Technical Illustrators.org Forum

Hi All,

I was wondering where everyone gets the technical data required to create your drawings. Obviously you get it from the manufacturers if you are doing a commissioned piece, but what about self commissioned or portfolio work? I know the site www.the-blueprints.com is a good one. Are there any others? Specifically, mechanics, motors, engines, internal workings of vehicles, etc... I am pretty sure manufacturers are not going to give away their products blueprints to anyone wanting to "play around" with them. Or am I wrong

hi Lyle,

technical data is very hard to get hold of, you will be able to find some simple drawings of most things,
but like you say you will only get cad data/detailed info on comisioned gigs.
for all my personal work i just simply use googled photos. ive been constructing this old merc from just looking at photos:

http://img.i7m.de/show/driza.jpg WIP


also have a look at objects around you, sometimes even the most mundane of items can make a nice illustration.
get the screwdrivers out and take something apart and start measuring
a client once decided that i could not be trusted with all the technical info needed, so they sent the actual product (a washing machine) and i had to take it apart and measure every single part by hand!


i like to do everyday still life renders when i can to, its the perfect practice for a technical illustrator....

this weekends doodle.....http://img.i7m.de/show/c3m6o.jpg (excuse the bad compression)

its excellent practice for your observational skills. perspective, proportions, texture and lighting skills shoud be constantly worked at

have fun

Glen,
That is some nice progress and work you have done on the car! Great advice by the way, as well!

Thank you for the response Glen. I kind of figured that it would probably be best to tinker with every day items and use images of my own or found online as references to create illustrations. I guess hunting down those detail shots for projects is par for the course. BTW Glen, your work is amazing! Definitely a source of inspiration regardless if it is a WIP.

Lyle

I am always impressed by the cutaway and ghosting done by the illustrators on this board. What to do about "what's underneath"? If you only have access to images, or basic blueprints, how do you handle the detailing of say a complex engine assembly? how did you handle the skeleton of the Mercedes theglenster?
I'm putting together a Canadian Forces Cormorant helicopter; I have access to great photos, found some basic front, side and top view drawings, evening picked up a pretty nice $20 model to help when putting it all together. I'd like to do some cutaways, but have yet to find any images of engine, or cockpit details... Any suggestions?

hey guys,
im glad you like my work
ive constructed all the detail on the 300sl from looking at photos. i have about 1200 photos that i use, all found through google. you just have to look and compare proportions, if you know roughly how big one object is and where it is positioned then with the help of the photos you can work out how big the next object will be.

for example the brake cylinder for the 300sl.. http://img.i7m.de/show/jbcyk.jpg was constructed from just 1 decent photo http://img.i7m.de/show/dtsvg.jpg and a couple of blurry out of focus photos of the object on the car.

you have to get used to the fact that complex and detailed technical drawings are just not going to always available. the vast mayority of my pro 2d work was made with only minimal reference or even me haveing to go to the factory and make my own reference. just eyeballing in detail using your knowlage of perspective and proportions will often produce a quicker result than if you had a big pile of drawings for every nut and bolt, and of course being able to go visit the client and see what the subject actualy looks like helps enormously

even the great Tony Matthews used mainly photographic reference that he made himself for his great automotive cutaways:

http://www.khulsey.com/masters-tony-matthews.html

and a kinda of philosophy that ive always used when illustrating is, if it looks right, then its right

theglenster wrote: and a kinda of philosophy that ive always used when illustrating is, if it looks right, then its right

That was my professors philosophy as well.