# How on Earth can I draw de novo?! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 5, 2006, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-can-i-draw-de-novo/359426 "2006-06-05T00:42:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-can-i-draw-de-novo/359426/1 "2006-06-05T00:42:59Z")
I’m not expecting an answer. Personally, I don’t think there’s an answer. I’m just blood frustrated, and though it is neither mundane nor pointless to me, it is to you, I’m sure. I want to illustrate my township’s zoning ordinance. Make pictures for the rules, where possible, in order to make them more comprehensible to me & everybody else. I have no fucking budget. Anybody who mentions something about how we should have a budget can kiss my ass. As if we didn’t have enough money problems, some nameless big-box store is suing us _again_. This is the same store whose had their lawyers sanctioned for an abusive\* lawsuit, and win or not, they cost money. This July, provided _the votes work out favorably_, I’m supposed to be **grateful** to be getting a starting wage _after three years_! Yeah, I’m bitter, but my boss (who doesn’t determine my pay) goes to the mat for her staff & I’ve no other options. So, I’m fucked. So, I need some bloody way to draw onto the computer, but every ogdamn program I’ve seen is a royal pain in the ass. One of those pen/pencil & pad mouse thingies may be a huge help, but the programs I’ve seen are still a complete fucking hassle, and it pisses me off. It’s like I need the township to pick up a second-hand drafting table for me, so that I can just scan the drawings. Because, doing them de novo on the computer is far too much hassle to make it worth while. Thank you for listening & shouldering my pain. Don’t think it’s unappreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-can-i-draw-de-novo/359426/2 "2006-06-05T00:49:28Z")
You know, it seems to me that what you need is a new job. No budget? A starting wage after 3 years of work? Pointless, expensive, time-consuming lawsuits? Forget your drawing de novo. What you need is a resume and a headhunter. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-can-i-draw-de-novo/359426/3 "2006-06-05T01:07:48Z")
> [@Scribble](#): > > What you need is a resume and a headhunter. So, you’ve got somebody in mind? I’ve tried that sort of thing in the past & because of their incompetence, I’ve ended up doing what I’m doing. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-can-i-draw-de-novo/359426/4 "2006-06-05T01:43:41Z")
Are you trying to illustrate the Master Plan? Individual lot rules such as setbacks? What sort of things need to be illustrated and what software is already available (regardless how kludgy)? Is there any other community or township that has done this? (Providing it is not the Master Plan) could you borrow/get permission/cheaply buy an existing collection of illustrations? (If you are trying to illustrate setbacks, minimum distances, water/sewer/septic tie ins, I would think you could use something as cheap as MS-Paint + Clip Art to cobble something together for a rude early copy.) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-can-i-draw-de-novo/359426/5 "2006-06-05T01:52:07Z")
For example, from the Hanover, NH site, the restrictions on building heights [at the bottom of this page](http://www.hanovernh.org/stories/storyReader%24857) could be done with a number of tools that are not that difficult, although I am sure that the product would not look as nice, but then, you can point out that they get what they pay for. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-can-i-draw-de-novo/359426/6 "2006-06-05T02:28:03Z")
If the actual act of _drawing directly into the computer_ is what’s giving you the problem, just draw what you need on a piece of paper and scan it in. 🙂 Then you can vectorise it and assemble it with other parts (photographs, vector drawings of maps, etc) as needed. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-can-i-draw-de-novo/359426/7 "2006-06-05T15:28:47Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Then you can vectorise it… I’m new to this sort of thing. What does that mean? > [@tomdebb](#): > > Are you trying to illustrate the Master Plan? Individual lot rules such as setbacks? What sort of things need to be illustrated and what software is already available (regardless how kludgy)? The ordinance, so yes, setbacks will be one item. It might begin with some basic definitions, such as front, side, and rear yards. Ultimately, and if possible, get into regulations on special land uses & such stuff. I’ve actually done one for building height and it does look very MS Paint-ish, and it was a royal pain to accomplish. I want to avoid kludgy, but more importantly, I want to try to achieve a good standard of clear communication. > [@](#): > > Is there any other community or township that has done this? (Providing it is not the Master Plan) could you borrow/get permission/cheaply buy an existing collection of illustrations? I’m not aware of much in that regard. I want to avoid chartjunk & artistry qua artistry that seems to permeate the examples I have seen. > [@](#): > > (If you are trying to illustrate setbacks, minimum distances, water/sewer/septic tie ins, I would think you could use something as cheap as MS-Paint + Clip Art to cobble something together for a rude early copy.) For rude, early copies, I think I’ll hand draw to get the ideas of what specifically I want to do; however, the way my mind works is that I need to know I can move on to creating something more before I start doing anything by hand. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-on-earth-can-i-draw-de-novo/359426/8 "2006-06-05T16:51:36Z")
Easy to learn/use and totally free CAD software. Relatively full-featured, too. [http://www.cadstd.com/lite.php](http://www.cadstd.com/lite.php)