Projections of Lines

The best preparation for tomorrow is to do todays work superbly

well
- Anonymous

Prof. K. L. NARAYANA
Dr. N. VENKAIAH
 Projections of Straight Lines
A straight line may be generated by a point moving in
one direction.

A straight line may also be defined as the shortest

distance between two points.

A straight line may be located in space either by

specifying
a) the location of the end points or
b) the location of one end point and the direction.
 Objectives
vTo draw projec,ons F.V & T.V

vInforma,on regarding a line:

Its length,

Posi,on of its ends w.r.t. HP & VP

Its inclina,ons with HP & VP

Possible Positions of Straight Lines
1. Parallel to both the planes

2. Perpendicular to one plane

3. Inclined to one plane and parallel to the other.

4. Inclined to both the planes

5. Contained by a plane, perpendicular to both the principal

planes
 Line parallel to both the planes
(Pictorial Presenta,on) For TV Note: V.P.
FV & TV both are
// to xy a FV b
b &
B both show T. L.
a

A Y X Y

b a b
TV
X
a
H.P.

Note: When a line is parallel to a plane, its projection on that

plane is equal to its true length, while its projection on the other
lane is parallel to the reference line.
 Line Perpendicular to one plane
For TV Orthographic Projec/ons
(Pictorial Presenta,on) V.P.
a
Note: a
FV is a ver,cal line
A Showing True Length FV
FV &
TV is a point. b
Line b
Y
perpendicular X Y
B
to HP
& TV a b
TV a b
X
// to VP
H.P.

Note: When a line is perpendicular to a plane, its projection on

that plane is a point, while its projection on the other plane is a
line equal to its true length and perpendicular to the reference
line.
Line inclined to HP and // to VP
Orthographic Projec,ons

True Length FV inclined to xy V.P.

b TV parallel to xy. b
B

Y a
a
X Y
A b a b
T.V.
X
a

H.P.
Line inclined to VP and // to HP
V.P.
Note: When a line is TV inclined to xy
FV parallel to xy.
parallel to a plane and a FV b
inclined another plane, its b
projection on the first a

plane is equal to its true A B X Y
a
length, while its projection
on the other lane is parallel TV
b
to the reference line. a T.V.
b
H.P. 7
True Length
 Examples
(i) Line AB of length 50 is parallel to VP and inclined at 30o to HP

b B b

a 300
300
b any VP
a A x HP y
a any

a b
(ii) Line AB of length 50 is parallel to HP and inclined at 600 to VP

600
b

a b
a b

a VP
x HP y

a
600

b
 (iii) A line AB of length 50 lies on PP, inclined to HP ( = 300)

VP Start with
side view
PP b'' b

B 300
a'' a
A x
y
300 HP 450
a a
b

b
True shape can be seen only in side view
True length and Projected length
b B

300
b
a A
Projected length
a

Note:
If the line is parallel to a plane,
Proj. length on to that plane = True length of the line
If the line is inclined to a plane,
Proj. length < True length
 True Angle and Projected Angle
Projected angle True angle
with HP with VP
b True angle
B
with HP

b
a A
a

Projected angle
with VP

& are true angles made by Note:

the line with HP & VP resp. If the line is parallel to VP, =
& are projected (apparent) If the line is parallel to HP, =
angles w.r.t. HP & VP resp. True angle Apparent Angle
 Line inclined to both
HP and VP
Orthographic Projec,ons
For TV
V.P.
b b
FV
B a
Y
X Y
a

A a

X
a T.V. b TV

H.P. b

NOTES:
1. Both FV & TV are inclined to xy. (No view is parallel to xy)
2. Both FV & TV are reduced lengths. (No view shows True Length)
How to find T.L and T.A ?
Method 1: Rotating Line Method B
Alt.
b
of B
B
A L
Alt. of B
a L
A Alt. of A

b Line is made parallel to VP

a L 1) Altitudes of A and B are unchanged
Alt. of A 2) Length of Top view is unchanged (L)
b 3) Top view is now parallel to VP
b b1

a Alt B
Alt A a TA with HP Alt B
x y Alt A
a x y
L
b1 Top view ab is
a
b rotated to make it
First draw front & top views parallel to VP
b
 Line can be rotated and made parallel to HP also
Same logic, same procedure

b Alt. of B
B

a A
Alt. of B
b
a B
L
Alt. of A h VP
A TA wit

b T.L
L
Dist. of A Alt. of A
a From VP

Dist. of B
a From VP

b b1
 Notes
When the top view is parallel to xy, When the front view is parallel to xy,
the front view represents true length the top view represents true length
and true inclina,on to H.P. and true inclina,on to H.P.

f-f is the locus of the end point B in FV. t-t is the locus of the end point B in
TV.

b b1
f f b
L
From HP
a TA with HP a
x y x y
L TA with VP
Top view ab is a From VP
a
rotated to make it
parallel to VP t t
b b b1
 Method-2: Trapezoidal Method
b
B

a Alt. of B
A
b b
a L

Alt. of A Alt. B
a
Alt. A

a
Alt. A
b
Alt. B
 Trapezoidal method on VP Same logic

Dist. of B
Dist. of B from VP
b from VP
B
b
Dist. of A
a from VP a
A
a Dist. of B
from VP
Dist. of A
Dist. of A from VP b
from VP
Example Problem
Point A = 15 in front of VP & 10 above HP.
Point B = 40 in front of VP & 50 above HP.
Distance between projectors of A and B is 70.
Find least distance between A and B (i.e True Length)
Find inclinations to both HP and VP (i.e True angles with HP and VP).

Step-1: Draw the FV & TV b

a 50
10
x 15 y
a 40

70 b
 b2

Step-2: Finding TL and s

TA with HP () = 170
b
b
a2
q
a r
p a
x y x r y
a
p a
a1 s

b
b
q Step-3: Finding TA with VP ()

b1
Both the steps can be drawn in the same figure

x a y

a1
b

b1
Inverse Problem
Given True length (80) and True angles with HP (300) and VP(450)

Find the projections of the line.

Midpoint (M) of line AB is given (60 above HP and 50 in front of VP)

B
M 300 A 300

A TV length
b
m
a
 b B
450 FV length
a b
M
a A
A 450

Note
Projections of Midpoint M will coincide with the midpoints of FV & TV

x y

m
 First fix m and m
(60 abv HP, 50 bfr VP)
b1 Locus of b (FV)

a1 300 L Locus of a (FV)

x y
a2 a Locus of a (TV)
450
L

m b1

Locus of b (TV)

b b2
 Then Draw the Other View

b b1
Locus of b (FV)

Locus of a (FV)
a1 a
x y
a Locus of a (TV)

L
m

Locus of b (TV)
b
A line PQ of 64 long has one of its extremities 20 in front of V.P and
the other 50 above H.P. The line is inclined at 400 to H.P and 250 to
V.P. Draw its projections.
A line AB of 70 long, has its end A. 20 above H.P and 15 in
front of V.P. The line is inclined at 300 to H.P and 600 to
V.P. Draw its projections.

(a) (b)
A line of 100 long, makes an angle of 350 with H.P and 450
with V.P. Its mid point is 20 above H.P and 15 in front of V.P.
Draw the projections of the line.
 Three View Projections of Lines
A line AB of 100 length is inclined at 300 to H.P and 450 to V.P. The point A is 15
above H.P 20 in front of V.P and 120 from right profile plane. Draw front view, top
view and left side view.