Technical drawing is learned by drawing, not by reading. This page holds three view-derivation exercises of increasing difficulty. The right way to work: look at the pictorial view, draw the three views yourself on paper (front, top, left side — first-angle method), and only then open the solution and compare. Keep Lesson 4: Orthographic Projection for the rules and Lesson 2 for line types at hand.
Exercise 1 (Easy): Stepped Block
Draw the front, top and left side views of the part below. Hint: think about whether any hidden edge exists at all.
Solution 1
Exercise 2 (Medium): U-Channel Block
A rectangular channel runs through the block from front to back. Draw the three views. Hint: in which view does the channel appear in its true shape, in which as lines, and in which as hidden edges?
Solution 2
Exercise 3 (Hard): Chamfered Block with a Hole
The block’s top-right edge is chamfered across the full depth; on the left a hole passes straight through from front to back. Draw the three views. Hint: in which views does the chamfer create an edge, and where is the hole a circle versus dashed lines?
Solution 3
Where to go next
If you drew all three unaided, the foundation of view derivation is in place — next come section views and dimensioning. If you struggled, no harm done: rework Lesson 4 and come back. And if you wonder why this skill is bread and butter at the machine, see our CNC Operator Guide.