SKETCHING,THINKING,LEARNING connection,the translation of the physical world through "where"and "when"sketching is taught and encour- the conceptual graphic representation in direct use of the aged.11 For example,a seemingly incongruous inhibiting hand and eye and inculcates the fundamental nature of factor to continued childhood drawing is isolating art- architecture as a material and volumetric process.In so related activities from normal class periods and placing doing,that education helps develop material and spatial them in "art time".Scheduling drawing in a "non-normal" knowledge informed by the "hand-mind complex",in time and defining it as a"non-normal"activity has the which sketching or any direct manipulation and translation unintended effect of relegating drawing to "an activity actively engages the physical and spatial world.a subordinate to other subjects that are considered more 'academic'and therefore more important".12 This problem Learning and then practicing sketching is part of the can and often does continue into university-level design physical and experiential translation of the designed and programs.Some programs place sketching in specific natural world into a design language.The sketch is courses(usually introductory levels)and thereafter discuss concerned with a deliberate examination of the procedural sketching primarily within the context of formal presenta- knowledge exercised in the physical act. tions or,if a student is fortunate enough,during travel programs.Sketching becomes separated from normal Learning (and Re-Learning)to Draw architectural discourse and is often presumed to be For many young and older adults,and even for those developed on its own.Unfortunately,sketching-especially enrolled in design programs or working in design fields, analytical sketching as dealt with here-requires integra- sketching can be challenging.Despite the challenge,it is tion and practice throughout the design career. comforting to remember that it is an innate ability.At an early age,nearly all children endeavor to speak,walk and A second issue is that educational programs from elemen- draw.First footsteps are tentative and unbalanced and first tary school to Master's-level design programs face words,to anyone but proud parents,seem like odd noises increased external and internal pressure to adopt stan- rather than something most would call speech.But with dards,improve testing results,expand varied technologies continued practice and encouragement children,if and otherwise emphasize specialization and training within physically capable,walk and speak with little effort already stretched educational curricula.13 This pressure Similarly,at an early age,nearly all children pick up a stick comes from all sides:parents,students,faculty,upper pencil or crayon to mark surfaces.Those early sketches, echelon administrators,certification boards,professionals usually quite inaccurate and awkward,slowly develop as and even governmental agencies.Increasingly,curricula our muscles and mind align intentions with consequence must incorporate more information,more courses and Those early,mostly unconscious representations gradually more technologies to remain relevant,advance theoretical reflect who we are,what we imagine,how we feel and what positions,increase opportunities,obtain funds,achieve we experience. higher standards,develop a student's potential and even avoid derogatory labeling.Each supplement and each Unfortunately,while most children continue to walk and intention has its own validity and rationale-and it is speak with increased proficiency,many children simply increasingly difficult to dispute them.Nonetheless,more stop drawing.Overtly talented children might continue to than marginalizing "traditional"methods and thinking, draw into their teens and adult life,however,at about age embellishments squeeze all facets of education (from seven most children perceived by themselves or others to digital to analog,from prosaic to profound)in an effort to have below average or even moderate drawing abilities provide what is deemed a proper education.14 draw less frequently.By age twelve most stop drawing altogether.Besides observational and anecdotal specula- Learning to Sketch Without Thinking tions there is little research evidence to suggest exactly Regardless of the loss and its reasons,sketching as a why this occurs.Some speculate that increased domi- bodily skill can be re-learned.Practice is the essential nance of linguistic and mathematical skills in daily dis- ingredient in the learning process.While this may seem course (generally we "talk to"or "write to"more than we quite obvious,it bears repeating since even the most 'draw to"friends)is a factor,others suggest that increased gifted musicians,actors,athletes or others who engage in standardized testing that emphasizes verbal and math- complex mind and body skills practice repeatedly and ematic skills is a significant cause,a third group believes often to the exclusion of basics of life.Like learning or that the tenuous position of the arts in budgetary decisions re-learning other physical and mental skills(learning a new plays a role,while others again blame disapproving language,to play a piano or downhill skiing),young and teachers and peers.10 For this discussion,two possible older adults can learn or re-learn to draw.The important explanations have direct bearing on university-level design thing is not so much the sketching technique or style but curricula and individual student learning. focus,reflection and repetition and to embrace the drawing confidently.Studies have shown that practice is First,psychologist Richard Jolley observes in his book the single "major independent variable"in acquiring and Children and Pictures:Drawing and Understanding that honing skills.15 This is equally applicable for sketching, many children are "disserviced by inappropriate or perception and visuo-spatial thinking.William Chase and ineffective"curricula,especially concerning "how" Herbert Simon's study of perception and cognitive pro- 西
29 Sketching, Thinking, Learning connection, the translation of the physical world through the conceptual graphic representation in direct use of the hand and eye and inculcates the fundamental nature of architecture as a material and volumetric process. In so doing, that education helps develop material and spatial knowledge informed by the “hand-mind complex”, in which sketching or any direct manipulation and translation actively engages the physical and spatial world.8 Learning and then practicing sketching is part of the physical and experiential translation of the designed and natural world into a design language. The sketch is concerned with a deliberate examination of the procedural knowledge exercised in the physical act. Learning (and Re-Learning) to Draw For many young and older adults, and even for those enrolled in design programs or working in design fields, sketching can be challenging. Despite the challenge, it is comforting to remember that it is an innate ability. At an early age, nearly all children endeavor to speak, walk and draw. First footsteps are tentative and unbalanced and first words, to anyone but proud parents, seem like odd noises rather than something most would call speech. But with continued practice and encouragement children, if physically capable, walk and speak with little effort. Similarly, at an early age, nearly all children pick up a stick, pencil or crayon to mark surfaces. Those early sketches, usually quite inaccurate and awkward, slowly develop as our muscles and mind align intentions with consequence. Those early, mostly unconscious representations gradually reflect who we are, what we imagine, how we feel and what we experience. Unfortunately, while most children continue to walk and speak with increased proficiency, many children simply stop drawing. Overtly talented children might continue to draw into their teens and adult life, however, at about age seven most children perceived by themselves or others to have below average or even moderate drawing abilities draw less frequently. By age twelve most stop drawing altogether. Besides observational and anecdotal speculations there is little research evidence to suggest exactly why this occurs.9 Some speculate that increased dominance of linguistic and mathematical skills in daily discourse (generally we “talk to” or “write to” more than we “draw to” friends) is a factor, others suggest that increased standardized testing that emphasizes verbal and mathematic skills is a significant cause, a third group believes that the tenuous position of the arts in budgetary decisions plays a role, while others again blame disapproving teachers and peers.10 For this discussion, two possible explanations have direct bearing on university-level design curricula and individual student learning. First, psychologist Richard Jolley observes in his book Children and Pictures: Drawing and Understanding that many children are “disserviced by inappropriate or ineffective” curricula, especially concerning “how”, “where” and “when” sketching is taught and encouraged.11 For example, a seemingly incongruous inhibiting factor to continued childhood drawing is isolating artrelated activities from normal class periods and placing them in “art time”. Scheduling drawing in a “non-normal” time and defining it as a “non-normal” activity has the unintended effect of relegating drawing to “an activity subordinate to other subjects that are considered more ‘academic’ and therefore more important”.12 This problem can and often does continue into university-level design programs. Some programs place sketching in specific courses (usually introductory levels) and thereafter discuss sketching primarily within the context of formal presentations or, if a student is fortunate enough, during travel programs. Sketching becomes separated from normal architectural discourse and is often presumed to be developed on its own. Unfortunately, sketching – especially analytical sketching as dealt with here – requires integration and practice throughout the design career. A second issue is that educational programs from elementary school to Master’s-level design programs face increased external and internal pressure to adopt standards, improve testing results, expand varied technologies and otherwise emphasize specialization and training within already stretched educational curricula.13 This pressure comes from all sides: parents, students, faculty, upper echelon administrators, certification boards, professionals and even governmental agencies. Increasingly, curricula must incorporate more information, more courses and more technologies to remain relevant, advance theoretical positions, increase opportunities, obtain funds, achieve higher standards, develop a student’s potential and even avoid derogatory labeling. Each supplement and each intention has its own validity and rationale – and it is increasingly difficult to dispute them. Nonetheless, more than marginalizing “traditional” methods and thinking, embellishments squeeze all facets of education (from digital to analog, from prosaic to profound) in an effort to provide what is deemed a proper education.14 Learning to Sketch Without Thinking Regardless of the loss and its reasons, sketching as a bodily skill can be re-learned. Practice is the essential ingredient in the learning process. While this may seem quite obvious, it bears repeating since even the most gifted musicians, actors, athletes or others who engage in complex mind and body skills practice repeatedly and often to the exclusion of basics of life. Like learning or re-learning other physical and mental skills (learning a new language, to play a piano or downhill skiing), young and older adults can learn or re-learn to draw. The important thing is not so much the sketching technique or style but focus, reflection and repetition and to embrace the drawing confidently. Studies have shown that practice is the single “major independent variable” in acquiring and honing skills.15 This is equally applicable for sketching, perception and visuo-spatial thinking. William Chase and Herbert Simon’s study of perception and cognitive pro- 008-057_DD_part_0-1_final.indd 29 24.09.12 16:13
cesses in chess playing revealed that the difference from the rote skill.19 In disattending from the more between a master chess player and a novice player came ordinary physical acts "we are attending from these down to one essential variable:the master practiced more. elementary movements to the achievement of their joint In fact,a master generally practices 10,000 to 50,000 hours purpose,and hence are usually unable to specify the to achieve the standing while a novice plays less than 100 elementary acts".20 Daily activities such as walking, hours.16 Extensive practice helps master players not only to reaching for door handles,typing on keyboards,operating memorize possible moves,but more importantly,helps light switches and even driving automobiles are skills players discern what moves should even be considered.17 that,due to their repetition and hence familiarity,can be The masters were,unconsciously,more efficient in ruling performed without conscious awareness.As Polanyi notes out possible alternatives because practice helped clarify "We can know more than we can tell."21 We disattend their thinking processes. from rudimentary,even sophisticated actions so that we can focus on the reason of those actions.We walk to The aim of practice is to rehearse actions so that they explore,we type to express our thoughts,we operate light become practically unconscious yet facilitate thinking, switches to see,etc.The unconscious actions used to expression or problem solving.For instance,a pianist does achieve those goals remain tacit.We "know"the skill and not practice simply to repeat scales during a performance we can say that we performed the skill,but we often are and a basketball player does not practice merely to perfect not aware of the skill while it is being performed. dribbling and throwing as end in itself.The pianist, basketball player and others engage in physical and Disattending is not only vital for accomplishing or thinking mental practice to better express,interact,resolve or expe- through more pressing issues in our lives but for mental rience more meaningfully the dynamic and relatively unpre- well-being.If we did not disattend from routine skills but dictable situations to come.Likewise,design students and attended to every daily action with the requisite,countless practicing designers practice (hence 'practitioners')and and delicate muscular motor skills,even the simplest act engage in design projects (and,I contend,in analytical would distract us from essential considerations.This is sketching)to help foster design thinking.The physical, most clear to us when,as adults,we learn new basic skills. spatial and experiential aspects of sketching inform For instance,I first started using chopsticks during a trip to designers because the sketching act prepares them for the Japan at the end of my senior year of college.Because physical interaction with material.Sketching can act as an chopsticks were relatively new to me,the first few meals analogy in terms of a means to thinking and a way to were about training my muscles and mind to hold and work physically interact with that which is being analyzed. those chopsticks just so that I could eat.While it took mental energy for me just to lift a piece of fish,children Repeated and frequent practice develops the internal who had been using chopsticks exclusively for a few years communication between hand (physical)and mind (cogni- could pick up individual grains of rice without a second tive).As a physically interactive thinking process,touching thought.Had I not developed even a primitive ability with and grasping is a way in which we conceive of and visualize those chopsticks,I would have had no time for thinking, form and space.As infants we tested and eventually conversing or developing a taste for Japanese food. anticipated location,shape and reaction through physical interaction.By extension,sketching is a way of touching, The same is true for sketching.One goal of sketching is transforming and predicting spatial and material condi- not the sketch itself,but the thinking facilitated by sketch- tions.It is both communication between the hand and ing.Holding a pencil,controlling line weights,drawing mind and a physical,albeit abstract,transformation of accurate lines and otherwise getting the sketch on the form and idea.It is a kind of proto-design,requiring page are vital to the design process;and yet,as more physical abilities,appropriate code usage and conceptual experienced sketchers and designers,the actual sketching processes.This is especially true for architects for whom process is unconscious so that the intention of the sketch- sketching is a way of rehearsing the translation from ing,the design,can dominate.In developing sketching concept to form.By developing hand knowledge through automaticity,the disattended sketching act relieves the physical manipulation we can anticipate with some mind from the tool and allows it to attend to the idea or accuracy how things will work or might work. the exploration's objective.By disattending from the sketching act we are able to attend to the idea and to Learning and practicing specific skills and representational exploration,so that we can move beyond thinking about modes helps develop an automatic,unconscious freedom sketching to thinking through sketching associated with what is commonly known as "muscle memory"or automaticity.In this process,a task is so Practicing to Practice overlearned through repetition that the task itself occurs Once we develop the sketching act into an unconscious automatically and essentially without thinking.18 Auto- analytical procedure,we can use it in the design process. maticity is a form of what Michael Polanyi refers to as tacit As essentially an action/reflection process,the design knowledge:a skill becomes secondary or unconscious to process involves a cyclical consideration of hypothetical the thinking facilitated through the skill.We attend to the propositions or solutions through a series of alternative more important issue at hand because we can disattend simulations.Through sketching we can test,re-test and 9
30 cesses in chess playing revealed that the difference between a master chess player and a novice player came down to one essential variable: the master practiced more. In fact, a master generally practices 10,000 to 50,000 hours to achieve the standing while a novice plays less than 100 hours.16 Extensive practice helps master players not only to memorize possible moves, but more importantly, helps players discern what moves should even be considered.17 The masters were, unconsciously, more efficient in ruling out possible alternatives because practice helped clarify their thinking processes. The aim of practice is to rehearse actions so that they become practically unconscious yet facilitate thinking, expression or problem solving. For instance, a pianist does not practice simply to repeat scales during a performance and a basketball player does not practice merely to perfect dribbling and throwing as end in itself. The pianist, basketball player and others engage in physical and mental practice to better express, interact, resolve or experience more meaningfully the dynamic and relatively unpredictable situations to come. Likewise, design students and practicing designers practice (hence ‘practitioners’) and engage in design projects (and, I contend, in analytical sketching) to help foster design thinking. The physical, spatial and experiential aspects of sketching inform designers because the sketching act prepares them for the physical interaction with material. Sketching can act as an analogy in terms of a means to thinking and a way to physically interact with that which is being analyzed. Repeated and frequent practice develops the internal communication between hand (physical) and mind (cognitive). As a physically interactive thinking process, touching and grasping is a way in which we conceive of and visualize form and space. As infants we tested and eventually anticipated location, shape and reaction through physical interaction. By extension, sketching is a way of touching, transforming and predicting spatial and material conditions. It is both communication between the hand and mind and a physical, albeit abstract, transformation of form and idea. It is a kind of proto-design, requiring physical abilities, appropriate code usage and conceptual processes. This is especially true for architects for whom sketching is a way of rehearsing the translation from concept to form. By developing hand knowledge through physical manipulation we can anticipate with some accuracy how things will work or might work. Learning and practicing specific skills and representational modes helps develop an automatic, unconscious freedom associated with what is commonly known as “muscle memory” or automaticity. In this process, a task is so overlearned through repetition that the task itself occurs automatically and essentially without thinking.18 Automaticity is a form of what Michael Polanyi refers to as tacit knowledge: a skill becomes secondary or unconscious to the thinking facilitated through the skill. We attend to the more important issue at hand because we can disattend from the rote skill.19 In disattending from the more ordinary physical acts “we are attending from these elementary movements to the achievement of their joint purpose, and hence are usually unable to specify the elementary acts”.20 Daily activities such as walking, reaching for door handles, typing on keyboards, operating light switches and even driving automobiles are skills that, due to their repetition and hence familiarity, can be performed without conscious awareness. As Polanyi notes: “We can know more than we can tell.”21 We disattend from rudimentary, even sophisticated actions so that we can focus on the reason of those actions. We walk to explore, we type to express our thoughts, we operate light switches to see, etc. The unconscious actions used to achieve those goals remain tacit. We “know” the skill and we can say that we performed the skill, but we often are not aware of the skill while it is being performed. Disattending is not only vital for accomplishing or thinking through more pressing issues in our lives but for mental well-being. If we did not disattend from routine skills but attended to every daily action with the requisite, countless and delicate muscular motor skills, even the simplest act would distract us from essential considerations. This is most clear to us when, as adults, we learn new basic skills. For instance, I first started using chopsticks during a trip to Japan at the end of my senior year of college. Because chopsticks were relatively new to me, the first few meals were about training my muscles and mind to hold and work those chopsticks just so that I could eat. While it took mental energy for me just to lift a piece of fish, children who had been using chopsticks exclusively for a few years could pick up individual grains of rice without a second thought. Had I not developed even a primitive ability with those chopsticks, I would have had no time for thinking, conversing or developing a taste for Japanese food. The same is true for sketching. One goal of sketching is not the sketch itself, but the thinking facilitated by sketching. Holding a pencil, controlling line weights, drawing accurate lines and otherwise getting the sketch on the page are vital to the design process; and yet, as more experienced sketchers and designers, the actual sketching process is unconscious so that the intention of the sketching, the design, can dominate. In developing sketching automaticity, the disattended sketching act relieves the mind from the tool and allows it to attend to the idea or the exploration’s objective. By disattending from the sketching act we are able to attend to the idea and to exploration, so that we can move beyond thinking about sketching to thinking through sketching. Practicing to Practice Once we develop the sketching act into an unconscious analytical procedure, we can use it in the design process. As essentially an action/reflection process, the design process involves a cyclical consideration of hypothetical propositions or solutions through a series of alternative simulations. Through sketching we can test, re-test and 008-057_DD_part_0-1_final.indd 30 24.09.12 16:13
SKETCHING,THINKING,LEARNING propose through a cyclical formulation and re-formula- tion.22 As a continual search of possible solutions,sketch- ing skills amplify design development through strategies within which concepts and solutions might be found through the number and depth of repeated simulations.23 4 Gray,Susan (ed.),Architects on This amplification through repetition is in a way akin to Architects.New York: Emergency Medical Service (EMS)personnel who train McGraw-Hill (2002):39-40. repeatedly in simulated catastrophes.A primary goal of 5 Wilson,Frank,The Hand:How EMS simulations is body and mind preparedness for Its Use Shapes the Brain, unforeseen events.Even though the exact details of an Language,and Human Culture event can never be duplicated in rehearsals,there is New York:Pantheon Books (1992)7. enough in the simulations to instill a particular process that 6bid.:97. can be called up without thinking in actual events Likewise,sketching prepares architects for the unexpected 7 Jeannerod,Marc,The Cognitive (but less catastrophic!)by making familiar those actions Neuroscience of Action.New York:Wiley-Blackwell (1997):21 and thought processes that approximate unexpected design problems.Unfortunately,practicing ineffective 8 Wilson,Frank,The Hand:How Its Use Shapes the Brain, procedures or incorrect skills has the equal effect of Language,and Human Culture reinforcing incorrect actions with equal potency.Or design- New York:Pantheon Books thinking habits may unconsciously presume specific (199296-99. solutions.Learning effective sketch procedures is impor- 9 Rose,Sarah E.,Jolley,Richard tant for helping a designer develop design methods and and Burkitt,Esther,"A Review anticipate design problems. of Children's,Teachers'and Parents'Influences on Children's Drawing Experience" As sketching is both physical and cognitive,practice also International Journal of Art influences unconscious thinking abilities.Sketching Design Education 25,3(2006) 346-347. exercises allow for thinking through the sketch,so that knowledge and processes can become tacit.Tactile 10 Jolley,R.P.,Children and learning informs design modeling by registering informa- Pictures:Drawing and Understanding.Chichester: tion onto paper-or in some cases in the computer and Wiley-Blackwell (2010):314-329 other media-to become automatic or nearly uncon- 11bid.:311 scious.24 While this can be helpful,its adverse effect is 12 Ibid. developing design-thinking habits that unconsciously presume specific solutions. 13 Boyer,Ernest L.and Mitgang. Lee D.,Building Community:A New Future for Architecture Education and Practice. Princeton:The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (1996):103-105 14bid:75-77 15 Chase,William G.and Simon, Herbert A.,"The Mind's Eye In Chess",in:Chase,William(ed.) Visual Information Processing. New York:Academic Press (1972279. 16bid:219. 17bid.:257-258 18 Driscoll,Marcy P.,Psychology of Learning for Instruction.Boston: Allyn and Bacon (1994):82-84. 19 Polanyi,Michael,The Tacit Dimension.London:Routledge and Kegan (1966):3-25. 20bid.:10. 21bid:4. 22 Schon,Donald A.,The Reflective Practitioner:How Professionals Think in Action New York:Basic Books (1983): 79. 23 Rowe,Peter,Design Thinking Cambridge:MIT Press(1987): 39-113 24 Polanyi,Michael,The Tacit Dimension.London:Routledge and Kegan (1966):17-18
31 Sketching, Thinking, Learning propose through a cyclical formulation and re-formulation.22 As a continual search of possible solutions, sketching skills amplify design development through strategies within which concepts and solutions might be found through the number and depth of repeated simulations.23 This amplification through repetition is in a way akin to Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel who train repeatedly in simulated catastrophes. A primary goal of EMS simulations is body and mind preparedness for unforeseen events. Even though the exact details of an event can never be duplicated in rehearsals, there is enough in the simulations to instill a particular process that can be called up without thinking in actual events. Likewise, sketching prepares architects for the unexpected (but less catastrophic!) by making familiar those actions and thought processes that approximate unexpected design problems. Unfortunately, practicing ineffective procedures or incorrect skills has the equal effect of reinforcing incorrect actions with equal potency. Or designthinking habits may unconsciously presume specific solutions. Learning effective sketch procedures is important for helping a designer develop design methods and anticipate design problems. As sketching is both physical and cognitive, practice also influences unconscious thinking abilities. Sketching exercises allow for thinking through the sketch, so that knowledge and processes can become tacit. Tactile learning informs design modeling by registering information onto paper – or in some cases in the computer and other media – to become automatic or nearly unconscious.24 While this can be helpful, its adverse effect is developing design-thinking habits that unconsciously presume specific solutions. 4 Gray, Susan (ed.), Architects on Architects. New York: McGraw-Hill (2002): 39-40. 5 Wilson, Frank, The Hand: How Its Use Shapes the Brain, Language, and Human Culture. New York: Pantheon Books (1992): 7. 6 Ibid.: 97. 7 Jeannerod, Marc, The Cognitive Neuroscience of Action. New York: Wiley-Blackwell (1997): 21. 8 Wilson, Frank, The Hand: How Its Use Shapes the Brain, Language, and Human Culture. New York: Pantheon Books (1992): 96-99. 9 Rose, Sarah E., Jolley, Richard and Burkitt, Esther, “A Review of Children’s, Teachers’ and Parents’ Influences on Children’s Drawing Experience”, International Journal of Art & Design Education 25, 3 (2006): 346-347. 10 Jolley, R. P., Children and Pictures: Drawing and Understanding. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell (2010): 314-329. 11 Ibid.: 311. 12 Ibid. 13 Boyer, Ernest L. and Mitgang, Lee D., Building Community: A New Future for Architecture Education and Practice. Princeton: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (1996): 103-105. 14 Ibid.: 75-77. 15 Chase, William G. and Simon, Herbert A., “The Mind’s Eye In Chess”, in: Chase, William (ed.), Visual Information Processing. New York: Academic Press (1972): 279. 16 Ibid.: 219. 17 Ibid.: 257-258. 18 Driscoll, Marcy P., Psychology of Learning for Instruction. Boston: Allyn and Bacon (1994): 82-84. 19 Polanyi, Michael, The Tacit Dimension. London: Routledge and Kegan (1966): 3-25. 20 Ibid.: 10. 21 Ibid.: 4. 22 Schön, Donald A., The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. New York: Basic Books (1983): 79. 23 Rowe, Peter, Design Thinking. Cambridge: MIT Press (1987): 39-113. 24 Polanyi, Michael, The Tacit Dimension. London: Routledge and Kegan (1966): 17-18. 008-057_DD_part_0-1_final.indd 31 24.09.12 16:13
Reflective Practice Research in fields such as the cognitive sciences,musical abilities and commit to frequent practice.Discovering that performance and sports medicine has repeatedly con- motivation from within or from mentors plays a large role in firmed what parents,coaches and teachers already know: cultivating that desire.Second,practice must be reflective the single most significant factor separating those who Practice is accompanied by evaluative examination of the achieve and those who do not comes down to one issue immediate action and of the results,while articulating practice.And not just any practice.To be most beneficial it improvement methods.It is one thing to know what issues must be frequent,regular,self-motivated and,most need work,it is another to understand what will be importantly,reflective.For my own part,I fully admit that improved by specific changes.Third,practice must be no barrage of specially designed assignments,readings or correct.Drawing well requires that you practice so that drawing tips can equal a student's reflective practice.A practice methods match your ultimate use of that skill. student learns more quickly,more effectively and develops When practicing drawing,you must use the same physical skills through a personal decision to practice.If anything,a techniques that you would use in actually drawing.For teacher or coach's job is to inspire while developing example,runners,gymnasts or golfers practice the same exercises that might challenge and develop fundamental way that they perform in competition.Help from coaches and advanced skills. or teachers can help develop good habits,both physical First,practice must emerge out of a desire to practice. and mental,that help you develop your physical and While there are those who must,for their own mental and thinking skills.For analytical sketching,it is about methods physical satisfaction,practice continually,even those who that develop physical dexterity but also three-dimensional are less passionate must develop the motivation to perfect thinking,mapping and transformation.Three simple 32
32 Research in fields such as the cognitive sciences, musical performance and sports medicine has repeatedly confirmed what parents, coaches and teachers already know: the single most significant factor separating those who achieve and those who do not comes down to one issue: practice. And not just any practice. To be most beneficial it must be frequent, regular, self-motivated and, most importantly, reflective. For my own part, I fully admit that no barrage of specially designed assignments, readings or drawing tips can equal a student’s reflective practice. A student learns more quickly, more effectively and develops skills through a personal decision to practice. If anything, a teacher or coach’s job is to inspire while developing exercises that might challenge and develop fundamental and advanced skills. First, practice must emerge out of a desire to practice. While there are those who must, for their own mental and physical satisfaction, practice continually, even those who are less passionate must develop the motivation to perfect abilities and commit to frequent practice. Discovering that motivation from within or from mentors plays a large role in cultivating that desire. Second, practice must be reflective. Practice is accompanied by evaluative examination of the immediate action and of the results, while articulating improvement methods. It is one thing to know what issues need work, it is another to understand what will be improved by specific changes. Third, practice must be correct. Drawing well requires that you practice so that practice methods match your ultimate use of that skill. When practicing drawing, you must use the same physical techniques that you would use in actually drawing. For example, runners, gymnasts or golfers practice the same way that they perform in competition. Help from coaches or teachers can help develop good habits, both physical and mental, that help you develop your physical and thinking skills. For analytical sketching, it is about methods that develop physical dexterity but also three-dimensional thinking, mapping and transformation. Three simple Reflective Practice 008-057_DD_part_0-1_final.indd 32 24.09.12 16:13
HABITS TO HELP DEVELOPMENT OF TOOL USE skill-development exercises I often ask of students include degrees of transparency and opacity with variations in simple,complex and household objects. shading and shadowing. Exercise 1:Cubes and Cones Exercise 3:Household Objects The first exercise is drawing cubes or cones in space. This exercise is drawing common household objects such Drawn in perspective or axonometric,cubes and cones as coffee cups,telephones,forks that rotate,float and float,drift,rotate in front,behind,above and below one interact with one another in a void or on a table top.Like another with degrees of transparency and opacity,different with the cubes and cones,the rotations can be part of a line weights or shade and shadow.Sometimes the rota- narrative or system.For example,a coffee cup might seem tions,transparencies and sizes develop from a system or to tumble in a counter-clockwise spin from the top of the narrative,while at other times they develop slowly and in page to the bottom. response to page composition. Exercise 2:Complex Shapes This exercise is drawing complex objects that might either Opposite page: "float"in space or are part of an abstract landscape. Top left:Cubes in space on a grid Top left:Spoons in space Additive and subtractive forms interact with one another, Top right:Cubes free-floating in Top right:Flashlights in space: space 20 minutes linked to a landscape or as part of a larger complex Bottom left:Doodling as practice Bottom:Doodling as practice: tapestry.As with the cubes and cones,there are rotations, Bottom right:Cones in space segmented cones and tartan grids 33
33 skill-development exercises I often ask of students include simple, complex and household objects. Exercise 1: Cubes and Cones The first exercise is drawing cubes or cones in space. Drawn in perspective or axonometric, cubes and cones float, drift, rotate in front, behind, above and below one another with degrees of transparency and opacity, different line weights or shade and shadow. Sometimes the rotations, transparencies and sizes develop from a system or narrative, while at other times they develop slowly and in response to page composition. Exercise 2: Complex Shapes This exercise is drawing complex objects that might either “float” in space or are part of an abstract landscape. Additive and subtractive forms interact with one another, linked to a landscape or as part of a larger complex tapestry. As with the cubes and cones, there are rotations, degrees of transparency and opacity with variations in shading and shadowing. Exercise 3: Household Objects This exercise is drawing common household objects such as coffee cups, telephones, forks that rotate, float and interact with one another in a void or on a table top. Like with the cubes and cones, the rotations can be part of a narrative or system. For example, a coffee cup might seem to tumble in a counter-clockwise spin from the top of the page to the bottom. HABITS TO HELP DEVELOPMENT of TOOL USE Opposite page: Top left: Cubes in space on a grid Top right: Cubes free-floating in space Bottom left: Doodling as practice Bottom right: Cones in space Top left: Spoons in space Top right: Flashlights in space: 20 minutes Bottom: Doodling as practice: segmented cones and tartan grids 008-057_DD_part_0-1_final.indd 33 24.09.12 16:13