Sketching

Drawing's real power lies in its immediacy and speed; its capacity to materialize thoughts and ideas quickly so that they can be expanded upon or shared before they disappear. The designer uses lines and marks to shepherd ideas into existence while they are still only partially formed in his or her mind.

This process— a cumulative rather than linear one— allows the designer to go back to a sketch and add to, or subtract from, it or simply revisit ideas on paper and continue the thinking process begun earlier. Such sketch ideation is not simply a matter of documentation or observation; instead it is a highly creative and dynamic act where the power and poetry of line can capture character and begin defining form or clarifying connections thereby enhancing communication. Sketching can be used to show cause and effect, time-based interactions, or form factors.

Henry, Kevin (2012-08-27). Drawing for Product Designers (Portfolio Skills) (Kindle Locations 109-115). Laurence King. Kindle Edition.


Sketching allows you to visualize and convey ideas quickly and effectively Sketching can also allow you to create complex designs that are structually sound and visually clear.

Quick sketches do not have to be realistic. Their objective is to get the ideas down. Later on you can refine your sketches and ideas. Before you ever model in software, you need to start with sketches. Software applications require user input, which if you want to make something structually sound and of the right size and proportions, you need an understanding of form. kevin_henry_01.png
Henry, Kevin (2012-08-27). Drawing for Product Designers (Portfolio Skills) (Kindle Locations 109-115). Laurence King. Kindle Edition.

Sketching and drawing rely on conventions: common rules and procedures established by a community of users to facilitate quick exchange. The three most common drawing types are:
  • Orthographic (top, front and side views)
  • Isometric
  • Perspective


Sketching is not only as a quick way to realize an idea, but it can also inform about how the object might be built in the computer. This relationship speeds up the design workflow.

To convey your idea you often need a series of different drawing types. The image below shows the object in perspective (left), a top orthographic view (top right) and a section cut (bottom right). Note that annotating drawings provides additional information.
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Image from Radius Design, Chicago in Henry, Kevin (2012-08-27). Drawing for Product Designers (Portfolio Skills) (Kindle Location 2886). Laurence King. Kindle Edition.