Exploded Axonometric

01 | Prep Rhino File

• This tutorial works with any system - but the files are set up in the metric system (centimeters).

• Turn on Gridsnap, Gumball, Osnap (end, mid, int, perp, and point)

• Setup Layers

  • 00_Workline | to use for work-in-progress objects

  • 10_Groove | for Groove 3D member

  • 10_Tongue | for Tongue 3D member

  • 10_Inlet | for Inlet 3D member

  • 20_Make2D | for 2D projection layers & sublayers

  • 30_Annotations lines

  • 30_Leading Lines

• Set up Exploded Axon View Port

  • Choose ViewPort > Set View > Isometric > SE

  • Adjust View

  • Choose ViewPort > Set View > Named Views > Save As

  • to update - repeat

Milestone 01 — Clean Rhino Setup EA_01_Layers_Setup.3dm

Hints & Tips:

• Keep layer Numeric prefixes improve sort order. Clear distinction between timber and annotation layers helps with Make2D output after export.

• Adjust the Isometric view using the Orbit and Zoom tools to avoid overlapping lines

• If the view is bumped, double-click the saved Named View to restore it.

• Do NOT click the viewport title and switch to Perspective. If you need both Perspective and Parallel, use 2 different viewports.

• If the viewport title says Perspective, stop and switch to Parallel immediately.

02 | Basic Timber Members

• Build 2D profiles of Tongue and Groove Members. Make sure they are polylines

  • Through tracing with Polyline

  • Or Join segments

• ExtrudeCrv > Solid

  • If extrusion is still not solid, use the Cap command

• Build the Inlet member directly in 3D

  • Trim the surface to open the solid to receive the Inlet

  • trace opening with a polyline

  • ExtrudeCrv in Plan view

  • Select Member an Inlet > Boolean > Union

Milestone 02 — Basic Timber Members EA_02_Basic_Timber_Model.3dm

Hints & Tips:

• Select polylines after joining to make sure all segments are included in the profile

  • If unsuccessful, that means some lines are not intersecting - use the extend command to make sure lines are intersecting.

• Select the 3D Inlet object after the Boolean command to make sure the member is it is one object

  • If unsuccessful, turn on Osnap>End and use a move command to move from end point to end point to make sure the edges align

03 | Joint Cuts and Member Fit

• Before you start, make a copy of the members and move out of Exploded Axon View

• Before you rotate, turn on Ortho

• Use GumBall to rotate in Top, Front, and Perspective (or Right) views to assemble objects.

• Use BooleanDifference to subtract the Inlet member from both the Tongue and Groove members.

  • DeleteInputs = Yes, Delete Cutters = No

Milestone 03 — Joint Geometry Complete EA_03_Joint_Cut_Complete.3dm

Hints & Tips:

• You can hold shift to temporarily step into Ortho Mode, BUT, if your ortho is already on, this will turn off Ortho.

• After BooleanDifference, turn the Layers on and off to ensure cutting is successful.

04 | Exploded Axon Setup

• Before you start, make a copy of the assembled members and move out of Exploded Axon View

• Use Gumball in the top, front, and right views to pull apart the members along clear axes

• Adjust Exploded Axon View and resave - if needed

• Optional: add light guide lines on a separate layer. Can also be added after the Make2D step - before exporting to Illustrator

Milestone 04 — Exploded Axon Setup EA_04_Exploded_Axon_Setup.3dm

Hints & Tips:

• Use the grid to line up objects to keep explode distances consistent

• Make sure objects are not overlapping in Exploded Axon View

• If the file is omnidirectional, you can mirror the assembly for a clear view

05 | Make2D Output

• Before you start, make sure the Exploded Axon view was not bumped or changed to perspective. If the view is perspective, your Make2D will be incorrect.

• Select exploded parts and use the Make2D command.

  • Settings to use:

    • View: Exploded Axon

    • Projection: View

    • Object Properties > Maintain source layers:  ON

    • Tangent edges: OFF (for timber details)

    • Hidden lines:  ON

    • Scene silhouette:  ON

    • Viewport Rectangle: ON

    • Layer name: 20_Make2D
      (layer previously created)

• Before you export - add Annotation lines + fill layers

  • Add lines that will be arrows in Illustrator

  • Copy Sillhoette Sublayer > Duplicate layer and Objects

    • When asked to duplicate sublayers > Yes to All

  • Right-click each layer > Select Object > Join

  • Add leading lines for dimensions and annotations

• Once the lines are ready for export:

  • Select all 2D lines: File > Export >Save as type> Adobe Illustrator (*.ai)

  • Before you press Save! Select Options

    • Preserve Model Scale 1cm = 1cm

    • Choose CMYK to make sure colors print as intended

Milestone 05 — Make2D Output EA_05_Make2D_Output.3dm and EA_05_Make2D_Output.ai

Hints & Tips:

• The viewport Rectangle usually is a rectangle and changes the aspect ratio when exported to Illustrator - add a square frame instead. Add a square around it to ensure the aspect ratio travels well.

  • This rectangle serves as a guide if you need to go back to Rhino mid-Illustrator process to add more objects.

• Output curves should land on sublayers under the layer you created, namely 20_MAKE2D.

• Dimension lines do not travel well from Rhino to Illustrator - need to be built manually.

• Adjust leading lines to line up with each other and receive text.

06 | Prep Illustrator File

• Adjust Artboard > Landscape

• Setup Layers

  • 01_Silhouette Curves

  • 02_Silhouette Fill

  • 03_Visible Curves

  • 04_Cut Edges

  • 05_Hidden

  • 06_ViewportRectangle (untick Print)

  • 07_Annotations lines

  • 08_Leading Lines

  • 09_Text

• Lineweight Selection Rules:

  Silhouette:Visible:Interior: Hidden
  4 : 2: 1: 1 (dashed)

  • Use Hierarchy, Not Variety. Limit yourself to a maximum of 4 lineweight categories.

• Text Size:

  • Reading: 11-12 pt

  • Poster: 24-36 pt

Milestone 06 — Illustrator Base File EA_06_Illustrator_Base.ai

Hints & Tips

• The geometry will land in relationship to the Rhino origin

  • Select All and move corner to x = 0 and y = 0

  • Scale all to fit on Artboard

• The orientation of the Artboard should be mediated by the design - Not everything needs to be in Landscape

• General Architectural Fonts:

  • Arial

  • Century Gothic

  • Architect’s Hand

• If you need more than four lineweight categories, your model is too complex, or your drawing lacks clarity.

• Use the Distance test to check lineweights and text size; i.e., Print preview at 25% scale or zoom out.

• The lineweight hierarchy and text hierarchy should align. Match the silhouette typographic weight with the graphic weight.

• Poshe colors:

  • Body: Brightness

  • Focus: Fully Saturated

  • Cut Surfaces: Desaturated

07 | Hybrid Representation (Render + Linework)

• Only render the complex geometry - turn off the other layers before rending

• Set up Rendering Option: Right-click on Render

  • Resolution and Quality > Final Quality (1500 Samples)

  • Background > Transparent Background: ON

  • Ground Plane > Show shadows only: ON

• Render: Left-click on Render

  • Denoise: ON

  • Save

    • File time *.tif or *.png

    • Transparent: ON

• Create a new Layer (10_Image Render)

• After importing the rendered image, keep the aspect ratio locked and use the center reference point to tweak the image size.

• Tweeks

  • Move the image layer behind all visible line layers

  • Turn off the Hidden lines that are associated with this member to avoid information.

  • Turn off the Poshe layers associated with this member

Milestone 07 — Illustrator Poshe/Render Hybrid EA_06_Illustrator_Poche Alt.ai use EA_07_Rendered_Members.tif

Hint and Tips:

• This is the best option for more complicated geometry.

• Always make sure the Axon View is reset before rendering

• When rendering, stick to simple materials (neutral, no textures).

• If you want to blend colors, use blending effects and/or opacity

08 | Layout and Text in InDesign

• Prepare InDesign File

  • Select Sheet Size

  • Windows > Paragraph Style > Create new Styles

    • Body

    • Annotations

    • SubTitle

    • Title

  • File > Document Setup > Page Size + Margins

  • Create new Layer: 01_Text

• Place Images on board - adjust scale and rescale

• Lock Images before adding text

  • Use paragraph styles to ensure that all text across all layouts remains consistent, regardless of scaled drawings.

Milestone 08 — Layout Design EA_08_Layout_Template_v1.0.ai and EA_09_Exploded_Axon_Board.ai

Hint and Tips:

• Illustrator is for line discipline - InDesign is for page composition.

• Place *.ai files instead of PDF to:

  • Keeps vector data live, preserves lineweight precision, and maintains a clean workflow across revisions.

  • Allows updating an Illustrator file without rebuilding the layout.

    • If you update the .ai file > Save in Illustrator > Return to InDesign > double-click Update Link in the Links panel.

• If you get lost in the Paragraph Style options, you can adjust independently and then right-click on Paragraph Style > Redefine Style

• Keep scale changes similar & Lock aspect ratio

• Avoid the box - layout and use the lines for composition

• If you update iA files, the images may shift - readjust the scale

• Ultimately, it is better to manage the Illustrator artboards mediated by the InDesign Page size - this ensures:

  • Everything is placed at 100%

  • Lineweights will not need adjustment

  • Text does not need to be adjusted