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Part One Guiding Principles
Part One Guiding Principles
Chapter 2 Why draw? There is an undisguised air of evangelism running through Mackintosh -to see how valued was the freehand this book,for it seeks to encourage students of sketch.Its use was often beyond that of mere record or architecture,craft and design to forsake their cameras pretty picture:invariably the sketch was the means of and learn the art of freehand sketching.Drawing is not noting down a particular detail or type of composition that only more enjoyable and far more educational,but the could be used when the right design commission came end product is more likely to remain a cherished object along.For instance,Adam's sketches of the fortifications than would an anonymous slide or photographic print.of the Dalmation coast were transformed in less than a Drawing an object,building or townscape forces you to decade into the eighteenth-century Scottish castles engage more directly in the subject than as a mere occupying a more northern coastline. photographer;the search to record shape,proportion, Many students of architecture and design today spend detail and colour requires greater effort and more skilled a great deal of time making photographs rather than observation than that needed to press the shutter of a sketches.They could,of course,buy postcards or tourist camera.The discriminatory eye encouraged through guides,which often contain better and more accurate sketching has value to the potential designer and tourist pictures at only a fraction of the cost,thereby alike for it engages the observer in an important dialogue concentrating their efforts instead on the harder but more with his or her subject. valuable process of drawing.What the sketchbook Until fairly recently the sketchbook was the accepted provides is a means of delving deeper into the subject accompaniment of all students of architecture or than merely recording it,in order to begin to understand landscape,and of many interested tourists.In many ways why and how the scene was shaped.The main barrier to Prince Charles maintains this honourable tradition.Before using the sketchbook in this way appears to be the lack of photography became more affordable and part of our basic graphic skills,together with the hectic pace of visual culture,the sketch remained the means to record modern life.As with all endeavours of value,you have to and analyse an interesting town,building or piece of practise a great deal to cultivate the craft of freehand furniture.You have only to look at the sketchbooks of drawing,in order to fulfil the potential offered by the famous architects-from Robert Adam to Charles Rennie sketchbook. 16 Understanding architecture through drawing
Chapter 2 Why draw? There is an undisguised air of evangelism running through this book, for it seeks to encourage students of architecture, craft and design to forsake their cameras and learn the art of freehand sketching. Drawing is not only more enjoyable and far more educational, but the end product is more likely to remain a cherished object than would an anonymous slide or photographic print. Drawing an object, building or townscape forces you to engage more directly in the subject than as a mere photographer; the search to record shape, proportion, detail and colour requires greater effort and more skilled observation than that needed to press the shutter of a camera. The discriminatory eye encouraged through sketching has value to the potential designer and tourist alike for it engages the observer in an important dialogue with his or her subject. Until fairly recently the sketchbook was the accepted accompaniment of all students of architecture or landscape, and of many interested tourists. In many ways Prince Charles maintains this honourable tradition. Before photography became more affordable and part of our visual culture, the sketch remained the means to record and analyse an interesting town, building or piece of furniture. You have only to look at the sketchbooks of famous architects – from Robert Adam to Charles Rennie Mackintosh – to see how valued was the freehand sketch. Its use was often beyond that of mere record or pretty picture: invariably the sketch was the means of noting down a particular detail or type of composition that could be used when the right design commission came along. For instance, Adam’s sketches of the fortifications of the Dalmation coast were transformed in less than a decade into the eighteenth-century Scottish castles occupying a more northern coastline. Many students of architecture and design today spend a great deal of time making photographs rather than sketches. They could, of course, buy postcards or tourist guides, which often contain better and more accurate pictures at only a fraction of the cost, thereby concentrating their efforts instead on the harder but more valuable process of drawing. What the sketchbook provides is a means of delving deeper into the subject than merely recording it, in order to begin to understand why and how the scene was shaped. The main barrier to using the sketchbook in this way appears to be the lack of basic graphic skills, together with the hectic pace of modern life. As with all endeavours of value, you have to practise a great deal to cultivate the craft of freehand drawing, in order to fulfil the potential offered by the sketchbook. 16 Understanding architecture through drawing
The drawing skills are outlined in this book under The process of sketching is not presented in these simple headings such as shade,line weight,composition pages as an end in itself,but as a means of raising the and rules of perspective.As with learning to play a student's awareness of design by cultivating careful,well- musical instrument,you have to spend time practising directed skills of observation.The sketch is both a record and training eye-to-hand coordination The rules of drawing and a statement of visual inquiry.The act of drawing from are,like the rules of grammar or numeracy,based upon a life,be it of a town or a building,is to engage the artist in language we all share and understand.By combining the subject in a unique and rewarding fashion.If the elements of the 'craft of drawing'with 'graphic rules',sketch is undertaken in the spirit of formal investigation you will quickly develop a technique suitable to your then the results can be considerable in terms of the particular needs-whether as a student of architecture,development of personal design skills.The linear design or landscape,or simply as an inquisitive tourist on progression from sketchbook analysis to design proposal holiday abroad. is one that many architects have experienced.The 21 This elegant sketch(of 1880) by William Lethaby of the High Street,Exeter,displays a concern for construction and structural expression. (RIBA Drawings Collection) Why draw?17
The drawing skills are outlined in this book under simple headings such as shade, line weight, composition and rules of perspective. As with learning to play a musical instrument, you have to spend time practising and training eye-to-hand coordination The rules of drawing are, like the rules of grammar or numeracy, based upon a language we all share and understand. By combining elements of the ‘craft of drawing’ with ‘graphic rules’, you will quickly develop a technique suitable to your particular needs – whether as a student of architecture, design or landscape, or simply as an inquisitive tourist on holiday abroad. The process of sketching is not presented in these pages as an end in itself, but as a means of raising the student’s awareness of design by cultivating careful, welldirected skills of observation. The sketch is both a record and a statement of visual inquiry. The act of drawing from life, be it of a town or a building, is to engage the artist in the subject in a unique and rewarding fashion. If the sketch is undertaken in the spirit of formal investigation then the results can be considerable in terms of the development of personal design skills. The linear progression from sketchbook analysis to design proposal is one that many architects have experienced. The 2.1 This elegant sketch (of 1880) by William Lethaby of the High Street, Exeter, displays a concern for construction and structural expression. (RIBA Drawings Collection) Why draw? 17
2.2 Richard Reid's analytical drawings of farm buildings 3心， led,at least indirectly,to the design of his visitor centre at Chartwell for the National Trust A Ch风4nN方W Leong RAR. 2.3 The exploration of modern architecture can be as rewarding as that of historic buildings.This swimming pool in Sheringham,Norfolk,by architects Alsop and Lyall, makes expressive use of exposed beams,guttering and angled glazing.Shadows on the sketch help bring out the structural arrangements. 18 Understanding architecture through drawing
2.2 Richard Reid’s analytical drawings of farm buildings led, at least indirectly, to the design of his visitor centre at Chartwell for the National Trust. 2.3 The exploration of modern architecture can be as rewarding as that of historic buildings. This swimming pool in Sheringham, Norfolk, by architects Alsop and Lyall, makes expressive use of exposed beams, guttering and angled glazing. Shadows on the sketch help bring out the structural arrangements. 18 Understanding architecture through drawing