2.4 Decorative railings can be taxing to draw but the effort is worth while if it leads to the preservation of attractive features.This sketch was prepared as a measured survey prior to re-erection at the Royal 鑫 Victoria Hospital,Newcastle upon Tyne. 5 Why draw?19
2.4 Decorative railings can be taxing to draw but the effort is worth while if it leads to the preservation of attractive features. This sketch was prepared as a measured survey prior to re-erection at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne. Why draw? 19
2.5(far left) The 19th-century lighthouse at Dovercourt in Essex has an undisguised steel frame and expressive bracing.The subject lends itself to pen and ink drawing with shading used to enhance the spacing of the columns and beams. 2.6(let) At a more detailed level the steelwork of the lighthouse at Dovercourt continues to give expression to how the structure is supported and braced against the coastal winds. detailed study of a subject through the freehand drawing A good sketch is not necessarily a faithful likeness;it leads naturally to creative design by opening up different may in a pedagogic sense be better to analyse and possibilities.Analysing existing buildings through the decipher the subject.Sketches that consist of probings pages of the sketchbook provides a useful springboard for around specific themes may prove particularly useful to progressing into design.The precedents explored are of designers since they provide fruitful avenues for further value in themselves,but,more importantly,the formal,exploration.Charles Rennie Mackintosh was a particular spatial and decorative language employed in examples master of this type of sketch,and drawings from his that have been sketched may prove applicable to the Italian Tour of 1891 demonstrate a concern for form and design of new buildings. decoration that are obvious precursors of his later To take advantage of the progression from freehand designs.In his sketchbook drawings Mackintosh explores drawing to creative design,the artist must approach thethe volumetric nature of Italian churches,the simple, subject in a considered fashion.The outline is important almost abstract forms of farmhouses,and the black and and so are the proportions,and often a relationship exists white decoration of Romanesque chapels.These images, between the building in plan and how it works in section and the facility Mackintosh developed for representing and elevation.As we tend to draw the outsides of build-them,find expression,either directly or indirectly,in his ings,the potential designer should not focus upon the later designs for schools and houses.Similar sketchbook facades at the expense of the often critical relationship studies of Celtic art and architecture,and of wild flowers between elevation and plan.These 'invisible'relationships 2 sketched whilst living in Suffolk,proved a parallel path may be the most instructive when drawing certain into creative design for Mackintosh. buildings,and provide a source of ideas for the designer. 20 Understanding architecture through drawing
detailed study of a subject through the freehand drawing leads naturally to creative design by opening up different possibilities. Analysing existing buildings through the pages of the sketchbook provides a useful springboard for progressing into design. The precedents explored are of value in themselves, but, more importantly, the formal, spatial and decorative language employed in examples that have been sketched may prove applicable to the design of new buildings. To take advantage of the progression from freehand drawing to creative design, the artist must approach the subject in a considered fashion. The outline is important and so are the proportions, and often a relationship exists between the building in plan and how it works in section and elevation. As we tend to draw the outsides of buildings, the potential designer should not focus upon the façades at the expense of the often critical relationship between elevation and plan. These ‘invisible’ relationships may be the most instructive when drawing certain buildings, and provide a source of ideas for the designer. A good sketch is not necessarily a faithful likeness; it may in a pedagogic sense be better to analyse and decipher the subject. Sketches that consist of probings around specific themes may prove particularly useful to designers since they provide fruitful avenues for further exploration. Charles Rennie Mackintosh was a particular master of this type of sketch, and drawings from his Italian Tour of 1891 demonstrate a concern for form and decoration that are obvious precursors of his later designs. In his sketchbook drawings Mackintosh explores the volumetric nature of Italian churches, the simple, almost abstract forms of farmhouses, and the black and white decoration of Romanesque chapels. These images, and the facility Mackintosh developed for representing them, find expression, either directly or indirectly, in his later designs for schools and houses. Similar sketchbook studies of Celtic art and architecture, and of wild flowers sketched whilst living in Suffolk, proved a parallel path into creative design for Mackintosh. 2.5 (far left) The 19th-century lighthouse at Dovercourt in Essex has an undisguised steel frame and expressive bracing. The subject lends itself to pen and ink drawing with shading used to enhance the spacing of the columns and beams. 2.6 (left) At a more detailed level the steelwork of the lighthouse at Dovercourt continues to give expression to how the structure is supported and braced against the coastal winds. 20 Understanding architecture through drawing
21 This sketch made at a street cafe in Andraixt in Majorca is drawn in pencil on smooth cartridge paper.The shading is intended to reflect the patina of ageing on old rendered facades 2.8 a and b Drawn with a black felt pen, these buoys in Harwich harbour make an attractive assembly of strange shapes.Shadow has been employed to highlight the patterns and to distinguish between the buoyancy chambers and the protective grilles around the warning lights. Why draw?21
2.7 This sketch made at a street café in Andraixt in Majorca is drawn in pencil on smooth cartridge paper. The shading is intended to reflect the patina of ageing on old rendered façades. 2.8 a and b Drawn with a black felt pen, these buoys in Harwich harbour make an attractive assembly of strange shapes. Shadow has been employed to highlight the patterns and to distinguish between the buoyancy chambers and the protective grilles around the warning lights. Why draw? 21
2.9(let) This study of Hill House, Helensburgh,by the architect Nick Hirst captures the essence of the building as a collage of elevations and details.The analysis implicit in the drawing is difficult to capture via photography or photoshop. (Nick Hirst) 2.10 a,b and c (opposite) This sequence of sketches of New York in 1962 by Sir Terry Farrell uses black felt line with (口D甘 power and authority.The style of drawing suits well the subject matter and hints at the architect's subsequent design approach.(Sir Terry Farrell) H 22 Understanding architecture through drawing
2.9 (left) This study of Hill House, Helensburgh, by the architect Nick Hirst captures the essence of the building as a collage of elevations and details. The analysis implicit in the drawing is difficult to capture via photography or photoshop. (Nick Hirst) 2.10 a, b and c (opposite) This sequence of sketches of New York in 1962 by Sir Terry Farrell uses black felt line with power and authority. The style of drawing suits well the subject matter and hints at the architect’s subsequent design approach. (Sir Terry Farrell) 22 Understanding architecture through drawing
The architect Richard Reid uses the sketchbook in a The skills needed for drawing,once learnt,are far similar fashion today.His studies of oasthouses in Kent speedier and more responsive than those required for were the inspiration for his design for a National Trust model-making or computer graphics.Drawing also visitor centre at Chartwell.The freehand drawings conveys a sense of spirit,of creative passion,which other provided a source of references that Reid selectively forms of representation often lack. exploited for his new design.The skill Reid demonstrates Just as the sketchbook can be used to dissect in his sketching has enriched his experience as a graphically an existing building,the technique of designer.The same is true of Zaha Hadid whose three unravelling and abstracting different architectural features decades of sketchbooks sit by her desk and provide much can be employed in the reverse -to represent the of the DNA of her architecture(Zaha Hadid 2006 p28). different elements of a design proposal.The explanation There is a further advantage for the designer in of form,structure and decoration can help in the developing sketchbook skills.The graphic facility development of design especially where complex matters cultivated in freehand drawing aids the representation of of building services and space management are involved. design proposals.The means of recording an existing A line of continuity therefore links the analysis of existing subject are much the same as those employed in buildings to the development of new ones,with a similar depicting an unbuilt vision of the future.The graphic range of drawing techniques being employed.This is one language is the same whether the building exists in reality of the lessons that may be learnt by studying the or simply in one's imagination:the use of line and drawings of architects of the calibre of Mackintosh. shadow,of weighted and feint lines,of exaggerated silhouette,and so on,are employed with equal meaning. Why draw?23
The architect Richard Reid uses the sketchbook in a similar fashion today. His studies of oasthouses in Kent were the inspiration for his design for a National Trust visitor centre at Chartwell. The freehand drawings provided a source of references that Reid selectively exploited for his new design. The skill Reid demonstrates in his sketching has enriched his experience as a designer. The same is true of Zaha Hadid whose three decades of sketchbooks sit by her desk and provide much of the DNA of her architecture (Zaha Hadid 2006 p28). There is a further advantage for the designer in developing sketchbook skills. The graphic facility cultivated in freehand drawing aids the representation of design proposals. The means of recording an existing subject are much the same as those employed in depicting an unbuilt vision of the future. The graphic language is the same whether the building exists in reality or simply in one’s imagination: the use of line and shadow, of weighted and feint lines, of exaggerated silhouette, and so on, are employed with equal meaning. The skills needed for drawing, once learnt, are far speedier and more responsive than those required for model-making or computer graphics. Drawing also conveys a sense of spirit, of creative passion, which other forms of representation often lack. Just as the sketchbook can be used to dissect graphically an existing building, the technique of unravelling and abstracting different architectural features can be employed in the reverse – to represent the different elements of a design proposal. The explanation of form, structure and decoration can help in the development of design especially where complex matters of building services and space management are involved. A line of continuity therefore links the analysis of existing buildings to the development of new ones, with a similar range of drawing techniques being employed. This is one of the lessons that may be learnt by studying the drawings of architects of the calibre of Mackintosh. Why draw? 23