Isometric Paper
Created for free at puzzleandprint.com
Isometric paper
A triangular grid for drawing in three dimensions.
1 cm isometric
Or take one that is already made
Ruled sheets at the standard sizes, each one a single page. The measurement is printed at the foot, so a reprint can be checked against a ruler.
Isometric paper is vertical lines crossed by two families of diagonals at thirty degrees, which between them make a field of equilateral triangles. Drawn on it, a cube looks like a cube without any perspective construction, every edge follows a line that is already there.
It is the paper for technical sketching, product design, tabletop terrain and any maths topic that involves volume. Children asked to draw a solid from a net usually find it far easier here than on squares, because the paper does the foreshortening for them.
One centimetre is the general-purpose size and the one to print if you are unsure. Five millimetres suits detailed work; quarter inch matches American drafting pads.
The triangles really are equilateral rather than approximately so, which matters, on paper where they are not, a shape drawn from one direction does not match the same shape drawn from another.
Common questions
What is isometric paper actually for?
Drawing solids without constructing perspective. Vertical lines crossed by two families of diagonals at thirty degrees make a field of equilateral triangles, so a cube drawn on it looks like a cube, with every edge following a line that is already there.
Are the triangles exactly equilateral?
Yes, and it matters more than it sounds. On paper where they are only approximately equilateral, a shape drawn from one direction will not match the same shape drawn from another, which defeats the point of using it for anything technical.
Is this really free?
Yes. Print as many sheets as you like, for yourself, a class or a workplace. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit.
Why does my printed graph paper not match my exercise book?
Almost always because the printer scaled it. Choose 100% or "actual size" rather than "fit to page" in the print dialog. If it still does not match, measure ten squares of the book and divide by ten, the book may not be the size you think it is.
What size is quarter inch graph paper in millimetres?
Exactly 6.35 mm. Paper sold as 6 mm is a different thing, and over the width of a page the two are about 5 mm apart, which is enough to notice.
What is the difference between wide, college and narrow ruled?
The gap between lines. Wide ruled is 8.7 mm and is what primary schools generally use, college ruled is 7.1 mm, and narrow ruled is 6.35 mm. All three are here.
Can I print it on A4?
The sheets are US Letter. A4 is slightly narrower and taller, so printing at 100% will simply crop a little from the right and leave a gap at the foot, the spacing itself stays correct, which is the part that matters.
What is isometric paper for?
Drawing three-dimensional objects without constructing perspective. It suits technical sketching, product design and any maths topic involving volume or nets, because every edge of a cube follows a line already on the page.
Want to know when new printables go up?
New printables when they go up, mostly seasonal, a few times a year.