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This how I create most of my line-drawing graphics, but not by getting someone
to create 3D line drawings. I use whatever engineering CAD system is in-house
to manipulate 3D design models and save out hidden-line plotter files I can
import into Illustrator or CorelDraw. If your company designs in 3D, the tool
is already available and the learning curve to do this is not nearly as steep as
it is to actually create the models.
If all your design work is outsourced and your company doesn't even have CAD
installed in-house to view its own design files (ouch), talk to your contractors
and see if they can output to X3D files. X3D is the ISO-standard 3D vector file
format that replaced the old VRML, and there are several open source editors you
can download that will enable you to rotate the 3D model and save out
hidden-line flat vector image files. You will probably need to erase a lot of
mesh lines to turn them into decent-looking document illustrations.
If all your company's designs are all done in 2D only, you are SOL unless you
can either learn to model in 3D or convince your company to pay for someone to
do the work. Good luck on this one if your company has already decided not to
invest in 3D CAD design, because the pro you need to hire for this is not an
illustrator, but a CAD designer.
Gene Kim-Eng
----- Original Message -----
From: "McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>
> For a hardware product, is it reasonable to want 3D line drawings of the
> equipment that can be rotated to show all sides (and exterior features) of the
> product?
>
> I'd like to get a pro illustrator to create such a thing from samples or from
> engineering drawings, and provide me with source files that could be
> manipulated (preferrably in a FLOSS vector-art program) by me to take whatever
> views I desired, show connections to other equipment, show rack-mounting, etc.
>
> Does anybody work this way?
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