Your goal is to create a circuit diagram like this one and learn some
techniques that will save you time and improve your diagrams.
Once you have a collection of diagrams, it's often faster to copy
components from one diagram and paste them into another.
This diagram has several components you can practice
drawing (or borrow by copying and pasting).
- Start - Programs - Accessories - Paint
- Image - Attributes 660 x 400 Black and white (This gives a big clear diagram and a small file size)
- File - Save As (Save as type GIF and name your file.)
BMP files can be very much larger than the equivalent GIF so GIF files are preferred.
Avoid the JPG format because this uses lossy compression.
Every time you open and save a JPG, the image quality gets worse. Try it out sometime.
In the example below, the colour BMP file is 90 times bigger than the black and white GIF!
- Draw your positive power supply line near the top of the image.
Select the Line Tool. Hold down the Shift key and use the mouse to get a perfect horizontal line.
- Select the Text Tool. Use Ariel Western size 8 or size 10 Font.
Use the mouse to drag out a rectangular area for your text. Type "+12V".
- Use the Select Tool. Use the mouse to drag a rectangle round your text.
Then drag the selected text to its correct position using the mouse.
Try experimenting with the indicated tools on the
left. When you move your text, you have a choice
of moving it with a transparent background colour
or not. Both effects can be useful.
- Now draw a perfectly horizontal line for your 0V power supply line. Create a text label "Gnd" (short for ground).
- Now draw a perfectly horizontal line for your -12V power supply line. Create a text label "-12V".
- Use the Rectangle Tool. Draw a small rectangular shape for a resistor symbol.
While you are dragging out the rectangle, look at the bottom right of the window.
You will see something like 14 x 40. This is the size of the rectangle.
Your resistor will look symetrical if the width is an even number like 14.
A good size is 14 x 40.
- Use the Magnifier Tool.
Position the rectangle and click the mouse to zoom in on the resistor shape you just made.
Add wires to the ends of the resistor.
To zoom back out use CTRL + Page Up.
Repeat these zoom in and out steps throughout the rest of this tutorial whenever you need to.
- Now make a deliberate mistake like drawing a line in a silly position.
Use CTRL + Z to un-do your "mistake".
Remember this useful "get out of hell" command.
Use CTRL + S to save your work. If you make a mess of your drawing, discard it and
re-load one you saved earlier. For an important image, save it with more than one name.
- Use the Select Tool. Use the mouse to drag a rectangle round your resistor.
Use CTRL + C to copy the resistor shape.
Use CTRL + V to paste the resistor shape.
Drag the copied resistor shape to a new position.
- Use the Pencil Tool. Draw a 5 x 5 pixel blob near the position where some wires join.
Use the Select Tool. Use the mouse to drag a rectangle round your 5 x 5 blob.
Use CTRL + C to copy the blob.
Use CTRL + V to paste the blob.
Drag the copied blob to a new position to show the joining wires. Use the transparent pasting option (see step 7).
- Draw a perfect triangle. Hold down Shift to get perfect horizontal, vertical or diagonal lines. The triangle will look better if its height is an odd number. 61 is a good vertical height. You can see this at the bottom right of your window while you are drawing the line.
- Use the Line Tool to draw an input wire.
Use the Pencil Tool to draw the minus sign five pixels wide.
like this.
- To get a perfectly symetrical symbol, use the Select Tool and copy the top half of the symbol.
Use CTRL + C to copy the top half.
Use CTRL + V to paste the shape.
Use CTRL + R to flip / rotate the shape.
Use Flip Vertical
Drag the shape to its new position. Use transparent pasting (See step 7).
Then use the Pencil Tool to change the minus sign into a + sign.
Use the Line Tool to add the output wire.
- Use the Line Tool to add some more connecting wires and change the top resistor into a thermistor.
- Use the Select Tool to drag an outline round the resistor R1.
Use CTRL + C to copy the resistor.
Use CTRL + V to paste the resistor.
Drag the resistor to the correct R2 position.
- Draw an LED symbol.
Make a prefect triangle and add the horizontal line.
Use the Ellipse Tool to make a perfect circle. Hold down shift while dragging out the circle.
Put the circle on a blank area of the image.
Use the Select Tool to select the circle. Drag the circle over the diode symbol and position it neatly.
If necessary, delete the circle and draw another bigger or smaller one. 34 x 34 worked for me.
- Use the Line Tool to draw a little arrow.
Use the Select Tool to drag an outline round the little arrow.
Use CTRL + C to copy the arrow.
Use CTRL + V to paste the arrow.
Position the new arrow neatly.
- Use the Select Tool to drag an outline round the LED.
Use CTRL + C to copy the LED.
Use CTRL + V to paste the LED.
Position the new LED neatly.
- Use the Text Tool to create text labels.
It is a good idea to make several labels in one step and then drag the labels to their correct positions using the Select Tool.
