Which Design Book?

[Bodrighy]

Just since I started this thread I've really begun observing natural forms

Careful Bob. You can get arrested for that nowadays.

Like I said it's all about getting those curves right. LOL

Pete

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

that really went home Pete

 

[YewTube]

I just don't want to work that hard Jacob. I want someone with a lot more design brain than I have to have done all the looking at nature and figuring out what looks nice, stuck it in a book, written about it and then created a scaled drawing so I can set my callipers at the lathe.

Bob

I know I am 5 pages too late but here is an idea. I regret that it will take you 5-10 mins to set up but nothing in life comes easy.

Use Google images to find the 'classic shapes' and import them into Powerpoint (or Open Office - free) on to a previously drawn background grid. Manipulate image, fatter, taller as required. Break out callipers and turn on the lathe.

Bill

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I just don't want to work that hard Jacob. I want someone with a lot more design brain than I have to have done all the looking at nature and figuring out what looks nice, stuck it in a book, written about it and then created a scaled drawing so I can set my callipers at the lathe.

Bob

I know I am 5 pages too late but here is an idea. I regret that it will take you 5-10 mins to set up but nothing in life comes easy.

Use Google images to find the 'classic shapes' and import them into Powerpoint (or Open Office - free) on to a previously drawn background grid. Manipulate image, fatter, taller as required. Break out callipers and turn on the lathe.

Bill

Nice one Bill
I hadn't thought of that. A nice little cheat to avoid buying expensive drawing software. Cheers fellah.

 

[J-G]

A nice little cheat to avoid buying expensive drawing software.

IMHO the best FREE drawing package is Google SketchUp.

It's 3D rather than 2D so needs some degree of expertise but once mastered it can give you a very good idea of the shape of your finished work - from all directions! You can also print a 2D image of course and if you set the view on screen to a 'front view' the result can easily be used as an aide-mémoire or 'technical' drawing in the workshop.

Images can also be imported and scaled in the same way that you might try in PowerPoint.

Much better than using the awful software sold by Micky$oft (PP is OK for it's original purpose - ie. not great but OK)

JG

 

[bugbear]

Nice one Bill
I hadn't thought of that. A nice little cheat to avoid buying expensive drawing software. Cheers fellah.

Inkscape does smooth (bezier, same as Illustrator and Freehand, Corel etc) curves, and is free!

BugBear (Inkscape user)

 

[Woodmonkey]

Making 3d curved shapes with multiple curves such as a bowl or vase is very difficult on sketch up

 

[bugbear]

Making 3d curved shapes with multiple curves such as a bowl or vase is very difficult on sketch up

http://sketchupfordesign.com/tutorials/ ... -printing/

BugBear

 

[Jacob]

There are dozens of how to draw books out there. Paper and pencils are cheap.
It seems a great pity to me that so many would-be crafts people are so anxious to avoid doing anything with their hands. And it's a fundamental mistake IMHO.

And thousands of web pages. Here's just one: http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/article ... odworkers/

 

[J-G]

Making 3d curved shapes with multiple curves such as a bowl or vase is very difficult on sketch up

The only issue I've ever had was because I tend to work at actual size and on very small components. This sometimes means that the 'Follow Me' tool cannot render the top of a curve resulting in a hole or missing band. This is ultimately corrected when I re-work the curve at 10:1 scale. Once the render is OK it is still OK when scaled down to actual size.

The Bezier plugin can certainly help with fluid curves but I worked for years before I knew that was available.

JG