Emily Prince, All the American Servicemen and Women, 2004-ongoing.
Learning to read plans and elevations is a necessary skill for every designer. Let's try to tackle this scale concept again.
Drawing to scale can seem confusing but it’s fairly straight forward once you’ve learned the steps in the process. There is more than one way to convert real measurements to scale measurements.
One Way
Let’s say we have to draw a floor plan of a room measuring 26 feet by 31 1/2 feet.
We need to produce a drawing that will fit on a piece of paper that’s 8 1/2 by 11 inches.
If we were to calculate for 1/2” scale we would soon discover that drawing would not fit.
26’ equals 26 “ then divide by 2 for 1/2 scale would result in a 13” wall. Too big.
1/4” scale it is. 26’ = 26” divided by 4 = 6 1/2 inches.
The other wall would be 31.5’ = 31.5 “ divided by 4 = 7.875 “ (3/4” is the same as .75, .875 is just a smidge bigger, more like 7/8”). With a ruler on blank paper we would measure out those lengths and draft our room in 1/4 scale.
Another Way
If you have 1/4 inch square graph paper to do this operation stop once feet have been translated to inches and count those little squares. In this case every square equals one foot. 26 feet equals 26 squares!
To draw in 1/2 scale on 1/4 grid paper, every two little squares equates to one foot.
To draw in 1/1 scale, when one inch on your paper equals one foot in real life, count four little squares. This is ONLY if you have 1/4 graph paper (which was included in your class supplies).
There are many types of graph paper, some common types are 8 squares per inch, 10 squares or 5 squares per inch. If you needed to make a drawing in 1/10 scale, you may purchase 10 square grid paper, and then 1 little square equals 1 foot. This drawing would appear much smaller than on in 1/4 scale.
It is good to be proficient in both processes so you have a real understanding and can perform the operation without being dependent on this or that kind of paper.
The ability to draw to scale is an essential skill for every designer. The most elemental use for this skill is when a designer creates a idea sketch, on a napkin or scrap of paper. Very often, this sketch expresses all the energy of the designer's original idea. The design is perfect. The proportions are just right. By understanding how to draw to scale, a designer can translate a napkin sketch into real world measurements, draw a model and ultimately a full scale version of their design.
Original Sketch FreeShed w/addition, 2005. FreeShed at The Headlands Center for the Arts, 2006.
Line is the most elemental component of design. It is the simplest form of expression.
Line describes the distance between 2 points. Lines form shape, positive and negative space.
there are many different types of lines. Lines can expression character and emotion.
It is important to use a variety of lines in your drawings to communicate a full range of ideas.
Line weight can communicate texture, perspective, emotion, movement, character and emphasis.
Contour lines describe the shape of things and the shifts in plane, texture or value of that thing.
Imagine a topographic map, with it's contour lines describing mountains and valleys. So do contour drawings.
We will do many contour drawings in this class to improve not only our drawing ability
but more importantly our observational skills. that is the key to accurate and engaging drawing and sketching.
We will begin today with a short exercise called automatic drawing.
Here's an example by Surrealist artist Jean Arp.
Some say automatic drawing is like yoga for the artist and designer.
Do not think, just draw.
An introductory course in which students learn how to execute loose, quick, freehand sketches beginning with observed, existing spaces, simple elevations and plan views with perspective and advance invented visuals, illustrating solutions to various design and visual merchandising problems. Emphasis is placed on speed, confidence, clear communication, use of notation, credible scale, and research. In class and homework assignments consist of many small sketches as students communicate and use appropriate methodology to develop and express ideas.
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Develop skills in use of various sketching tools.
2. Use floor plans and elevations as visual language describing actual space.
3. Develop awareness of importance of scale of pictorial elements.
4. Develop skills in use of visual reference as a resource in solving various drawing problems.
5. Use notations and call-outs when appropriate.
Method of Instruction:
Demonstrations, lecture, field trips, group critique, self evaluations, class projects, written assignments, concept and final sketches.
Assignments are due at the beginning of class; no late work will be accepted without prior arrangement
with instructor. Any project that is turned in and complete may be resubmitted for grading. If you know
you will not be in class ahead of time, arrangements may be made to turn in projects or take exams during instructor office hour.
At the end of class you are expected to clean your workspace before leaving.
All projects must be labeled with the students name, date, class and assignment typed or printed by computer on a separate sheet of white paper and mounted to the back of the presentation.
Projects will be graded on the following criteria: Ability to adhere to project requirements, development of sketching and marker rendering skills, creative solutions to design problems, and professional presentation.
Evaluation of Student Learning:
Project #1 color swatches, perspective shading study: 100
Project #2 Class room elevation & plan: 100
Project #3 furniture and fabric swatches: 100
Project #4 home plan and elevation: 100
Project #5 Field and figure study: 150
Project #6 Interior Reference drawings: 150
Historically based design project: 250
Final: 50
Total Possible Points 1,000
Schedule
Class 1
Objective: Become familiar with markers, color, shading technique. 1 and 2 point perspective.
Demo/Lecture: Applying marker for uniformity, shading, blending. 1 and 2 point perspective.
Activity: Make marker & colored pencil color charts. Explore shading techniques in charcoal.
(spheres and cubes) Begin 1-point perspective study with shading.
Homework: Complete color charts and cube drawings.
Class 2
Objective: Introduction to drawing to scale.
Demo/Lecture: Drawing to scale. Measuring accurately to design to scale.
Activity: Critique, measure the class room, drawing to scale. Marker rendering for perspective.
Homework: Classroom floor plan and elevation.
Class 3
Objective: Using reference material to activate the design process.
Introduction to marker technique to communicate texture.
Activity: Critique, Visit Library swatch room. Marker demonstration.
Demo/Lecture: Marker technique. Artists, designers discuss their influences, design process.
Homework: Swatch, furniture studies. 3 pieces furniture (seating) upholstered in new swatches.
Class 4
Objective: Introduction to 2 point perspective.
Demo/Lecture: 2-point perspective. Gesture drawing. Contemporary drawing in design.
Activity: Critique. Introduction to gesture drawing. 2 point perspective in-class exercise.
Homework: Before & After home plan and elevations (2) drawings using resource material.
Class 5
Objective: Develop skills in rendering people, architectural elements, with overview of basic strategies for visual merchandising.
Demo/Lecture: Gesture drawing, field sketching, composition and point of view.
Activity: Critique. Field trip to sketch architectural details and people.
Homework: Field study line drawings (3).
Class 6
Objective: Introduce FInal Design Project.
Activity: Critique. Drawing from reference material, determining a unit of measure. Colorize Field Study drawings.
Demo/Lecture: Continue discussion of visual merchandising strategies, exterior and interior design for effective merchandising.
Homework: Interior reference line drawings. 1 elevation one plan view plus details page (4 details min.) Finish Field study.
Class 7
Objective: Research final project. Develop 3 concepts for final project.
Activity: Critique. Library research. Complete interior reference drawings in color.
Demo/Lecture: Presentation skills. Essay requirements. Call outs and Neatness Counts!
Homework: Draft 2-3 concepts for final project including reference material, color charts.
Class 8
Objective: Determine final concepts.
Activity: Mini-critique to evaluate concepts.
Lecture/Demo: PDF Presentations! Quick and easy and professional.
Homework: Work on final concept. Draft versions floor plan, elevations (exterior and interior),
details page plus resource-collage.
Class 9
Objective: Final projects complete and turned in at end of class.
Activity: Review for final. Complete final projects.
Lecture/Demo: Review for final. Studio day.
Homework: Prepare for final. Complete Art Deco essays and visual and oral presentations.
Class 10
Final quiz and presentations.
RELAX!!
