TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: labelling drawings From:Dick Margulis <ampersandvirgule -at- WORLDNET -dot- ATT -dot- NET> Date:Tue, 5 May 1998 18:15:06 -0400
Damien,
De gustibus non est disputandum, but I disagree with your colleague. I
always try to emulate the approach taken in Scientific American, both in
terms of the way illustrations are handled and labeled and in the
approach to figure legends (long and informative).
One caveat, though, if the callouts are going to vary in angle: Try to
arrange groups of them like a fan, rather than like pick-up stix. That
is, for any two adjacent callouts, the ends proximal to the drawing
should be closer together than the ends closer to the labels.
HTH,
Dick
Damien Braniff wrote:
>
> Just had a discussion with a colleague who said that drawings look better
> if all the callouts are at the same angle. I'm trying to thing of drawings
> done by "professional" illustrators and can't remember if this is
> "standard". My own view is that it would look good on simple drawings but
> a bit of a nightmare to achieve on some drawings I've handled. Anybody
> got any opinions? We're about to update our guidelines and would
> appreciate any feedback.
>
> Damien Braniff
> Technical Author
> PAC International
>