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
#### Topic
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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[Original source](https://flowingdata.com/2026/02/26/illustrated-engineering-in-everyday-objects/)