RE: doing graphics when you're not an artist

[KMcLauchlan -at- chrysalis-its -dot- com]

I just use Visio or some other vector drawing program, 
and fake it. I don't need to be able to sketch. I just 
need to stick standard geometric elements together (mostly 
rectangles) and either rotate them -- if the package allows 
three-dimensional rotation -- or else simply bend one end 
of each rectangle, to suggest perspective.

I expect it to become less tedious and more fun as I move 
to Linux, and maybe try out a 3D package.

No artist here.


Previously, (before the economic slump) when we had a 
small stable of in-house mechanical designers, they 
used Pro/E to create their drawings in 3D. Then, they 
published them to the company, and I used the Pro/I 
web-based viewer to view, rotate, explode, etc., their 
drawings, to make my illustrations.  It was absolutely 
lovely, but it only lasted for a few months, and one 
document cycle. Then we laid off all those mech. designers, 
and I'm out of luck for 3D drawings.

/kevin

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jennifer O'Neill [mailto:jennifer -dot- oneill -at- village -dot- uunet -dot- be]
 .
> We need to use more graphics in our manuals. The problem is that the
> technical artist already has too much work and there's no 
> budget to get
> another. We need line drawings of hardware equipment to show 
> how to assemble
> the parts. Myself and my colleague are used to modifying 
> existing graphics
> (illustrator and coreldraw) but not drawing from scratch.
 . 
> I'm wondering how practical it is to take digital photos of 
> the equipment
> and then use a software package to trace over the parts of 
> the picture we
> want to use. I think Adobe Illustrrator lets you do such 
> tracing but haven't
> tried. Any other software that could help us? How do others 
> draw pictures
> when you're not an artist?

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