How to Draw Isometric Drawings in AutoCAD

Isometric drawings are those where the height, width and depth axes of an AutoCAD design have the same angle to the projection plane, with which you view your design. You can better understand an isometric view by using it in AutoCAD on a simple object like a cube. Each side of the cube appears the same size as every other side, even though all sides are foreshortened. Foreshortening refers to objects appearing shortened because they are viewed at an indirect angle.

Instructions

1. Open AutoCAD, then click the "View" menu, which holds commands allowing you to change the viewpoint and the viewing mode of drawings. Viewing modes include those for perspective, which simulates human vision by making parallel lines of objects appear to converge with distance from the viewer. Orthographic modes, such as isometric modes, leave these parallel lines as parallel.

2. Click the "3-D Views" sub-menu, which holds commands for viewing designs in three dimensions. Click the "SW isometric" command, which shows you the top, left and front sides of a design.

3. Click any of the commands under the Draw menu, such as the "Rectangle" or "Ellipse" command. Click the mouse on the drawing grid, then drag to define the object you chose. If you draw a square, notice that the left, rear and right front corners appear at exactly the same horizontal level. This supports the fact that you're working in an isometric view, where a specific length on one of the object's axes will appear the same length if placed on another axis.

4. Click the mouse to complete your object, then use the instructions from Step 2 to change to the "SE isometric" view, which shows the top, right and front sides of a design.

5. Click the object you drew in Step 3 to select the object, then perform any editing operation on the object. For example, drag one of the blue handles to resize or skew a rectangle or ellipse. Or, right-click the object, click "Move," then drag to move the object to another screen location. Click the mouse to complete the editing operation.

6. Use the instructions from Step 2 to select the "NE Isometric" view, which shows the top, right and back sides of an object. Perform another editing operation such as the one you completed in Step 5. Or, click the "Visual styles" sub-menu of the View menu, then click the "Realistic," "Conceptual" or other viewing style. These commands apply simulated lighting and other optical phenomena to your object.

7. Type "Orbit," then drag the mouse to exit the isometric view.

References

• "AutoCAD 2012 and AutoCAD 2012 LT Bible"; Ellen Finkelstein
• "Drafting for Industry"; Walter Brown; 1995