Drawing Solids in Flat Surface: Definition, Types & Example

Drawing Solids in Flat Surface: Solids have three dimensions: length, breadth, and height. Solid shapes are also referred to as three-dimensional shapes. When we draw a solid object, we distort the images to make them appear three-dimensional because our drawing surface is usually flat paper. It’s just a trick of the light. Isometric sketches and oblique sketches are the two methods for drawing three-dimensional figures.

Oblique sketching is a graphical depiction of an object on grid paper in which the diagram is meant to convey the perspective of three-dimensional objects. An isometric sheet is a unique sheet on which dots are arranged in an equilateral triangular pattern. We can draw sketches on an isometric sheet that match the measurements of a particular solid.

What are Solid Shapes?

Solids are three-dimensional figures having dimensions: length, breadth, and height. Solid shapes are also referred to as three-dimensional shapes. These solid shapes occupy space and are common in our daily lives. We connect with them via touching, experiencing, and interacting with them.

How to View Different Sections of a Solid?

Types of Solids

Solid shapes represent three-dimensional objects. Look around! Solid shapes include those three-dimensional objects, such as a book, cell phone, birthday cap, football, and so on. These take up some room and have length, width, and height. Let’s have a look at the different types of solid shapes:

1. Cube
2. Cuboid 
3. Cylinder
4. Cone
5. Sphere
6. Pyramid
7. Prism

Cube

A cube is a three-dimensional solid object with six square faces with equal length sides. One of the five platonic solids, the cube is sometimes known as a regular hexahedron. Six square faces, eight vertices, and twelve edges make up a cube.

Because the \(3D\) figure is a square with all sides equal in length, the length, breadth, and height of a cube are all the same. The faces of a cube share a common boundary known as the edge, which is also known as the edge’s bounding line. Each cube’s face is connected to four vertices and four edges, whereas the vertex is connected to three edges and three faces, and the edges are connected to two faces and two vertices.

Cuboid

We know that a rectangle is a four-sided two-dimensional shape. Imagine a shape that is created by stacking multiple congruent rectangles, one on top of the other. A cuboid is a shape that results from this process. Look at the few examples of cuboids below:

Cylinder

In geometry, a cylinder is a three-dimensional solid object with two parallel circular bases connected by a curving surface at a specific distance from the centre. Real-life examples of cylinders include candles, battery cells, and perfume cans.

Cone

A cone is a solid three-dimensional geometric figure with a circular base and a pointed apex at the top. A cone is made up of one face and one vertex. For a cone, there are no edges. Following are a few examples of three-dimensional shape cones.

Sphere

 A sphere is a three-dimensional object with a round shape. A sphere, unlike other three-dimensional shapes, has no vertices or edges. The sphere’s surface is equidistant from its centre at all places. In other words, the distance between the sphere’s centre and any point on its surface is the same.

There are many spherical objects in the real world that we observe. A sphere has a volume and a surface area because it is a three-dimensional form. Our planet Earth is called a spheroid because it does not have the precise shape of a sphere.

Pyramid

A pyramid is a three-dimensional polyhedron with a polygonal base and three or more triangle-shaped faces that meet above the base. The faces are the triangle sides, while the apex is the point above the base. The base is connected to the apex to form a pyramid. 

To distinguish them from the base, the triangular sides are also referred to as lateral faces. Each edge of the base of a pyramid is connected to the apex, which forms the triangle face. Following are a few examples of three-dimensional shape pyramids.

Prism

A prism is a polyhedron with congruent polygons at the base and top that belongs to the polyhedron family. The lateral faces of a prism are its other faces. It denotes the absence of a curved face on a prism. The cross-section of a prism is the same all the way around. 

The cross-sections of the prisms are used to name them. A hexagonal prism is best represented by a metallic nut, a rectangular prism by a pencil box, and many other live appliances in our surroundings by prisms.

How to Draw Solids on a Flat Surface?

Paper, which is flat, is your drawing surface. The graphics are slightly warped when you draw a solid shape to make them appear three-dimensional. It’s a trick of the eye. You’ll find two techniques to assist you here.

Oblique Sketch

A cube is depicted here. It gives a clear picture of how the cube appears from the front. You don’t see some objects faces. The lengths in the drawn picture are not equal, as they should be in a cube. Even so, you can recognise it as a cube. An oblique sketch of a solid, that’s what it’s called.

A squared (lines or dots) piece of paper is required. Practising on these sheets will make it easier to sketch them on a simple page later (without squares, lines or dots!). Let’s try drawing an oblique sketch of a \(3×3×3\) cube (each edge is \(3\) units).

Steps to Draw:

Step 1: Make a drawing of the front face.

Step 2: Draw the face on the opposite side. The faces must be the same size, although the sketch is somewhat offset from step \(1.\)

Step 3: Connect the corners that match.

Step 4: Redraw the hidden edges using dotted lines.

Did you notice the following in the oblique sketch above?

The front faces and their opposites are the same sizes; thus, the edges of a cube, which are all equal in size, appear to be so in the sketch, even though the actual measurements of the edges are not.

Isometric Sketch 

Isometric Drawings Do you know what an isometric dot sheet is? The paper is divided into little equilateral triangles by dots or lines on such a sheet. We can utilise isometric dot sheets to generate sketches with measurements that match those of the solid.

Let’s try drawing an isometric sketch of a cuboid with dimensions of \(4×3×3\) inches (which means the edges forming length, breadth, and height are \(4,3,3\) units, respectively)

Steps to Draw:

Step 1: To show the front face, draw a rectangle.

Step 2: Starting at the four corners of the rectangle, draw four parallel line segments of three.

Step 3: Use the proper line segments to connect the corresponding corners.

Step 4: This is a cuboid in isometric view.

Net Diagrams of 3D Shapes

A net is a three-dimensional solid that has been flattened. It’s a two-dimensional skeleton outline that can be folded and bonded together to become a three-dimensional construction. Nets are used to create three-dimensional shapes. Let’s have a look at several nets for various solids shapes.

Uses of Solids in Flat Surface

Uses of solids in the flat surface:

1. Isometric sketches are used by various professionals, including Game Designers, Architects, Interior Designers, Infographics, etc.
2. Several oblique drawings depict the exact shape and size of one of the object’s faces. It helps represent elliptical forms and axonometric projections.

Solved Examples on Drawing Solids in Flat Surface (2D Drawing of a 3D)

Q.1.If two cubes of dimensions 2 cm by 2 cm by 2 cm are placed side by side, what would be the dimensions of the resulting cuboid?

Ans: As you can see from the given figure when two cubes are kept side by side, the length is the only measurement that increases; it becomes \(2+2=4 \mathrm{~cm}\)
The breadth is \(2 \mathrm{~cm}\) and the height is \(2 \mathrm{~cm}\)

Q.2. Count the number of cubes in the given figure.

Ans: Number of cubes in the first layer \(=1\)
Number of cubes in the second layer \(=3\)
Number of cubes in the third layer \(=1\)
Therefore, the total number of cubes in the given figure \(1+3+1=5.\)

Q.3. Make an oblique sketch of a cube with an edge 4 cm long.
Ans: Step 1: Make a drawing of the front face.

Step 2: Draw the face on the opposite side. The faces must be the same size, although the sketch is somewhat offset from Step 1.

Step 3: Connect the corners that match.

Step 4: Redraw the hidden edges using dotted lines.

Q.4.Two dice are placed side by side as shown: Can you say what the total would be on the face opposite to 5+6.

Ans: We must find the total on the face opposite to \(5+6.\)
We know that in a die sum of numbers on opposite faces is \(7.\)
Therefore, the total on the face opposite to \(5+6\) is \(2+1=3.\)

Q.5.Here is an incomplete net for making a cube. Complete it in at least two different ways. 

Ans: Net diagram of the cube contains six equal squares. Below are the two completed net diagrams for the given incomplete net.

Summary

In this article, we learned about solids’ definition, types of solids, and how to draw solids on a flat surface? Uses of solids in a flat surface, solved examples on drawing solids in a flat surface \((2D\) drawing of a \(3D)\), and FAQs on drawing solids in a

flat surface \((2D\) drawing of a \(3D)\)

The learning outcome of this article is how to draw isometric and oblique sketches of \(3D\) shapes. Isometric sketches are used by various professionals, including game designers, architects, interior designers, infographics, etc.

Learn All the Concepts on 3D Shapes

FAQs

Q.1. What are 3D solid figures with flat surfaces?
Ans: Because our drawing surface is flat paper, we distort the images to make them appear three-dimensional when we draw a solid shape. It’s a trick of the eye. There are two ways to draw three-dimensional figures: Isometric sketches and oblique sketches.

Q.2. How do we draw solids on a flat surface?
Ans: We shall use Oblique Sketch in this case.
A cube is depicted here. It gives a clear picture of how the cube appears from the front. You don’t see some objects faces. The lengths in the drawn picture are not equal, as they should be in a cube. Even so, you can recognise it as a cube. An oblique sketch of a solid, that’s what it’s called.
Step 1: Make a drawing of the front face.
Step 2: Draw the face on the opposite side. The faces must be the same size, although the sketch is somewhat offset from step \(1.\)
Step 3: Connect the corners that match.
Step 4: Redraw the hidden edges using dotted lines.

Q.3. What is the 2D surface of a 3D shape?
Ans: A face is a \(2D\) shape that makes up one of a \(3D\) shape’s surfaces, an edge is where two faces meet, and a vertex is a geometric object’s point or corner.

Q.4. What is the relationship between 2D and 3D shapes?
Ans: A two-dimensional shape has two dimensions: length and width. Three dimensions make up a three-dimensional shape: length, width, and height.

Q.5. What are the differences between 3D and 2D shapes?
Ans: The following are the differences between a \(2D\) and a \(3D\) shape.
\(3D\) shapes have length, width, and height, whereas \(2D\) shapes only have length and width.
Two-dimensional shapes have an area but no volume, whereas three-dimensional shapes have a surface area and a volume.
Triangle, square, and rectangle are examples of \(2D\) shapes, while cube, cuboid, and prism are examples of \(3D\) shapes.

Now you are provided with all the necessary information on the 2D drawing of 3D shapes and we hope this detailed article is helpful to you. If you have any queries regarding this article, please ping us through the comment section below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.