The Complete Technical Illustrator (McGraw-Hill Series in Computer Science) [Hardcover]

DUFF (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 23, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0072529962 | ISBN-13: 978-0072529968 | Edition: 1

The Complete Technical Illustrator by Jon M. Duff and Greg Maxson presents a fresh approach to an important visual graphic technique. The text stresses that modern technical illustrators work in both 2D and 3D, using scale drawings, 3D data, photographs, sketches, and computer models to produce resolution-independent illustrations.

Using examples from engineering, architecture, science, product design, and forensics, this extensively illustrated full color text brings together 2D PostScript vector illustration methods with 3D modeling and visualization. Fundamental orthogonal, axonometric, and perspective techniques are covered in depth followed by step-by-step techniques in today's most popular software tools. Readers will be interested in the international case studies that describe current technical illustration problems and how they were solved by some of the most successful studios around the world. Each chapter is followed by an extensive bibliography of text and Internet resources for further study.

The accompanying CD-ROM contains progressive solutions to examples in the chapters. PostScript illustration examples, brushes, protractors, grids, and other tools are included to increase your productivity. Featured on the CD-ROM is AxonHelper, a FLASH program to simplify axonometric calculations and ellipse generation. Dr. Duff's suggested Web-based first course in technical illustration is included on the CD as an asset for teachers and students.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 528 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math; 1 edition (May 23, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072529962
• ISBN-13: 978-0072529968
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,528,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Overall, it's a very good book, December 31, 2004

By 

LES (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Technical Illustrator w/Bi Subscription Card (Hardcover)

Overall, I find this book very good. It covers detailed step-by-step information on how to go about creating technical illustrations using Adobe Illustrator. Of course the book assumes you KNOW Illustrator. (If you never used it, don't start whining that it doesn't cover how to use Illustrator!) You'll be guided to create illustrations using standard isometric, dimetric, trimetric, and perspective views, using step-by-step details about how to setup the view and how to create and position ellipses and other object correctly based on the view. The book covers how to create correct and compelling line illustrations, and later, how to apply color and shading for realistic looks. The book also covers illustration techniques using 3ds Max and AutoCAD, but most of the book is focuses on Adobe Illustrator. (You can use any version of Illustrator, by the way.) The only negative comment I have is that there are quite a few typos. I didn't expect a book not to have typos, I mean it does happen, but for a $100 book there are a lot of it! Despite the errors, I would still highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to create correct technical illustrations because of the invaluable advice and detail given. I would like to thank professor Duff for writing this book! (And I'd recommend the publisher, McGraw-Hill, to actually use a spell checker before they publish such an expensive book!)

4.0 out of 5 stars Too Late, September 20, 2010

By 

Monte - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Technical Illustrator w/Bi Subscription Card (Hardcover)

I bought the book and was Looking forward to becoming a technical illustrator.
I was already in design school and this is what i wanted to focus on.

well the book is great there are many techniques, from using illustrator for projections
from draft files, and also some CAD examples as well. With orthogonal layouts, axonometric views, and line renderings.

But the overall field of technical illustration is changing. Many of the techniques are being automated
with new technology like CADprocess from IsoDraw. With a click of a few buttons, a CAD draft can be projected to an illustration in less than 3 mins. Something any desktop publisher can do.

I was really looking forward to putting these technical skills to use but, its being phased out and needed less and less.
Some photo tracing is done here and there but i can't make a career out of this now. I'm shooting for Infographics in general, not just focusing technical illustration but more along the lines of visual journalism.

But the book is good if you just want to learn some stuff.

Iso Draw CADprocess
[...]

5.0 out of 5 stars tech illustrations for techs, September 9, 2010

By 

matrena - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Technical Illustrator w/Bi Subscription Card (Hardcover)

This is not a book of WOW illustration effects.
And it is not referring to latest versions of software - I believe, the year of edition is 2004. It refers to using Illustrator,3DMax and CAD and using techniques specific to these software programs, but this is not the main purpose of this textbook (I believe).
If you're looking for (very) thorough info for things, like orthographic views, all kind of projections, such as isometric, dimetric, trimetric, precise scaling and shearing when make drafting in these projections (old school!) and theory behind it - this is THE book. A lot of examples of drafting of mechanical parts (actually, it is ALL mechanical parts, some other machinery and cars - no architectural or geological drafting),
Also info on perspective techniques and grid, tips for rendering technical drawings of mechanical parts (lights, shadows, color) in illustrator, tracing photos - for making tech illustrations.
On disc it has AxonHelper (calculates accurate size scaling, when make a drafting in different projections and course exercises. (there is more - I didn't need to explore it any further for my purposes - it is a big book!). Disc can be installed on both - PCs and Mac computers.