# Looking for design (make nice diagrams & line drawings) software.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-design-make-nice-diagrams-line-drawings-software/662009>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 27, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-design-make-nice-diagrams-line-drawings-software/662009 "2013-06-27T03:18:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-design-make-nice-diagrams-line-drawings-software/662009/1 "2013-06-27T03:18:30Z")

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I have a project that needs some line drawings. The kind of diagrammatic drawings that you would see on a patent application, with 3d views and exploded views and lines and arrows explaining what each thing is. I’m on a macbook pro, or if necessary, on a mac desktop.

I don’t want to invest days in learning how to use the thing, cause I’m taking like 8 to 12 images, but I’d like a good outcome. I could do it with a ruler and protractor, but it would look like hell compared to a good design program.

What do you suggest?

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**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-design-make-nice-diagrams-line-drawings-software/662009/2 "2013-06-27T03:30:21Z")

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[Sketchup.](http://www.sketchup.com/) Very short learning curve, extremely powerful once you really get into it, and totally free. Lots of great tutorials on YouTube if you need help.

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**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-design-make-nice-diagrams-line-drawings-software/662009/3 "2013-06-27T05:12:43Z")

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Yep, SketchUp.