Contour-aware 3D reconstruction of side-view sketches.

•A new strategy of 3D reconstruction by contour constraints in drawings based on Hermitian Radial Basis Functions (HRBF).•The use of a normal-driven estimate of depth in shapes to produce 3D Hermitian Data.•The capability of reconstructing parts with flexibility based on the adjustment of points and their normals according to the desired model.•An improvement on part classification of the sketches.•A skeleton-free and interpolatory approach for 3D reconstruction from side-view sketches.