Self-Help Mechanical Drawing: An Educational Treatise

by N. Hawkins

The learner should stand with his right shoulder opposite the board, and the weight of the hand and the arm should be allowed to fall naturally; now, make on the board two points, one being six inches above the other, these being merely “dots,” shown at the ends of the lines, [figs. 15], etc., and made with two motions; the line between the points should now be drawn not too quickly from the upper to the lower point; three movements of the hand and arm complete the line; to draw the other five lines the movements have simply to be repeated.

If the student pronounces to himself “one,” “two,” “three,” at each motion, it will be helpful; in this exercise, [fig. 15], the aim is to make six lines, each line being parallel to the first. Again, in the example, it is intended that the lower point should be made first, next the upper, and lastly the line drawn from the upper to the lower point, but the order may be reversed; at one the upper point, at two the lower, at three the stroke upwards to complete the line.

HORIZONTAL LINES.

To make these as shown in [fig. 16], proceed as follows: With the word one make a point, with two another point six inches at the left, with three draw a straight line from the left point to the right. All added lines should be parallel: for practice, reverse the process thus, one, make a “point,” at two another point at the right, at three draw line to the left.

The student will note that the two motions—at the words one and two—are to fix the positions of the ends of the lines; this practice will be found useful in the most advanced examples and an item of elementary practice never to be forgotten—like the help to be derived by the first round of a ladder.

Fig. 17.

Fig. 18.

OBLIQUE LINES.

In drawing oblique straight lines as shown in [fig. 17], at the word one let the student make the lower point; at the word two the upper, a little to the right of the lower; at the word three draw a line quickly from the upper to the lower point. In pronouncing the words one, two, three, let the student make the additional parallel lines.