ago
Isn't this common in CAD? Most of those things are possible in AutoCAD or Rhino. For fill tool there is hatch command with solid hatch.

0x0203 3y ago

Many of these tools and techniques are still very useful for woodworkers for laying out cuts and shapes on the timber. I have and use many of these in my workshop.

xtiansimon 3y ago

When I went to Jr High School they still had drafting. We used the same textbook my dad used 20 years before. Lol. And I participated in the computer club where we played around on Apple II’s. Fast forward, my first year at university in typography class we were specing type lines, cutting them up and laying them out with wax on board, and photographing the composition in a positive film stat. Next year it was all about the Quark on Mac SE. I found it funny, even then, to grow up on the cusp of change.

javier_e06 3y ago

My brother was in architecture school in the 80s and the had some amusing contraptions like the Leroy Lettering set: https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QPpgVpDDqDU/VT-JJ417kvI/AAAAAAAAUes/0jl7l-SzVoM/s1600/16918867_3.jpg https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QPpgVpDDqDU/VT-JJ417kvI/AAAAAAAAU... Interesting.