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Question

Dear Mitch,

Can you please tell me how to draw a three-dimensional cube?

Sincerely,

Michael Brown

Wentzville, MO

Answer

Dear Michael,

Sure!

There are two kinds of cubes that most people like to illustrate, and they are both pretty easy to do.

First, there is the transparent cube. "Transparent" means you can see through it. For this, you start by drawing a square.

Next, you draw a second square that overlaps the first one, but the overlap is only a corner of each: the bottom right-side corner of the first square you drew and the top left side of the second square you drew. So it sort of looks like a Venn diagram, except with squares instead of the usual circles, and angled so that the left square is 'higher' on the paper than the square on the right side of the paper (except for the overlap).

We'll call the square on the left the "first square" since you drew it first, and we'll call the square on the right the "second square", since you drew it second.

Then, drawing lines as straight as you can, you connect the bottom left corner of the first square with the bottom left corner of the second square.

Next, connect the top right corner of the first square to the top right corner of the second square.

Then connect the bottom right corner of the first square to the bottom right corner of the second square.

Lastly, connect the top left corner of the first square to the top left of the second square.

And... taddahh!!!

You should have a drawing that looks like a three-dimensional cube that you can see through. If not, try again on a new sheet of paper, as that way is always easier than trying to fix a confusing first try!

Good luck with it!

The second kind of cube to illustrate is even easier than the transparent one. This time, we'll make an 'opaque' square (a solid one), which you cannot "see through".

Draw a square. Then, draw a line from the lower right-side corner at an angle that would cut the corner angle in half if you were to extend it upward through the square (WHICH YOU SHOULD NOT DO).

Next, draw a line from the lower left side corner outward in the same direction as the first line, and make it as close to parallel to the first line as you can. It should be the same length as the first line, BUT since it is starting off to the left, it should end at a point to the left of the first line.

Next, draw another line, this one from the top right-side corner downward and parallel to the other two. It also will be the same length, but once again since it is beginning to the RIGHT, it should end at a point to the right of the second line. HOWEVER, it should end at a point to the left of the first line.

Next, drawing a line as straight as you can, connect the endpoint of the line coming off the top right corner to the endpoint of the line coming off the bottom right corner.

Finally, draw a line connecting the endpoint of the line coming off the bottom left corner to the endpoint of the line coming off the bottom right-side corner.

And, if everything went well, you should have a solid cube!

Tadahhh!!!

Hope this helps.

However, if it is too confusing, then just write in to tell me and I will do it with illustrations. (First I thought I'd try without so that your finished product comes as a surprise!)

Good luck,

Mitch