Chapter 24

Isometric Drawings
Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter, you will be able to:
• Understand isometric drawings, isometric axes, and isometric planes
• Set isometric grid and snap
• Draw isometric circles in different isoplanes
• Dimension isometric objects
• Write text in isometric styles

Key Terms
• Isometric Planes • Isometric Snap • Iso Circles
• Isometric Axes • Isometric Grid • Isometric Text
24-2 AutoCAD 2020: A Problem-Solving Approach, Basic and Intermediate

ISOMETRIC DRAWINGS
Isometric drawings are generally used to help visualize the shape of an object. For example, if
you are given the orthographic views of an object, as shown in Figure 24-1, it takes time to put
information together to visualize the shape. However, if an isometric drawing is given, as shown
in Figure 24-2, it is much easier to understand the shape of the object. Thus, isometric drawings
are widely used in industry to help in understanding products and their features.

Figure 24-1 Orthographic views of an object Figure 24-2 Orthographic views with an
isometric view
An isometric drawing should not be confused with a three-dimensional (3D) drawing. An
isometric drawing is just a two-dimensional (2D) representation of a 3D drawing on a 2D plane.
A 3D drawing is the 3D model of an object on the X, Y, and Z axes. In other words, an isometric
drawing is a 3D drawing on a 2D plane, whereas a 3D drawing is a true 3D model of the object.
The model can be rotated and viewed from any direction. A 3D model can be a wireframe model,
surface model, or solid model.

ISOMETRIC PROJECTIONS
The word “isometric” means equal measurement. The angle
between any of the two principal axes of an isometric drawing
is 120 degrees, refer to Figure 24-3. An isometric view is obtained
by rotating the object by 45 degree angle around the imaginary
vertical axis, and then tilting the object forward through a 35o16’
angle. If you project the points and edges on the front plane,
the projected length of the edges will be approximately 82
percent (isometric length/actual length = 9/11), which is shorter
than the actual length of the edges. However, isometric drawings
are always drawn to a full scale because their purpose is to help
the user visualize the shape of the object. Isometric drawings
are not meant to describe the actual size of the object. The actual
dimensions, tolerances, and feature symbols must be shown in
the orthographic views. Also, you should avoid showing any Figure 24-3 Principal axes of an
hidden lines in the isometric drawings, unless they show an isometric drawing
important feature of the object or help in understanding its
shape.
Isometric Drawings 24-3

ISOMETRIC AXES AND PLANES

Isometric drawings have three axes: right horizontal axis (P0,P1), vertical axis (P0,P2), and left
horizontal axis (P0,P3). The two horizontal axes are inclined at 30 degrees to the horizontal or
X axis (X1,X2). The vertical axis is at 90 degrees, as shown in Figure 24-4.

When you draw an isometric drawing, the horizontal object lines are drawn along or parallel to
the horizontal axis. Similarly, the vertical lines are drawn along or parallel to the vertical axis.
For example, to make an isometric drawing of a rectangular block, the vertical edges of the block
are drawn parallel to the vertical axis. The horizontal edges on the right side of the block are
drawn parallel to the right horizontal axis (P0,P1), and the horizontal edges on the left side of
the block are drawn parallel to the left horizontal axis (P0,P3). It is important to remember that
the angles do not appear true in isometric drawings. Therefore, the edges or surfaces that are
at an angle are drawn by locating their endpoints. The lines that are parallel to the isometric
axes are called isometric lines. The lines that are not parallel to the isometric axes are called
non isometric lines.

Similarly, the planes can be isometric planes or non isometric planes.

Isometric drawings have three principal planes, namely isoplane right, isoplane top, and isoplane
left, as shown in Figure 24-5. The isoplane right (P0,P4,P10,P6) is defined by the vertical axis
and the right horizontal axis. The isoplane top (P6,P10,P9,P7) is defined by the right and left
horizontal axes. Similarly, the isoplane left (P0,P6,P7,P8) is defined by the vertical axis and the
left horizontal axis.

Figure 24-4 Isometric axes Figure 24-5 Isometric planes

SETTING THE ISOMETRIC GRID AND SNAP

You can use the SNAP command to set the isometric grid and snap. The isometric grid lines
are displayed at 30 degree angle to the horizontal axis. Also, the distance between the grid
lines is determined by the vertical spacing which can be specified by using the GRID or SNAP
command. The grid lines coincide with three isometric axes which make it easier to create
isometric drawings. The following command sequence and Figure 24-6 illustrate the use of the
SNAP command to set the isometric grid and snap of 0.5 unit:
24-4 AutoCAD 2020: A Problem-Solving Approach, Basic and Intermediate

Command: SNAP
Specify snap spacing or [ON/OFF/Aspect/Legacy/Style/Type] <0.5000>: S
Enter snap grid style [Standard/Isometric] <S>: I
Specify vertical spacing <0.5000>: Enter a new snap distance.

Figure 24-6 Setting the isometric grid and snap in dotted grid

Note
1. When you use the SNAP command to set the isometric grid, the grid lines may not be displayed.
To display the grid lines, turn the grid on by choosing the Grid Display button from the Status
Bar or press F7.

2. You cannot set the aspect ratio for the isometric grid. Therefore, the spacing between the isometric
grid lines will be the same.

You can also set the isometric grid and snap by using the Drafting Settings dialog box
shown in Figure 24-7. You can invoke this dialog box by right-clicking on either of the following
buttons: SNAPMODE, GRIDMODE, Polar Tracking, Object Snap, 3D Object Snap, Object
Snap Tracking, Dynamic Input, Quick Properties and Selection Cycling available in the Sta-
tus Bar and then choosing Settings from the shortcut menu displayed. You can also invoke this
dialog box by entering DSETTINGS at the Command prompt.

The isometric snap and grid functions can be turned on/off by choosing the Grid On (F7) check
box located in the Snap and Grid tab of the Drafting Settings dialog box. The Snap and Grid
tab also contains the radio buttons to set the snap type and style. To display the grid on the
screen, make sure the grid is turned on.

When you set the isometric grid, the display of crosshairs also changes. The crosshairs are
displayed at an isometric angle and their orientation depends on current isoplane. You can
toggle between isoplane right, isoplane left, and isoplane top by pressing the CTRL and E keys
(CTRL+E) simultaneously or by using the function key, F5. You can also toggle among different
isoplanes by entering the ISOPLANE command at the Command prompt:
Isometric Drawings 24-5

Command: ISOPLANE
Enter isometric plane setting [Left/Top/Right] <Top>: T
Current Isoplane: Top

Figure 24-7 The Drafting Settings dialog box

The Ortho mode is useful while drawing in the Isometric mode. In the Isometric mode, Ortho
aligns with the axes of the current isoplane.

Example 1 Isometric Drawing

In this example, you will create the isometric drawing shown in Figure 24-8.

1. Use the SNAP command to set the isometric grid and snap. The snap value is 0.5 unit.

Command: SNAP
Specify snap spacing or [ON/OFF/Aspect/Legacy/Style/Type] <0.5000>: S
Enter snap grid style [Standard/Isometric] <S>: I
Specify vertical spacing <0.5000>: 0.5 (or press ENTER)

2. Change the isoplane to the isoplane left by pressing the F5 key. Choose the Line tool and
draw lines between the points P1, P2, P3, P4, and P1, as shown in Figure 24-9.

Tip
You can increase the size of the crosshairs using the Crosshair size slider bar in the Display
tab of the Options dialog box.
24-6 AutoCAD 2020: A Problem-Solving Approach, Basic and Intermediate

Figure 24-8 Isometric drawing for Example 1 Figure 24-9 Drawing the bottom left face

3. Change the isoplane to the isoplane right by pressing the F5 key. Invoke the Line tool and
draw the lines, as shown in Figure 24-10.

4. Change the isoplane to the isoplane top by pressing the F5 key. Invoke the Line tool and
draw the lines, refer to Figure 24-11.

Figure 24-10 Drawing the bottom right face Figure 24-11 Drawing the top face

5. Similarly, draw the remaining lines, refer to Figure 24-12.

Isometric Drawings 24-7

Figure 24-12 Drawing the remaining lines

6. The front left end of the object is tapered at an angle. In isometric drawings, oblique surfaces
(surfaces at an angle to the isometric axis) cannot be drawn like other lines. Make sure that
the Endpoint Object Snap is on, and then locate the endpoints of the lines that define the
oblique surface. Next, draw the lines between those points. To complete the drawing shown
in Figure 24-8, draw a line from P10 to P8 and from P11 to P4, refer to Figure 24-13.

Figure 24-13 Isometric drawing with the tapered face

DRAWING ISOMETRIC CIRCLES

The isometric circles are drawn by using the tools available in the Ellipse drop-down and then
selecting the Isocircle option. To draw an isometric circle, choose the Axis, End, or Elliptical
Arc tool from the Ellipse drop-down. As soon as you select any of these options, the Isocircle
option will be available in the Command prompt. Select the Isocircle option from the Command
prompt; you will be prompted to specify the center of isocircle. Specify the center of the isocircle.
24-8 AutoCAD 2020: A Problem-Solving Approach, Basic and Intermediate

On specifying the center, you will be prompted to specify the radius of the isocircle. Once you
specify the radius and press enter, isocircle will be created.

Note that you must have the Isometric Snap on while using the Ellipse tools to display the
Isocircle option. If the isometric snap is not ON, you cannot draw an isometric circle. Before
entering the radius or diameter of the isometric circle, you must make sure that you are in the
required isoplane.

For example, to draw a circle in the right isoplane, you must toggle through the isoplanes until
the required isoplane (right isoplane) is displayed. You can also set the required isoplane as the
current plane before choosing the Ellipse tool. The crosshairs and the shape of the isometric
circle will automatically change as you toggle through different isoplanes. As you enter the
radius or diameter of the circle, AutoCAD draws the isometric circle in the selected plane, refer
to Figure 24-14.

Figure 24-14 Isometric circles drawn

The prompt sequence used to draw an isometric circle after choosing the Axis, End tool from
the Ellipse drop-down is as follows:

Specify axis endpoint of ellipse or [Arc/Center/Isocircle]: I 

Specify center of isocircle: Select a point.
Specify radius of isocircle or [Diameter]: Enter circle radius, 

Creating Fillets in Isometric Drawings

To create fillets in isometric drawings, you first need to create an isometric circle and then trim its
unwanted portion. Remember that there is no other method to directly create an isometric fillet.

Dimensioning Isometric Objects

Isometric dimensioning involves two steps: (1) dimensioning the drawing using the standard
dimensioning tools, (2) editing the dimensions to change them to oblique dimensions.
Isometric Drawings 24-9

Example 2 Dimensioning
The following example illustrates the process involved in dimensioning an isometric drawing. In
this example, you will dimension the isometric drawing created in Example 1.

1. Dimension the drawing given in Example 1, as shown in Figure 24-15. You can use the
aligned or linear dimensions to dimension the drawing. Remember that when you select
the points, you must use the Intersection or Endpoint object snap to snap the endpoints
of the object you are dimensioning. AutoCAD automatically leaves a gap between the object
line and the extension line, as specified by the DIMGAP variable.

Figure 24-15 The dimensioned isometric drawing

before using the Oblique tool

2. The next step is to edit the dimensions. You can choose the Oblique tool from the
Dimensions panel of the Annotate tab. After selecting the dimension that you want to
edit, you are prompted to enter the oblique angle. The oblique angle is determined by the
angle that the extension line of the isometric dimension makes with the positive X axis. The
following prompt sequence is displayed when you invoke this option from the Ribbon:

Select objects: Select the dimension (D1).

Select objects: Press ENTER.
Enter obliquing angle (Press ENTER for none): 150 

For example, the extension line of the dimension labeled D1 makes a 150 degree angle with the
positive X axis, refer to Figure 24-16(a), therefore, the oblique angle is 150 degrees. Similarly,
the extension lines of the dimension labeled D2 and D3 make a 30 degree angle with the positive
X axis, refer to Figure 24-16(b) and (c), therefore, the oblique angle is 30 degrees. After you edit
all dimensions, the drawing should appear as shown in Figure 24-17.
24-10 AutoCAD 2020: A Problem-Solving Approach, Basic and Intermediate

Figure 24-16 Determining the oblique angle Figure 24-17 Object with isometric dimensions

ISOMETRIC TEXT
You cannot use regular text when placing the text in an isometric drawing because the text in
an isometric drawing is obliqued at a positive or negative 30 degree angle. Therefore, you must
create two text styles with oblique angles of positive 30 degrees and negative 30 degrees. You can
use the -STYLE command or the Text Style dialog box to create a new text style. Figure 24-18
shows the Text Style dialog box with a new text style, ISOTEXT1 and its corresponding values.

Figure 24-18 The Text Style dialog box

Similarly, you can create another text style, ISOTEXT2, with a negative 30 degrees oblique angle.
When you place the text in an isometric drawing, you must also specify the rotation angle for
the text. The text style and the text rotation angle depend on the placement of the text in the
isometric drawing, as shown in Figure 24-19.
Isometric Drawings 24-11

Figure 24-19 Text style and rotation angle for isometric text

Self-Evaluation Test
Answer the following questions and then compare them to those given at the end of this
chapter:

1. The word “isometric” means __________. The three angles between the three principal axes
of an isometric drawing measure __________ degree each.

2. The ratio of isometric length to the actual length in an isometric drawing is

approximately __________.

3. The angle between the right isometric horizontal axis and the X axis is __________ degree.

4. Isometric drawings have three principal planes: isoplane right, isoplane top, and __________.

5. To toggle among isoplane right, isoplane left, and isoplane top, you can use __________
key combination or __________ function key.

6. The lines that are not parallel to the isometric axes are called __________.

7. You can only use the aligned dimension option to dimension an isometric drawing. (T/F)

8. The isometric snap must be turned on to display the Isocircle option while using
the Ellipse tool. (T/F)

9. While placing text in an isometric drawing, you need to specify the rotation angles. (T/F)

10. You should avoid showing any hidden lines in isometric drawings. (T/F)
24-12 AutoCAD 2020: A Problem-Solving Approach, Basic and Intermediate

Review Questions
Answer the following questions:

1. The __________ view is generally used to help in visualizing the shape of an object.

2. An isometric view is obtained by rotating an object by __________ degrees around the

imaginary vertical axis and then tilting the object forward through a __________ angle.

3. The isometric snap and grid can be turned on/off by selecting the __________ check box.

4. Isometric drawings have three axes: right horizontal axis, vertical axis, and __________.

5. The lines parallel to the isometric axis are called __________.

6. You can use the __________ command to set the isometric grid and snap.

7. Isometric grid lines are displayed at __________ degrees to the horizontal axis.

8. You can also set the isometric grid and snap by using the Drafting Settings dialog box,
which can be invoked by entering __________ at the Command prompt.

9. Isometric circles are drawn by using the Ellipse tools and then selecting the __________
option.

10. To place text in an isometric drawing, you must create two text styles with oblique angles of
__________ degree and __________ degree.

11. You should avoid showing hidden lines in isometric drawings unless they help in
understanding its shape. (T/F)

12. Angles do not appear true in isometric drawings. (T/F)

13. You can set the aspect ratio for the isometric grid. (T/F)

14. You can draw an isometric circle without turning the isometric snap on. (T/F)

15. Only the aligned dimensions can be edited to change them to oblique dimensions. (T/F)

EXERCISES 1 through 4
Draw the following isometric drawings, refer to Figures 24-20 through 24-23. The dimensions
can be determined by counting the number of grid lines. The distance between the isometric
grid lines is assumed to be 0.5 unit. Dimension the drawing, as shown in Figure 24-23.
Isometric Drawings 24-13

Figure 24-20 Drawing for Exercise 1 Figure 24-21 Drawing for Exercise 2

Figure 24-22 Drawing for Exercise 3 Figure 24-23 Drawing for Exercise 4
24-14 AutoCAD 2020: A Problem-Solving Approach, Basic and Intermediate

Answers to Self-Evaluation Test

1. equal measurement, 120, 2. 9/11, 3. 30, 4. isoplane left, 5. CTRL+E, F5, 6. non isometric
lines, 7. T, 8. T, 9. T, 10. T