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CADTutor provides the best free tutorials and articles for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and associated applications along with a friendly community forum. If you need to learn AutoCAD, or you want to be more productive, you're in the right place. See our tip of the day to start learning right now!
Free Tutorials and More…
The Tutorials section provides over 100 original tutorials for AutoCAD, 3ds Max and other design applications. Michael’s Corner is an archive of productivity articles that brings you the best AutoCAD tips and tricks. Our Forum is a lively community where AutoCAD users can ask questions and get answers. The Downloads area provides free AutoCAD blocks, free AutoLISP routines and free images.
Tutorials of the Moment
Recently viewed tutorials
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Creating an Image Rollover
This tutorial demonstrates the best way to create image rollovers in Microsoft FrontPage. It also shows some variations on the basic technique along with some examples of how it could be used. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: less than one minute ago
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Dimensioning
This tutorial describes the options and commands available for dimensioning drawings and how to use them. The correct use of AutoCADs dimension tools is the key to producing clear and concise measured drawings. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 1 minute ago
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Sky Backgrounds
Putting a scene into an "environment" is important, not least to generate a feeling of "outdoors", a "sense of place" or mood. This tutorial takes you through the process of applying a sky background. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 4 minutes ago
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Advanced Selection
After you've mastered the basics of selection, this tutorial shows you some powerful methods for making complex selection sets. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 5 minutes ago
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All About Images
This tutorial tells you all you need to know about working with images in AutoCAD. Format: Text/Image
Last visited: 5 minutes ago
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AutoCAD 2010: Ribbon Basics
This video tutorial introduces you to the AutoCAD 2010 ribbon and demonstrates the various options you have when working with it. Running time: 5min 49sec Format: Video
Last visited: 5 minutes ago
CADTutor Tutorials
Our tutorials are comprehensive but straightforward introductions to AutoCAD and related software. They are designed to help beginners get to grips with design workflows as quickly as possible. There are over 100 to choose from, some text/image based and others in video format. Whatever stage you are at in your learning, you should find a tutorial to help.
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CADTutor Forums
Our forum is a vibrant community of experts and beginners. The main focus is helping beginners get to grips with AutoCAD and to help more advanced users become more productive. The AutoLISP forum is one of the busiest out there, providing expert advice for busy professionals.
AutoCAD Productivity
Avoid Using ‘Standard’ in Text & Dimension Styles
From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #141
Originally published: August 2015
In addition to Layer 0, every single drawing on the planet has a Text style called ‘Standard’, and a Dimension style called ‘Standard’. They're the defaults.
When developing company standards, it's best to not modify the Standard styles; leave 'em alone and make your own.
And here's why. Let's say you have text you added to Drawing A (using your modified ‘Standard’ text style to use the Trebuchet font), and you drag that text into Drawing B where the Standard text style uses the TXT.SHX font.
Since Drawing B already has a ‘Standard’ text style—see opening sentence, above—who do you think will "win" when it comes to how the text looks? The text in Drawing B will use the font which is already assigned to the Standard text style.

In the illustration, you see the result when I drag the text from Drawing A into Drawing B. Questions?
See all the articles published in August 2015
Michael's Corner
Between 2003 and 2016, Michael Beall (and one or two guests) wrote almost 600 articles for CADTutor. The focus of these articles is AutoCAD productivity, and although some of them are now more than a few years old, most remain relevant to current versions of AutoCAD. The article above is just one example. Check out Michael's Corner for a full listing.
Image of the Week
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29th June to 5th July 2026
This week's image is by David Bethel
Software used: AutoCAD R12/R13 and Accurender
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Last Week's Image
Last week's image is by boofrelday
Software used: SketchUp and Podium
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Two Weeks Ago
This image is by CADken
Software used: SketchUp and Kerkythea
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Three Weeks Ago
This image is by Jay C
Software used: Revit
Gallery of Work
Over the years, our forum members have contributed hundreds of images, showcasing their amazing work. The images above are just a small selection that demonstrate the wide range of project types our community is involved with. Take a look at our gallery to see all the images published in the last 12 months.
Tip of the Day
Quick Extrusions with Presspull
As of AutoCAD 2007, there's no need to draw closed shapes before extruding. The Presspull tool will find any enclosed area (just like BHATCH) and extrude it.
Any objects can be used as boundaries; lines, circles, splines, they all work. This makes building 3D solid models much quicker than before.
Missed a Tip?
Did you miss yesterday's tip? Maybe you forgot to drop by or maybe you don't visit over the weekend. If so, you can now see all the tips published during the past week. Also, if you have a tip you'd like to share with us, you can post it on our forum and if we like it, we'll publish it here.