Life of an Architect: Architectural sketching is becoming a thing of the past – at least that’s how it seems to me most days. I graduated eons ago back in 1992, back in the days that pre-date computers in the studio. This doesn’t mean that everyone who graduated in my era could sketch – far from it. What it means is that we learned how to think and communicate our ideas slightly different from the product of today’s architecture programs. Now that I’ve been at this “architect” thing for a little while, I can look back at my sketches, all the way back to my time in school, and see how my sketch technique has evolved and how that technique has shaped my architectural solutions.
5 comments:
I spend a lot of my time drawing in class, sketching the world around me. This article really piqued my interest because it shows a different perspective into the practice of drawing. I really appreciate how the author went step by step in his techniques. The most important thing that I got out of this article though, was the way that he draws straight lines. Personally, I have trouble drawing straight lines without a straight edge, so I think I'll take this practice with me as I continue drafting.
So this is something I used to (and still do) love about architecture, the sketching. Architects have a style of sketching that always seemed so beautiful to me. Now this doesn't go for all architects, but a lot of them. That squiggly straight line is so... I don't know... so pleasing to the eye. It's weird how when they sketch, you really understand what they're trying to show. I think sketching is really important and even though I still can't fully communicate my ideas with pencil and paper, I just need to keep practicing. I think sketching also really helps me calm down, so what's better than relaxing and improving a skill!? Anyway, architect's have a beautiful style of sketching and though I am no longer pursuing architecture, I still enjoy looking at their sketches and studying them (I actually have a few books at home that are just architectural sketches!)!!
I am not an aspiring architect, but I do design and build art installations (both interior and exterior), so this blog post by Bob Borson is of much interest to me. I immediately tested out the ‘entire arm’ technique in tip #2, and found it does indeed work to draw straighter lines. I think tip #4 – “intersect your lines at the corners” – is going to be most relevant to me. This is crazy simple, and yet so visually effective. As Borson states, “The inexact nature of the sketch – when attempted to be exact – looks sloppy and, well…inexact.” Exactly! I was happy to see that I already implement tip #5 about using tracing paper generously to draw in layers. I like that Borson is quick to credit those who originally gave him the ideas/techniques, and I will probably be checking out more of his blog. Also, I just put the recommended Francis D.K. Ching book (tip #3) on my library queue.
This was a really great article for two reasons. First, it focused on something that feels like a prominent theme of the DP freshmen year curriculum-- the difference in how doing things by hand and doing things on the computer impacts the way you think. And second, it is so interesting to have someone go through their own sketching process. I know this comes to no surprise to anyone, but I prefer working on paper than the computer. Even as I (slowly) improve and develop my AutoCAD abilities, I know no matter how proficient I become, I will never feel connected to work on the computer the way I do when its something I can touch. I see the merit in CAD, especially for the technical aspects of drafting and in class this year, there are assignments where, even AutoCAD deficient me would chose CAD over hand drafting. But for designing something feel like I couldn't sit in front of a computer and realize my ideas. The process of sketching is a part of design to me. I have ideas, I start to sketch, I have new ideas, I work it out on the paper as I go. That process influences what the design becomes.
These are beautiful sketches and I hope to incorporate a few techniques he described into my work. His style is really good at conveying what he wants achieved and is clean and stylized at the same time. I've always struggled to find I style I like and stay with it without making look like a full-on drawing of something. I think a lot of the techniques will make my quick draftings and designs a lot easier to me and the people that they are for.
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