Tools of the trade – Sketching

Sketching is a key element to any designer’s arsenal. It is a skill which is developed through hours of practise and is a visual language used to communicate ideas during a project.

Initial Sketching

Sketching is done throughout the development of a project but is mostly used at the initial stages of design.  It is used to communicate initial ideas, form and rudimentary function of a design. These sketches are a great way to translate your ideas to other members of a design team to test the feasibility of a design.

Although initial sketches are great ways for the designer to communicate ideas, they are not really suitable to be presented at a client meeting.

Concept Renderings

Concept rendering is a sharper tool in a designer’s tool box, requiring greater skill which is developed through even more time and practise. In its simplest form a concept rendering is a 2 dimensional drawing which has been drawn in perspective, coloured and shaded to make it appear 3 Dimensional. This style of drawing is a quick way to communicate a products form and function.

If you would like to learn some of these techniques then check out http://www.idsketching.com/ where you can find a number of tutorials and advice on what equipment to use.