Draw a Kitchen Weight Scale: Dial, Platform, and Body

Object Drawing Lessons

This guide teaches a line drawing of a kitchen weight scale: a flat platform on top, a body beneath, and a dial on the front. The drawing is a side view, so the platform appears as a horizontal line, the body as a rectangle, and the dial as a circle on the front face. Use a pencil and ruler. Keep all measurements in centimeters. The convention for lettering is simple: x-height is the distance from the baseline to the midline of lowercase letters, and letter styles may vary as long as the height is consistent. No single universal answer is required; valid alternatives are accepted when proportions and placement follow the rubric.

Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.

Set Up the Side View and Body

Start with a side view. The platform sits on top, the body is a rectangle below it, and the dial is a circle on the front face. Choose a body width of 12 cm and a body height of 8 cm as hypothetical example values. Draw a light horizontal baseline for the bottom of the body. From the left end, measure 12 cm to the right and mark the body width. Draw vertical lines up 8 cm from each end, then connect the top with a horizontal line. This rectangle is the body.

Check that the rectangle is closed and that opposite sides are equal. The body should look stable, not tilted. If you want a slightly tapered body, keep the top width within 1 cm of the bottom width so the scale still looks like a kitchen scale.

1. Draw a horizontal baseline 12 cm long.
2. At each end, draw a vertical line 8 cm up.
3. Connect the tops with a horizontal line to close the body rectangle.
4. Label the body height and width lightly for checking.

Add the Platform

The platform is a flat horizontal line on top of the body. Make it slightly wider than the body so it reads as a platform. For example, extend 1 cm beyond each side of the body, giving a platform length of 14 cm. Draw the platform line 1 cm above the body top to show a small gap or lip. Then draw two short vertical lines connecting the platform ends down to the body top, or draw a thin rectangle for the platform thickness. Keep the platform level.

A common mistake is making the platform too narrow. If the platform is narrower than the body, the scale looks unstable. Check that the platform overhangs equally on both sides.

1. Mark 1 cm beyond each side of the body top.
2. Draw a horizontal platform line 14 cm long, 1 cm above the body top.
3. Add short vertical lines or a thin rectangle to show platform thickness.
4. Check that the platform is level and overhangs equally.

Draw the Dial and Details

The dial is a circle on the front face of the body. Place it centered horizontally and slightly above the middle of the body. Use a radius of 2.5 cm as a hypothetical example. Draw a light vertical center line on the body to help centering. Mark the center point, then use a compass or a round object to draw the circle. Add a smaller inner circle for the dial face if desired, and a short pointer line from the center toward the top. Add a few tick marks around the dial at equal spacing; four to eight ticks are enough for a simple drawing.

Add a small knob or button below the dial if you want, but keep it simple. Check that the dial is fully inside the body rectangle and that the pointer starts at the center. The dial should not overlap the platform or the bottom edge.

1. Draw a light vertical center line on the body.
2. Mark the dial center and draw a circle with radius 2.5 cm.
3. Add an inner circle and a pointer line from the center.
4. Add four to eight evenly spaced tick marks around the dial.
5. Check that the dial is inside the body and centered.

Refine Lines and Label

Erase construction lines lightly, then darken the final outlines: body, platform, and dial. Keep the platform line straight and the dial circle smooth. Add a short label if you wish, such as 'kg' near the dial. Use the lettering convention: x-height is baseline to midline, and letter styles may vary. For example, a lowercase 'k' and 'g' should have the same x-height even if their shapes differ. Check that labels do not cover the dial ticks.

Finally, compare your drawing to the rubric: platform level and wider than the body, body closed and stable, dial centered and inside the body, and labels consistent in x-height.

1. Erase light construction lines.
2. Darken body, platform, and dial outlines.
3. Add a simple label with consistent x-height.
4. Check proportions and placement against the rubric.

Worked example

Draw a side-view kitchen weight scale with a body 10 cm wide and 7 cm high, a platform 12 cm long and 1 cm above the body top, and a dial circle with radius 2 cm centered on the body. Describe the steps and check the proportions.

Four practice exercises

Common mistakes

• Platform drawn narrower than the body. Extend the platform at least 1 cm beyond each side of the body top so it overhangs equally.
• Dial placed off-center or overlapping the body edge. Use a light center line and measure from both sides to center the dial; keep the whole circle inside the body.
• Body rectangle not closed or sides unequal. Measure the width and height at both ends and connect the tops with a straight line; check opposite sides are equal.
• Platform tilted instead of level. Use a ruler and check that the platform line is parallel to the baseline; adjust until level.

Self-check rubric

• Platform is level and wider than the body, with equal overhang on both sides.
• Body is a closed rectangle with opposite sides equal and a stable appearance.
• Dial is a circle centered on the body, fully inside the body, with a pointer from the center.
• Tick marks are evenly spaced and do not overlap the body edge.
• Labels use consistent x-height from baseline to midline; letter styles may vary.
• Final outlines are clean and construction lines are erased or light.

Questions and answers