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Scaling drawings using Adobe


Brassey

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blogentry-13283-0-87893500-1518082454.jpg

 

For reference, here's an example of a drawing image I have scanned and scaled using a combination of Illustrator and Photoshop. I know the wheelbase so drew a line to that dimension and scaled the drawing to fit.

 

On the pasteboard above this profile of the loco is another drawing from a different source but showing the other side of the loco. That is scaled the same way and hopefully both match (well at least the wheelbase will, which is fundamental)

 

Simples.

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Good to see your technique. I still scale my model buildings by hand because it is nice change from having used Adobe extensively during my working life, but think I may start experiment using the software for some small projects.

Thanks for sharing.

Marlyn

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I've done a series of drawings for various web articles, and also for the item in the footer, and use a similar technique. I've written it up a bit here. https://www.devboats.co.uk/gwdrawings/howidraw.php

 
A couple of nasty catches to watch out for when transferring your scans is that sometimes the scale is not exactly the same horizontally and vertically, and also, especially if the originals are in a book you don't wish to destroy, it can be easy to get distortions near the gutter where the paper tends not to lie flat. I would add to your guidelines horizontal ones. In particular wheel centres, wheel edges and boiler centreline, documented in RCTS and on many drawings, are IME good to use. That way you can align as much as possible to a grid. I also have a library of standard components where I can get drawings. Interesting how often components on a weight diagram don't quite match the official drawing!

 
I do believe your example is from Freezer's book. Have you tried his 94xx yet? Not his finest hour!

 

Jim C

 

 

example.jpg

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I've done a series of drawings for various web articles, and also for the item in the footer, and use a similar technique. I've written it up a bit here. http://www.devboats.co.uk/gwdrawings/howidraw.php 

 

A couple of nasty catches to watch out for when transferring your scans is that sometimes the scale is not exactly the same horizontally and vertically, and also, especially if the originals are in a book you don't wish to destroy, it can be easy to get distortions near the gutter where the paper tends not to lie flat. I would add to your guidelines horizontal ones. In particular wheel centres, wheel edges and boiler centreline, documented in RCTS and on many drawings, are IME good to use. That way you can align as much as possible to a grid. I also have a library of standard components where I can get drawings. Interesting how often components on a weight diagram don't quite match the official drawing!

 

I do believe your example is from Freezer's book. Have you tried his 94xx yet? Not his finest hour!

 

Jim C

 

 

example.jpg

Thanks Jim,

 

I posted this in response to a blog I had answered but couldn't work out how to post an image in comments.  I see the button now; doh!

 

I use these drawings primarily to check kits for their accuracy so dimensions are not so fundamental but I take your points about adding in the horizontals and scans in the gutter. The tender on the County suffered distortion from being in the spine.  Thankfully that kit has a 4mm Malcom Mitchell tender so hopefully that one should be true.

 

No I have not tried a 94xx as it is out of my period being strictly pre-grouping. My whole layout is being built on a scaled up and wrapped scan of an old o/s map!

 

I have also scaled a massive full size copy of an LNWR Wolverton Carriage diagram before now, in parts, pasted together in photoshop, saved in .pdf and sent that off to the etchers.  Still not built it though.

 

Cheers

 

Peter 

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I discovered you can only post an image in comments if its externally hosted, you can't add an attachment, which is a PITA. Fortunately I have hosting.

 

Freezer's 9400 is drawn with a rear overhang 10 inches too short!

 

Thanks for the headsup about the URL Mikkel, some spurious non visible characters appeared after php. I thought I checked it!

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I've now found a measuring tool in Photoshop that is good for scaling drawings directly in Photoshop

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