Projected Drawing Axes in CorelDRAW

CorelDRAW, primarily through the Corel DESIGNER workspace within the CorelDRAW Technical Suite, provides dedicated projected drawing modes that allow illustrators to create accurate 2D representations of 3D objects. This article outlines the built-in projected drawing axes available in the software, explaining the preset axonometric projections, oblique projections, and custom configurations available for technical illustration.

Isometric Projection

Isometric is the most widely used projection in CorelDRAW technical drafting. In this mode, all three spatial axes are spaced equally at 120 degrees to one another, typically set at angles of 30°, 90°, and 150° relative to the horizontal baseline. The scale remains uniform along all three axes, meaning no dimensional foreshortening is applied to the lines regardless of the plane being worked on.

Dimetric Projection

Dimetric projection features two axes with equal angles and scaling factors, while the third axis has a distinct angle and foreshortening ratio. CorelDRAW provides multiple preset dimetric profiles (such as Dimetric 0.5 and Dimetric 0.75), which adjust the receding axis to create a more natural depth perspective than isometric drawing while maintaining precise technical proportions.

Trimetric Projection

Trimetric projection offers an asymmetrical perspective where all three axes have different angles and different scale ratios. CorelDRAW includes preset trimetric axes configurations that tilt the viewing angle to emphasize a specific side of a model—typically displaying more of the top or front face. This mode requires unique foreshortening on the X, Y, and Z axes.

Oblique Projections: Cavalier and Cabinet

CorelDRAW supports standard oblique projections, which place the primary face of the object flat against the drawing surface at true scale, with depth projected along angled receding axes:

  • Cavalier Projection: The receding axis is typically set at 30° or 45°, and lines along this axis are drawn at full (1:1) scale without foreshortening.
  • Cabinet Projection: The receding axis is also drawn at an angle (commonly 30°, 45°, or 63.4°), but depth dimensions are foreshortened by 50% (1:2 ratio) to reduce visual distortion.

Custom Projected Axes

In addition to standard presets, CorelDRAW allows users to define custom projection axes via the Projected Axes docker. Users can manually configure:

  • Axis Angles: Exact degrees for the X, Y, and Z coordinate directions.
  • Foreshortening Ratios: Independent scaling percentages for each individual axis to simulate custom optical compressions.

Projected Drawing Planes

For each selected projection axis, CorelDRAW activates three primary working planes that correspond to the three-dimensional space:

  • Top (Plan): Aligns the drawing grid and tools to the upper horizontal surface.
  • Front: Aligns drawing tools to the vertical front-facing plane.
  • Right / Left: Aligns drawing tools to the lateral side-facing plane.

Switching between these planes dynamically alters how shapes, ellipses, and text conform to the active projected axes without requiring manual shearing or rotation.