Visualization is the mental understanding of visual information. For students in engineering and technology, visualization skills can be crucial in understanding the fundamental concepts of technical graphics. The ability to visualize also greatly enhances the speed and accuracy with which drawings and models can be made, using 2-D CAD or 3-D modeling tools. Visualization skills can assist you in building and manipulating a 3-D design in the virtual world of the computer.

In this chapter, visualization will be explained primarily through exercises for you to do. You will learn how to better visualize 3-D objects by applying the concepts of solid object features, image planes and projection, and color and rendering. In Chapter 7, a number of sketching techniques will be introduced. These techniques will be the primary vehicle through which you will develop and use visualization skills. Methods using other materials will also be explored.