Technical Illustration is the use of illustration to visually communicate information of a technical nature. Technical illustrations often take the form of component drawings or diagrams (usually isometric or orthogonal), and are sometimes viewed as a subset of graphic design or visual rhetoric.
#20668
3D: A Better Way to Produce High Quality? 
Going three-dimensional in graphics has many advantages – at least in theory. Everyone knows how tired you will become of the same graphic element, however nicely drawn, when used over and over. Someone at the department has taken the time to get good reference-material and draws an airplane, a train or something else rather complicated, and of course the drawing gets stored for further use. The next time you need such an illustration you simply copy-paste the element into the new graphic.
VisualJournalism (2002). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#21452
Accentuation in Technical Illustration
There are various ways to accentuate a specific part in its installation position. However in order to keep the printing cost as low as possible, it is recommended to opt for stylistic devices that are all in black and white.
ITEDO Software. Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Color
#22493
Illustration — AIGA | the professional association for design
Illustration lies in a no man's land, somewhere between fine art and clip art. Though illustration remains a powerful and versatile communication tool, it often plays a lonely role in the graphic arts. Illustrators operate from isolated studios, ignorant of the concerns of designers, who in turn are oblivious to the needs of illustrators. These articles explore the evolving role illustration plays in today's publishing environment.
Niemann, Christoph. AIGA. Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Community
#29258
Airbrush Tutorial: Basic Painting Technique
Airbrush is a much less forgiving endeavor than digital illustration. The first use of the airbrush started in the 1890s and was accomplished by blowing air through a tube with your mouth. With airbrush there is no command>undo. Mistakes are costly as they usually result in the need to do a separate piece of work as a patch or fix and have a printer strip it into the main image.
Hulsey, Kevin. Kevin Hulsey Illustration (2006). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#20674
Antialiasing Examples from Real Applications
Different graphical software applications have different abilities at antialiasing: some software is very good at it, while other software is not. Here are some examples for comparison.
IsoCalc. Design>Graphic Design>Typography>Technical Illustration
#20675
Antialiasing is a method of representing perfect, continuous vectors on imperfect, discontinuous display devices so that they look as perfect as possible.
IsoCalc. Design>Graphic Design>Typography>Technical Illustration
#21497
Applicability of CGM Versus SVG for Technical Graphics
As certain traditional technical and engineering applications become established on the Web, they bring with them information resources that mix text and data with significant technical graphics components. Technical graphics for such applications as aircraft maintenance manuals are characterized by high volume and complexity, stringent fidelity and interoperability constraints, and long life cycle. W3C has two standards for Web based graphics, WebCGM and SVG. WebCGM was specifically standardized for technical applications. SVG has much broader applicability. In a nutshell, the usual formula is 'WebCGM for Web-based technical graphics, SVG for graphic arts and creative graphics.' Still, the questions continue to arise. why there are two formats, and isn't it possible to use the one for the other application? When one takes a careful and detailed look at the two formats, in the context of the particular requirements of technical illustration, then specific differences emerge. This session will present such a comparison, from both the theoretical, functional perspective, as well a practical real-world (implemenations and interoperability) perspective. The comparison is based on an ongoing study that has been conducted within the CGM Open consortium and the Graphics Working Group of the Air Transport Association.
CGMopen (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Online
#20667
The Assault on Arafat's Compound
An illustrative diagram to complement a news story from April 2002.
Gabel, Ed. VisualJournalism (2002). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Isometric
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The Association of Medical Illustrators
The professional objectives of the AMI are to promote the study and advancement of medical illustration and allied fields of visual communication, and to promote understanding and cooperation with the medical profession and related health science professions. Its members are primarily artists who create material designed to facilitate the recording and dissemination of medical and bioscientific knowledge through visual communication media. Members are involved not only in the creation of such material, but also serve in consultant, advisory, educational and administrative capacities in all aspects of bioscientific communications and related areas of visual education.
AMI. Organizations>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Biomedical
#30868
The Awesome Power of Visualization 2: Death and Taxes 2007
Visuals that provide insights come from 1) a deep understanding of the goal / objectives 2) from thinking beyond what standard trend lines or stacked bar graphs can provide. Something non-normal to grab attention and yet communicate insights (sort of already contain recommendations and action items and not just data).
Kaushik, Avinash. Occam's Razor (2007). Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Log Analysis
#29257
Basic Photoshop Painting Techniques for Technical Illustrations
In this demonstration we will be approaching the entire illustration process in much the same way as was done before Photoshop or any other computer graphics programs where created. In the non-digital world, you would start with an inked line drawing on illustration board.
Hulsey, Kevin. Kevin Hulsey Illustration (2006). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Adobe Photoshop
#21921
Basic Principles Of Perspective Drawing
Any good technical illustration starts with well-executed line art. If you are working from any type of reference other than a CAD output in the desired angle, you will need to have a strong fundamental understanding of the principles of perspective drawing.
Hulsey, Kevin. Kevin Hulsey Illustration. Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Isometric
#21444
Computer graphics programs offer you a variety of different tools and functions for your work as illustrators. One function that is provided by all graphics programs is the so-called Bézier curve.
ITEDO Software (2002). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#21923
A Brief History Of Technical Illustration
A history of technical illustration, from the classics to the present.
Hulsey, Kevin. Kevin Hulsey Illustration. Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>History
#23021
Bring Data to Life: Art and Information Can Complement Each Other
Using Photoshop, Illustrator, and Freehand to create better charts, graphs, technical diagrams.
Abes, Cathy. MacWorld (2001). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs
#21636
La Catastrofe del Trasbordador Espacial
El lamentable accidente del trasbordador Columbia ha propiciado la creación de innumerables gráficos para explicar lo que pasó. Revisamos la importancia de la visualización en este accidente y, especialmente, en el del Challenger en 1986.
Dursteler, Juan Carlos. InfoVis (2003). (Spanish) Articles>Risk Communication>Technical Illustration
#18833
The Challenges of Technical Illustration for Customer Documentation in the High Tech Environment 
As emerging computer technology and new graphics software packages allow for the creation of illustration and design by individuals without formal training, traditional illustrators from the “pen and pencil” era are continually challenged to compete in the industry. Choosing a career path in the technical documentation field presents a unique set of challenges for the technical illustrator and designer. This paper identijes the role of a technical illustrator and the tools and skills required for success in a high tech environment.
Moore, Donna Lynn. STC Proceedings (1997). Careers>TC>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#13762
When it comes to graphing data, most professionals show little method or creativity. They typically limit themselves to a small repertoire of graph types and select from it on the basis of habit, if not sheer ease of production. Similarly, the many books on graphing devote much attention to graphical integrity and readability, but little or none to graph selection. We developed a methodology to help engineers, scientists, and managers choose the “right graph” on the basis of three criteria: the structure of the data set in terms of number and type of variables, the intended use of the graph, and the research question or intended message. The first and third criteria allow one to construct an effective two-entry selection table.
Doumont, Jean-luc and Philippe Vandenbroeck. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication (2002). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs
#21171
Cleaner, Sharper GIF, JPEG and PNG Images
Optimize your GIFs, JPEGs, and PNGs with this handy guide. Tom explains these file formats, and gives tips to improve their appearance on your site.
Rutter, Thomas. SitePoint (2003). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#25428
It's the subtle transitions in color that give the illusion of three dimensions in two-dimensional artwork. Gradients are used to simulate light hitting a curved or angular surface. The gradual blending from one color to another is the key. Linear and radial gradients can be used effectively to show flat and rounded shapes, but Illustrator's gradient meshes are best for creating complex shapes.
Bauer, Peter. Illustrator World (2005). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Adobe Illustrator
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Comics for Consumer Communication: Reaching Users with Word and Image
The rising popularity of the comic as an internal communication device for designers has increased our ability to engage our stakeholders as we build interfaces. Yet, social service agencies looking to provide services to hard-to-reach groups like immigrants, cultural minorities, and the poor have taken pride in innovative outreach methods. In situations where traditional printed matter is a barrier, graphical methods can be used very effectively to communicate with audiences. From guerilla theatre to testimonials, posters to graphic instructions, users have benefited from alternative communication methods, particularly in situations where education or cultural barriers make it difficult for people to access services important to their well-being and safety. In some cases, the comic book format has been used as a way to help people get access to critical legal help. This case study from my time as a Publication Manager at the Legal Services Society (LSS) of British Columbia (BC) could inspire the use of comics outside the development process.
Bailie, Rahel Anne. Boxes and Arrows (2008). Articles>Document Design>Technical Illustration>User Centered Design
#28921
Every project has its own unique set of 'opportunities'--also known as challenges. Many of these challenges relate not to the quality of our work, but rather to the communication of our ideas. Often in the course of design, you must communicate complicated concepts to a non-technical (and often uninterested) project sponsor, client, or stakeholder. So how do you capture their interest, get their understanding and buy-in, and finally move on?
Sedaca, Rebekah. Boxes and Arrows (2007). Articles>Project Management>Collaboration>Technical Illustration
#28891
The field of technical communication focuses on the ability of the author to gather information, interpret it, and then present the necessary items to the reader in a clear and concise manner. This article serves to briefly outline several of the key factors involved when deciding how to include imagery in technical materials.
Higgins, Phillip. International Journal for Technical Communication (2007). Articles>TC>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#10358
Conflicting Standards for Designing Data Displays: Following, Flouting, and Reconciling Them 
Standards for designing data displays—for example, bar graphs, line graphs, pie charts, scatter plots—can be classified into four types: Conventional—emphasis on imitating generic forms that meet readers’ expectations. Perceptual—emphasis on optimizing reader behavior in accessing data visually. Informational—emphasis on transferring information clearly and concisely from designer to reader. Aesthetic—emphasis on taste, cultural values, and expressive elements. While each of these standards has merit, and some overlap occurs among them, they often conflict with each other, leaving the information designer in a quandary as to which standard to follow. Designers can resolve this dilemma by allowing the rhetorical situation—the readers of the display, its purpose, the context in which they use it—to guide the design process, telling designers when to follow, blend, or flout the standards.
Kostelnick, Charles. Technical Communication Online (1998). Design>Information Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs
#27397
Review: Creating Conceptual Comics: Storytelling and Techniques
How often can you say you truly learned something completely new in a design workshop? For me, it had been a long time. But there I was, working hands-on with paper and pencil, dreaming up great ideas, and experimenting with visual communication in a medium I hadn't before seriously considered for the purpose. If you have a chance to attend this workshop, do it! If nothing else, it'll help you remember why you wanted to be a designer in the first place.
Hinton, Andrew. UXmatters (2006). Articles>Reviews>Technical Illustration
