UNIT 1

FREEHAND LINES, ARCS, AND CIRCLES

One of the fundamental skills a drafter needs to understand is that drawing can
visualize an object in different ways. This is also linked to their creativity in design. If an
idea is put into drawing, this is the moment where points, lines, and planes transpire.
The illustration shows the necessity of these essential
Sketching done in freehand is a valuable skill in both technical and non
elements in displaying the concept formed at one’s imagination. This is done through
sketching. -technical work. Graphic designers or draftsmen use them to
develop their ideas. Sketching is often used where design changes need to be made
quickly and effectively get an idea across when word fails.
When doing a freehand sketching, it is emphasizing the application of speed,
form, hand control and proportion in performing a particular design. One must
understand the basic fundamentals in visualization through practicing the correct
techniques in applying each geometric component to be able to perform the
succeeding activities

GEOMETRIC COMPONENTS
The basic geometric figures commonly used in drawing pictures are lines,
circles and arcs.
LINE - a line is a set of points. A portion of the line between two distinct points is
called a line segment. The following are the different kinds of lines.
  Horizontal Lines. These are lines that are parallel to the horizon.
 Vertical Lines. These are lines that are perpendicular to the horizon
 Diagonal Lines. These are simply sloping lines.
 Curved lines. The lines that bend or turn from straight direction without
angle. These kinds of lines are softer than straight lines.
 Parallel lines. These are lines on the same plane which will not
meet no matter how long you extend them.
 Perpendicular lines. These are two intersecting lines which form right angles .

FREEHAND SKETCHING AND PENCIL TECHNIQUES

In both freehand drawing and technical sketching, the techniques in drawing or
sketching lines are the same.
Horizontal lines, for instance, are drawn from left to right. Horizontal lines are
lines parallel to the lower edge of the drawing paper.
Vertical lines are sketched from the top downward, and inclined lines are also
generally sketched from left to right.
Short lines are drawn with finger movement while long lines are made with arm
movement.
Long lines may be drawn in segments with very small spaces or gaps between
segments. Those gaps are so small that the lines appear at arm's length as single line.
Lines may be drawn in various thicknesses or weights with a soft pencil. This is
done by varying the pressure of the pencil against the drawing paper. It is this feeling of
pressure exerted by the fingers on the pencil that must be developed in order to acquire
the "feel" of the pencil. These varying kinds of line can also be drawn by using different
grades of drawing pencil.
In sketching circles, the radii and the two-stroke method are often used. For an
ellipse, the beginners should use the parallelogram method. The other two methods of
sketching an ellipse should be attempted only after one has acquired the "feel" of the
drawing pencil.

BASIC LINE STROKES

Straight Lines Sketching

The line is an essential element of freehand drawing. It is divided into different lines,
such as oblique, diagonal or slant, horizontal, and vertical.
For the first time, drawing a straight line is not an easy task. Instead of linear, it
becomes curved due to the forearm remaining in the fixed position. Moving the forearm
is essential in drawing straight lines. With practice, your straight lines will naturally
improve, but these basics may help you improve quickly.
Hold your pencil naturally, about 40mm back from the point, and approximately at
a right angle to the line to be drawn and make sure your hand should rest on the
paper's edge.
A straight line is that it needs to be drawn with the thumb and index fingers. The
important part of sketching straight lines is that your movement should be controlled.
Draw oblique lines by changing the position of your arm.
The easy way to draw long straight lines is by creating short lines and then
connecting it with one another.

Sketching of Vertical Lines

When creating a vertical line, draw from the top to the bottom of the drawing
sheet with a wrist and arm movement. It
takes practice to draw vertical lines.
 Sketching of Horizontal Lines

When sketching a horizontal line, the hand and forearm should turn at the
elbow. The edge of the hand should easily
slide in a horizontal manner in the drawing
pad.

When you draw a horizontal line, first try

to sketch a line in the air to see how the line
will go. Then apply some pressure on the
pencil tip and draw a horizontal line lightly.

Sketching of Oblique Lines

The oblique line is

drawn from one corner of the
page to the other in a slanting
 manner. Usually, right-handed people draw sloping or oblique lines from the
bottom left to the paper's top right.

Sketching of Curved Lines

Draw a curved line using finger

and wrist movements
First of all, draw a center line and
mark it with radii to draw a circle.
Shape the marking points into a
box, inside in which you can draw
a circle.

Sketching of Rectangle

A rectangle is a standard shape in technical drawings. To draw rectangles via

freehand sketching, there are different techniques. It can be drawn more quickly by
drawing vertical or horizontal lines and rotating the paper at 90 degrees angle.

Glossary of Terms
 Visualization - refers to the process or ability to create an image in
our mind.
 Sketching - is a freehand drawing that emphasizes speed, form, hand control,
and proportion, conveying ideas or suggestions for design changes.
 Lines - is the distance between two points or a path of a moving point. The
shortest distance between two points is a straight line. A line may be straight,
curved, or a combination of both straight lines may be horizontal, vertical,
inclined, perpendicular, or parallel to each other.
 Point - represents a location in space. It has no dimension. A point can also be
defined as the intersection of two lines.
 Plane - is a surface with length and width that encloses an area.
 Circle - is a closed curve where all points are equally distant from the center.
 Arc - is a portion of the circumference of a circle.
 Angle - is a geometrical figure composed of two straight lines intersecting at
one of their extremities called the vertex.
 Parallel lines – are lines on the same plane which will not meet no matter how
long you extend them. Parallel lines may be vertical, horizontal, or inclined.
 Perpendicular lines –These are two intersecting lines that form right
angles.