Скачать или смотреть AxoTools Quick Tip #3: Line weights

A simple way to enhance technical drawings in Adobe Illustrator is to use multiple line weights. Using a single line weight (or “stroke width” as it applies to Illustrator’s path art property) is a simple and efficient way to work, and there’s nothing wrong with it.

By using more than one line weight, however, your illustrations can have more interest and suggest form.

One method is known as the “shaded line technique,” which assumes a light source in the upper left. Here edges facing away from the light are given a heavier weight. This was commonly used for US Patent Office drawings and for line art in many publications. It was easy to apply using pen and ink, but didn’t lend itself well to digital drawings such as Adobe Illustrator, so we don’t see that style much anymore.

A more common method used in exploded-view parts drawings uses heavier lines on all outside edges of objects. In this example, the bottom of the cube and cylinder are thin lines because they represent the joint between two surfaces. A heavy line would suggest the objects float above the other art. In the case of the round hole, a varied line width makes a smooth transition between the front- and rear-facing edges. Complex illustrations can use three or four line weights.

To quickly add multiple line weights, AxoTools for Adobe Illustrator provides an option to automatically apply line weights to art that is extruded or projected, as well as an option for varied stroke widths where thin lines transition into heavy ones. With a simple click of the Axo Line tool, you can toggle weights between thick and thin as necessary.

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