The major topics covered in this chapter are:

• Introduction to Sketching
• Sketch creation tools
• Modification tools

Introduction to Sketching

After a bang-bang of settings and file handling options, we are going to start with sketching. Sketch are the basic bone (should I say spine!!) of 3D models. If you are creating a wrong sketch then you cannot expect desired results from the 3D model. So, it is very important to understand the tools of sketching as well as method of sketching. The tools related to sketching are available in the Sketch tab of the Ribbon; refer to Figure-1. In this chapter, we will discuss these tools one by one. But before that let’s understand the concept of sketching planes.

Sketching Plane

In a CAD software, everything is referenced to other entity like a line created must be referenced to any other geometry, so that you can clearly define the position of line with respect to the other geometry. But, what if there is no geometry in the sketch to reference from. In these cases, we have tools to create reference geometries like reference planes, axes, points, curves, and so on. Out of these reference geometries, the sketching plane acts as foundation for other geometries. By default, there are three planes perpendicular to each other in Autodesk Inventor; refer to following Figure.

Relation between sketch, plane, and 3D model

Sketch has a direct relationship with planes and the outcome which is generally a 3D model. Refer to following Figure. In this figure, rectangle is created on the XY Plane which is also called Front plane. A circle is created on the YZ Plane which is also called Right plane. A polygon is created on the XZ plane which is also called Top plane. In a 3D model, the geometry seen from the Front view should be drawn on the Front plane. Similarly, geometry seen from the Right view should be drawn at Right plane and geometry seen from the Top view should be drawn at the Top plane.

We will learn more about planes at the beginning of 3D Modeling. We will now start with Sketching tools.