As a mechanical engineer from before the dawn of digital drafting, I have an assortment of green plastic stencils gathering dust in a drawer. One of these is a set of human profiles with movable joints that allow me to draw human figures in various positions. I have them for both male and female, adult and child sizes. They are useful for determining the appropriateness of equipment designs and arrangements when used to the same scale. I have been looking for a VISIO equivalent of these, but thus far no joy. Has anyone here found something similar. Static figures are okay, but lack realism and are no more than suggestive. I am looking for digital 'dolls' with moveable limbs, head, and hips that can be used in VISIO drawings interactively.
http://www.cutting-mats.net/drafting-templates-3251.html - here is a link to a human form template of the type I am describing.
Otherwise, perhaps one of the very talented VISIO programming types, here, will undertake this as a challenge. I bet there'd even be a market for it amongst planners, consultants and industrial hygenists.
Thanks.
So, exactly what are you looking for. Here is a concept piece I did last night. Each limb member is independently rotateable, including the head and torso. The limbs remain connected at the "joints".
Do you need it more "lifelike"? What about proportions? Anything else?
Wapperdude
I have created several versions, most look like crash test dummies, but I wasn't quite happy with them. I have wanted to perfect them and offer them as a for-sale product actually. Interesting comments, RWS!
Wapperdude and Visio Guy,
Those sound great. Now, how do I acquire a set or the secret to creating my own. Really, I have been trying, but am a little frustrated at this point. No doubt when you tell me how it is done, I will feel really stupid because it will be something easy and obvious.
While I am a frequent Visio user, I am not a Visio programmer; and the last real programming I did was 20years ago. Does this require any programming external to Visio? If so, I may not have the requisite tools and skills. I have been reading through and practicing some of the techniques outlined in your articles, but have as yet to unlock the secret of complex figurines with moveable parts and joints that don't separate when articulated (aka, ALVIN). I do know how to relocate a part or group's point of rotation, but not how to lock these pivot-points relative to another.
Don't worry that you might be talking down to me as I freely admit to being a Visio programming novice. I have only started working with shape sheets, so my familiarity with terms and concepts is slight. I am interested in this stuff, but it is not my main focus and cannot immerse myself in it to the degree you guys have (hey, my job just gets in the way of fun stuff sometimes!). Thanks.
BTW, I have learned more in a day of reading your articles, Visio Guy, than in three years of sifting Visio & Microsoft help-screens for pertinent information. Somehow, the lack of concrete examples and step-by-step explanations at those sites makes a huge difference. Your examples give us non-intuitive types what is needed to bridge this gap. Great website, and keep up the good work.
BTW-2: The version of Visio I am working in is Visio 2003. We are due to migrate to 2007 next month, but 2003 is the version I am most conversant in.
Here's an updated version of Articulated Man. It still needs some refinement before it's ready for release.
This incarnation does not need any special programming. Everything that you see is instantciated via the shapesheet.
Suggestions and recommendations would be appreciated. Options?
Wapperdude
Wow! This is pretty good looking! I like the use of different colors for the back leg and arm.
Hi... My appologies... New to the whole posting thing...
did anyone ever create a stencil then that can be used for fashion designers, other than the one that is for sale?
Thank you!
Not that I know of. There was no follow up responses, so I pretty much shelved what little I had done. But for fashion designers, I suspect you need a LOT more --
1. Front view
2. Back view
3. Gender variances
4. Weight variances
5. Hair options?
...and the list could go on! It would be a very major undertaking!
Wapperdude
While it would be great to vary the sizes, once you have a base pattern there is a process to generate the pattern or adjust it for different sizes.
If you were going to incorporate measurements that could be varied, this is what I would want:
Horizontal
Neck
Shoulder
Bust
Waist
Hip
Vertical
Nape to waist
Waist to hip
Hip to knee
Those are all good points. At the moment, I'm not planning on making any upgrades. However, it's perfectly fine if someone else wants to make the changes.
Wapperdude