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Illustrated engineering in everyday objects

Mechanical Pencil is a project by Bryan Macomber that illustrates the mechanical bits…Tags: Bryan Macomber, engineering, illustration, mechanical

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Illustrated engineering in everyday objects

February 26, 2026

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Infographics / Bryan Macomber, engineering, illustration, mechanical

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Mechanical Pencil is a project by Bryan Macomber that illustrates the mechanical bits in everyday objects. The process:

I take the product apart. CAD it up. Illustrate each view. Then animate and lay it out for the web. That sounds quick, but it does take me quite a bit of time to create each one.

The leading object is, naturally, a mechanical pencil. Did you know that the plastic part that holds the lead in place is called a chuck? Other items so far include a Pez dispenser, a pen, and a lighter.

The interactive illustrations are satisfying to open, close, click, and release. I want more.

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