Next: Introduction by example, Previous: Top, Up: Top

## 1 About sketch

`Sketch` is a small, simple system for producing line drawings of two- or three-dimensional objects and scenes. It began as a way to make illustrations for a textbook after we could find no suitable tool for this purpose. Existing scene processors emphasized GUIs and/or photo-realism, both un-useful to us. We wanted to produce finely wrought, mathematically-based illustrations with no extraneous detail.

`Sketch` accepts a tiny scene description language and generates `PSTricks` or `TikZ/PGF` code for LaTeX. The `sketch` language is similar to `PSTricks`, making it easy to learn for current `PSTricks` users. See `www.pstricks.de` for information on `PSTricks`. `TikZ/PGF` is similar. See `http://sourceforge.net/projects/pgf`. One can easily include arbitrary `PSTricks` or `TikZ/PGF` drawings and text over, in, or under `sketch` drawings, providing access to the full power of LaTeX text and mathematics formatting in a three-dimensional setting.