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.
#20673
A collection of dozens of online resources for technical illustration and infographics.
DMoz. Resources>Directories>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#14561
Technical and Scientific Illustrations: From Pen to Computer 
A brief look at the 19th Century David M. Greene collection of engineering textbooks at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute reveals how illustrations (1) conveyed messages to a specific audience, (2) addressed a subject, and (3) were designed for specific viewing contexts. The technology of computer-aided drawing has reestablished the importance of visual language in scientific documents.
Powley, William. STC Proceedings (1995). Presentations>Graphic Design>History>Technical Illustration
#20100
Drafting, rendering, and photographic techniques used in the development of illustrations for advertisements, technical manuals, and other publications.
Eastern Washington University. Academic>Courses>Technical Illustration
#19596
A directory of online resources in technical illustration.
Google. Resources>Directories>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#14531
Technical Illustration And The Video Camera
A video camera is an excellent tool for preparing technical illustrations and procedures. A video tape of a procedure provides chronological information. It provides visual images that can be used as the basis for technical illustrations. Visual images and details are recorded permanently so that they are not forgotten. The research information can be passed on to another author. A case study illustrates how a video tape can be used to document a procedure and produce electronic illustrations.
Schneider, Livingston S. STC Proceedings (1994). Presentations>Graphic Design>Video>Technical Illustration
#30588
Technical Illustration and the Video Camera
A video camera is an excellent tool for preparing technical illustrations and procedures. A video tape of a procedure provides chronological information. It provides visual images that can be used as the basis for technical illustrations. Visual images and details are recorded permenantly so that they are not forgotten. The research information can be passed on to another author. A case study illustrates how a video tape can be used to document a procedure and produce electronic illustrations.
Schneider, Livingston S. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Multimedia>Video>Technical Illustration
#28227
Technical Illustration Custom Fills 
Custom made fills can be of significant value to technical illustrators. This article shows many custom fills and how they can be applied. There is also a free download of over 50 custom fills.
Broz and Dian (2006). Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#19612
A list of Frequently Asked Questions (along with answers) about technical illustration.
Foley, Richard. FAQs (1997). Careers>TC>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#21450
Technical Illustration Gallery
These are typical samples of technical illustrations. Click on an image to see the enlarged version. Furthermore, you can view each illustration in detail with IsoView.
ITEDO Software (2004). Academic>Course Materials>Technical Illustration
#20101
A directory of positions for technical illustrators in Great Britain.
UKWorkSearch. Careers>Job Listings>Technical Illustration>United Kingdom
#28528
Technical Illustration, from Hand Drawings to Computer Art
Technical illustration ranges from hand-drawn artwork to complex computer imagery. It extends from instructional materials intended for the general public to complex technical engineering drawings intended for other engineers. This article, with a timeline, chronicles the evolution of technical illustration. Descriptions of illustration basics are included along with an introduction to ISO/S1000D/W3C standards and practices.
Broz, Donald. Broz and Dian (2007). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#24262
Ten Tips for Talking to Artists
Explains some of the terminology used to describe graphics and explains the roles graphic designers play in the production of technical art.
Lyons, Chopeta C. Intercom (2004). Articles>Collaboration>Technical Illustration>Graphic Design
#21660
No siempre un gráfico es el elemento más ilustrativo. Las frases escritas, las tablas y los gráficos tienen su propio lugar en el discurso de la construcción de la claridad y el entendimiento.
Dursteler, Juan Carlos. InfoVis (2002). (Spanish) Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs
#21437
The use of thick and thin lines is an important stylistic device in Technical Illustration.
ITEDO Software (1998). Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#30776
Three-Dimensional Illustration for Technical Communicators 
You don't need to be a skilled illustrator to create effective 3-D graphics. Three-dimensional illustration allows the technical communicator to respond quickly to project changes and create imagery appropriate for most publications or multimedia. Burns' article shows the benefits of 3-D artwork and its potential for technical communicators.
Burns, Tom K. Intercom (2008). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>3D
#21920
In this lesson we are going to create a 2 Point Perspective view drawing of our subject working from plan and elevation view reference.
Hulsey, Kevin. Kevin Hulsey Illustration. Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Isometric
#30303
Principles of usability can apply to everything, not just physical objects. When using or creating graphics, documents, symbols or logos, stop and try to think about whether or not the item is usable.
Lanier, Clinton R. sense and usability (2007). Articles>Usability>Technical Illustration>Risk Communication
#23781
User Perceptions and Point of View in Technical Illustrations
Test subjects were asked to match body images shown from varying points of view. Their preference was for images that placed critical distances across the display plane; their error patterns suggest that several variables interact to affect the accuracy of perceiving body positions in illustrations.
Krull, Robert, Debopriyo Roy, Shreyas D'Souza and Marilyn Morgan. STC Proceedings (2003). Design>Documentation>Technical Illustration
#28046
Using AutoCAD Drawings in CorelDraw
Sometimes there are problems importing AutoCAD files. The following gives a few tips on correcting such problems.
Broz, Donald. Broz and Dian (2006). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#30640
Using Comics in Technical Documentation
This article is based on the research and feedback I received from a number of user experience designers, usability specialists, product developers and writers, which led me to engage in a dialogue with the users.
Gupta, Rajeep. Usability Interface (2007). Articles>Documentation>Technical Illustration>User Experience
#18841
Many technical documents are rich in text and poor in graphics. Not all documents have photographs and illustrations to provide the reader with visual cues. Text organizers can be used as a method for relieving the visual grayness that happens when a document is all text. Headlines, kickers, subheads, headers, footers, pull quotes, and bulleted lists are all text organizers that can be used throughout a technical document to promote a better flow of information.
Sadowski, Mary A. STC Proceedings (2002). Articles>Document Design>Visual Rhetoric>Technical Illustration
#21490
There are various solutions available which allow the vectorization of raster data, such as scanned design drawings or manually created technical illustrations. What kind of problems can occur with vectorization?
ITEDO Software (2004). Design>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration
#13533
Verbal Versus Visual: A Word Is Worth a Thousand Pictures, Too 
A picture is worth a thousand words, or so the saying goes—a saying debated by some but accepted pragmatically by most. Do we not all remember some little drawing or other that came in handy to clarify an otherwise plainly unintelligible discourse? Professionally, experienced technical communicators know the benefit of adding illustrations to the text of their technical publications. With increasingly better tools available for their production, pictures seem to have a bright future indeed.
Doumont, Jean-luc. Technical Communication Online (2002). Articles>Rhetoric>Visual Rhetoric>Technical Illustration
#29706
Visual Verbs: Showing Change, Movement, Force and Action in Procedural Graphics
Procedural graphics can use several techniques to show changes over time. Arrows, before-and-after views, ghosting of objects and other static techniques can operate as visual verbs that imply dynamic processes. We suggest several means for reducing users' ambiguity in interpreting visual verbs.
Sharp, Michael V. and Robert Krull. STC Proceedings (2005). Articles>Writing>Technical Writing>Technical Illustration
#21738
A Visual Vocabulary for Describing Information Architecture and Interaction Design
Diagrams are an essential tool for communicating information architecture and interaction design in Web development teams. This document discusses the considerations in development of such diagrams, outlines a basic symbology for diagramming information architecture and interaction design concepts, and provides guidelines for the use of these elements.
Garrett, Jesse James. JJG.net (2002). Design>Web Design>Project Management>Technical Illustration
