Drawing illustrations (schemes) for Physics problems

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the selection of software for creating illustrations and graphs related to physics problems. Participants share their experiences and preferences regarding various programs, including both free and professional options, while also addressing the need for ease of use in drawing specific items like curves and springs.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about suitable programs for drawing physics illustrations and graphs, specifically mentioning sine and cosine functions.
  • Several participants suggest that there are many free programs available online, as well as professional software like Matlab and Mathematica, which are noted for their capabilities.
  • Another participant expresses a preference for simpler programs, indicating a desire to draw basic shapes and graphs without complexity.
  • A user shares their experience using Illustrator, describing a method of creating a library of reusable graphics for efficiency.
  • Another participant requests information on where to find public-domain clip art, following a suggestion about its utility in creating illustrations.
  • One user mentions owning Corel Image Gallery II and IMSI software, highlighting the extensive resources available through these programs, including clip art and images.
  • Participants recommend Paintshop Pro as a more affordable alternative to Illustrator and suggest searching SourceForge for free software options.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that there are multiple software options available for drawing illustrations, but there is no consensus on which specific program is the best choice, as preferences vary based on ease of use and cost.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention limitations regarding the output formats of certain software, and there are varying opinions on the appropriateness of using images found online for personal use versus redistribution.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students, educators, and professionals in physics or related fields who are looking for tools to create visual representations of concepts and problems.

alex61
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What program should I use for drawing schemes (illustrations) in physics problems and how can I draw sin, cos, sin^2 e.t.c. graphs for my notes? Thank's in advance.
 
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computer programs?
there should be plenty out there for free downloads just google it
professional software such as Matlab, Mathematica are great if you have them
 
mjsd said:
computer programs?
there should be plenty out there for free downloads just google it
professional software such as Matlab, Mathematica are great if you have them

Thank's my friend for the answer but I need an easy and not so complicated program (i.e. to draw a spring or as I said some curves)
 
Welcome to PF, Alex.
I use Illustrator (currently CS version) for everything. To simplify things, I've started a 'library' file. When I have to draw something that's a bit difficult, such as a drill bit or a spring, I save a copy of it to the library. The next time I need one, I just paste a copy from the library into the current project and then manipulate it as necessary (scale, orientation, whatever).
I also have an extensive collection of public-domain clip art which can be used in the same manner.
Any vector-drawing programme such as CorelDraw, KeyDraw!, or the like should work the same way. It does not work for bit-map programmes such as Paint.
One drawback of Illustrator CS (which previous versions didn't have) is that it can't output a file format that ImageShack recognizes. To post something in PF, I have to open it in Photoshop and then save it as a TIF file for uploading. I don't know if the other softwares that I mentioned have that limitation.
 
Thank's DANGER. Illustrator is too expencive for me. Is it possible to tell me where to find " the extensive collection of public-domain clip art" that you mentioned above? Maybe I will find something there.
 
I have Corel Image Gallery II, which my nephew gave me, but the big one is from IMSI which I bought on eBay. Both are CD's. The IMSI one has 1,200,000 each of clip-art and web-art images, 100,000 photos, and 5,000 each of fonts and sounds. The purchase includes a 1 year subscription to Clipart.com.
There are also free clip-art sites all over the net. Just Google for what you want. Keep in mind as well that if you are using images only for yourself, you can take any image at all from the net. You just can't redistribute it without the copyright holder's consent.
 
Paintshop Pro is another good program (and cheaper than Illustrator)

If you need free, try searching sourceforge.net. There may be something suitable there.
 

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