Hey, Eric here with 30 by 40 Design Workshop, we're in my kitchen here in the Longhouse
we're gonna head into the studio in a minute and we're going to be talking about some quick
tips to help you improve your architectural sketching technique so whether you're a student
or a pro or you're just curious as to how architects sketch I think you'll find this
video useful.
But first I have a favor to ask of you.
So I just started a new project and that project is going to involve you, if you want to be
a part of this project I need you to click the link up in the card here or down below
in the description so you can learn more about how you can help, how you can join and be
a part of this whole thing.
It'll help me to make sure that what I'm making is tailored just to you.
It won't take more than three minutes of your time - so super quick - and I'd be most appreciative
for your help.
Alright, so let's get out into the studio.
I find I'm just most happy with my sketches when I've simplified everything and that includes
the tools that I use my tool set.
So limit yourself to just a few things when you're just getting started and that’ll
allow you to focus on what's really important.
I think even when you've discovered what you're sketching style is it's okay to switch it
up from time to time but more on that in just a minute.
Sketching - at least for me - isn't about producing a finished rendering.
It's nice to think about it that way because it takes the pressure off of having to make
something truly amazing.
For me it's more about hunting for ideas it's visual thinking not a final presentation.
By starting small it forces you to distill your ideas to strong singular gestures and
helps you discover what's most important.
And staying small also allows you to move more quickly so you don't kind of waste time
trying to work out every last detail that's not what's important here.
And there is this pressure to produce something that's gonna fit in your highlight reel and
I think social media forces us to think this way that everything we put in our sketchbooks
everything that comes out of our pen has to be this amazing work of art and we're used
to seeing everyone else's highlight reel.
I would encourage you to sort of abandon that idea and think about your sketchbook or your
sketches that you're iterating as just being for your eyes only.
You don't have to share them with the whole world and in fact you know it may allow you
the freedom to better work overall.
Your own personal sketching style will evolve over time but architectural sketching is primarily
about line work so your style is comprised of the kinds of lines that you draw.
So a couple of tips here when lines intersect they should always overlap so overlapping
corners yeah it's imprecise but it helps you to actually move more quickly and it actually
looks more finished than carefully trying to line up every corner perfectly.
So just how much they overlap it's kind of up to you and it also depends on how large
you’re drawing so experiment with it see what looks right to you.
Now when you're drawing lines try to use single continuous confident strokes.
I think a lot of people start by drawing short series of dashes to try and get from one point
to another but it's one single line and it's okay if it wavers just you want to go with
it, that's kind of part of the architectural style too is to have a little bit of waver
to it, it actually helps you draw a straighter line in the end.
Learning to use directional hashmarks that's another important skill they can be used to
suggest surfaces you can use them to build textures you'll use them for shading and to
just overall create depth in your drawing.
Now one of the other hallmarks of the style is the use of construction or layout lines
and you can do these either in like a light blue or like I do in pencil and you just kind
of feather it really lightly on the page they're meant to guide your drawing and set proportions.
So you can use these - if you're looking at sketching a building - use these to set the
basic proportions and I'll draw often draw a rectangle or square and then put an “X”
through it or a slash through it to kind of set this proportional language and then once
you start layering all these things on top of each other you're going to start drawing
on top of your construction or layout lines and that layering helps create this kind of
loose sketchy aesthetic that I think typifies architectural sketches.
Now also be sure and use the full complement of line types available to you.
So solid lines obviously the different line weights you want to use dashed lines to indicate
surfaces that are above or below where you're drawing you want to use center lines so a
center line would be like a line with a dot in the middle of it and then another line
section and another dot, dotted lines a whole host so lots of options there.
Again this layering of line types and line weights helps to build this loose sketchy
aesthetic.
So adding text and arrows and things like elevation marks these are all devices that
help describe things that you may not be able to capture visually.
So you can't fit everything into your sketch they could possibly want to but they also
start to become part of your visual style.
You know one thing, if you're having trouble with your architectural lettering, one trick
I've found is to just write smaller so go smaller and smaller make it more and more
precious.
And also slow it down write very slowly it has this kind of tidying effect to it and
if you need to again use layout and construction lines to set some line heights and then when
I'm writing small I'll make those guidelines even smaller than what I'm writing and I'll
write the letter form a little larger and that kind of helps tidy it as well give that
a try.
So I have this personal hang-up where if I am sketching something and I don't like how
it's coming out on the page it just breaks any momentum that I've been building and maybe
you've encountered this too.
I think it's much easier to reach a flow state if I like what I'm producing and I can see
that coming out on the page.
So when I find myself in that situation where what I'm drawing I'm just not happy with I
like to change up the media that I'm using or sometimes even the implements that I'm
sketching with so if I'm using pen and ink I'll switch to colored pencils or graphite
if I'm using a white paper I'll change to a Kraft paper or a dark grey paper something
like that; toned paper.
So when I switch it what happens is quite often I'll just find something starts to look
fresh and nice on the page and it's kind of like this switch has been flicked.
So I would say experiment with the tools and media that you're using if you're stuck you
may find certain ones just they just start to unlock new ideas and this doesn't mean
you have to go out and buy a whole new kit of art supplies and you know you may just
switch it up with a co-worker or a studio mate or if you have kids like I do just you
know raid their art supply stash.
So practicing even if it's just for 15 to 30 minutes a day it doesn't have to be that
long it's the one thing that's guaranteed to improve your technique.
And one way you can do this is to just build a habit loop around it so for example if your
first impulse is to check social media when you have a free minute like many of us do
- myself included - you might replace that urge with a sketching habit.
So pick something in your immediate surroundings and do say a 30-second sketch of it.
It's a good reason to always keep a sketchbook nearby.
And one last reminder to check the link in the cards and the description to get directly
involved in my new project and for more sketching tutorials check out the playlist linked up
here too.
Until next time, cheers my friends.