anyone…
Clean, readable, accurate perspective (ie., what yo’d see from if you just walked up on the product, maybe some other dramatic angles), conveys the form of the object…
We get a lot of vague questions here. If you’re asking how to make a good sketch, the answer you seek is Practise. With a capital P. Or maybe 2. You just have to keep drawing, over and over and over again.
when you reach a point that you don’t need to think about sketching techniques to design an object then you’re in good shape.
I’d to see it as writing an essay, although I suck at writing. Your topic sentense should be read at one glance.
Then the overall form must be clear.
The reader can then start to pay more attention on the details.
Basically, it should not take more than a few seconds for the reader to understand for each of the details you have included.
Overally, it’s a one-frame comic that has to tell the joke efficiently.
Perspective!
ufo is exactly right- you are designing form not designing a sketch (well you should be at any rate)
- how quickly you can produce it
- how accurately is represents desired geometry
- how clearly and concisely it conveys the idea/movement/material/usability/etc.
and lastly, if your sketching style stands out more than the content of the sketch, it’s bad…the worst things students do is over style a sketch by adding silly reflections & shadows, wacky perspective, funky colours, or weird vignettes/line weight…then it just distracts form the design.
We get a lot of vague questions here. If you’re asking how to make a good sketch, the answer you seek is Practise.
thanks for the advice, i apologize if it seemed vague to YOU…
I’d to see it as writing an essay, although I suck at writing. Your topic sentense should be read at one glance.
i like that analogy!
and lastly, if your sketching style stands out more than the content of the sketch, it’s bad…the worst things students do is over style a sketch by adding silly reflections & shadows, wacky perspective, funky colours, or weird vignettes/line weight…then it just distracts form the design.
i always thought this was a way to stand out…
since the goal is to communicate something, how do you know/make sure that something is being communicated? and if it is does this adequately enough, but is not the greastest thing you have ever seen it is a good sketch?
i am just wondering what people consider a quality sketch
thanks peoples.
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I agree with UFO…its finally what you design and not what you sketch…
more thoughts later
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For me, my style is no style. I don’t use those “extended” lines, or fancy background marker strokes.
The only thing I consider when sketching is if the sketch tells the same concept as the one I am trying to tell. If it doesn’t, no matter how well I render it, it’s still doesn’t do me any good.
Sometimes I add a block in the background to help my sketch read better. Sometimes I use lines thicker than I would to emphasize something. Sometimes I drop shadows to imply how the surface flows. It’s all about telling people what I mean, not overwhelm them with flashes and blings will just blind their vision.
I
agree with UFO…its finally what you design and not what you sketch…
BUT it all starts form the sketch right??? at least in my very limited experience. it is confusing, most professionals i have talked to downplay the importance of sketching really well but in just about every employment opening i see for junior designers calls for excellent sketching ability…which is it?
The only thing I consider when sketching is if the sketch tells the same concept as the one I am trying to tell. If it doesn’t, no matter how well I render it, it’s still doesn’t do me any good.
that makes sense but tell me that well rendered useless sketch does not find its way into your portfolio, ha!
no it doesn’t. when you have tons of well rendered purposeful sketches, you will have another problem to think about.
What could be interesting is to see sketches with some comments, like why is this sketch good or what could improve this other one?
It would be also cool to see everyone ideas about the sketches styling, I mean to see what are the differents styles of sketches and what do they bring to the presentation of a concept.
I hope I was clear enough.
Ciao
Actually I think it depends…One really needs to have a forethought of what one would like to convey with the sketch…and to whom!! before one starts making the sketch
a sketch is basically a communicating language and no more importance should be given to it than that…
Though a more communicable sketch is easier to understand but sometimes sketches are merely meant to represent the spark and the idea could be refined further in other mediums.
it also depends whether it is for internal or external use…
my entire perspective on sketching has changed since i left school…you’ll learn.
no it doesn’t. when you have tons of well rendered purposeful sketches, you will have another problem to think about.
i guess i am not quite at that level yet, though that brings up another question in my mind is there a difference between a purposeful and good sketch? to clarify, i mean when you are evaluating someone’s work is there a differentiation between the two, is a good sketch a purpsoseful one? especially if there is not much context to make that division…
What could be interesting is to see sketches with some comments, like why is this sketch good or what could improve this other one?
i did these for an online sketch group with a couple of friends, while it was just for fun it is pretty indicative of how i do things, not really purposeful…
a sketch is basically a communicating language and no more importance should be given to it than that…
well depending who is talking, it proportionally affects one’s ability to get a job you actually want at least initially when your fresh out of school and being better at it supposedly enables you to get away with a lot more…
no doubt it most likey is different when you have a foot in the door and some experience behind you then maybe it loses most of its importance
Meditate on that one. Very true. There’s a big difference between drawing to solve problems to arrive at a solution quickly and drawing to sell an idea.
Unfortunately, too many people only pay attention the idea selling drawings, therefore too many design crits turn into illustration crits.
There is a time and place for both types, learn when to use each appropriately for the task at hand, and show in your portfolio that you can do both and have good judgement as to when to use each one.
[quote=“skinny”][quote=“scb”]
There’s a big difference between drawing to solve problems to arrive at a solution quickly and drawing to sell an idea.[/quote]
You’re absolutely right skinny…and thats the challenge!!
and its an art even for the onlooker(designer) to be able to guess between the two situations…
i’d add two more issues here.
1- it also depends on the object. for instance if you design a shoe you need to show the top, bottom, back and two sides. on the other hand if you’re designing something with components then how they fit, or adjust, etc.
2-sometimes the clients/companies are not too concerned with design, they just want a certain look, then the emphasis will be on things like material, texture, finish and if on engineering side things like molding technique, structural innovation, technology solutions, etc.
so it can probably get more complicated or easier for the designer to do sketches depending on the project and its purpose.
There’s a big difference between drawing to solve problems to arrive at a solution quickly and drawing to sell an idea.
i agree, but if
Unfortunately, too many people only pay attention the idea selling drawings, therefore too many design crits turn into illustration crits.
and
and its an art even for the onlooker(designer) to be able to guess between the two situations…
is true, how do you learn to tell or know the difference?
so it can probably get more complicated or easier for the designer to do sketches depending on the project and its purpose.
well does that change the way you evaluate the designer’s ability?
do these ??s make sense?
thanks for the answers/responses, gives me a different perspective…
The quick ugly scribbles are for thinking to yourself for general ideas or while talking to someone on the spot about something already in progress. You both have it in your head, some details just have to be described with a quick picture to capture it instead of just hand waving which everyone will forget. Kind of like shorthand or quick note-taking, just good enough for you to be able to think of what the person is talking about, may not be completely spelled out though. Proportions, good ellipses, and perspective mean very little with these. The idea is to get the idea out of your head in the quickest visual manner. 10-20 seconds is enough.
Take it up a level when you’re going to hand the sketch off to your computer person. Proportions should be somewhat accurate, they’ll be relying more on your sketch to give them info they need to model it. Whether something is actually flat or a curve should be represented. You should be able to see from the drawings that the radius on one corner is supposed to be a lot bigger than the other one, details like that. Dead accurate ellipses and perspective still are not that necessary unless the lack of it confuses the information. They shouldn’t confuse your circle in perspective for an oval. Line quality still means nothing here. Drawings should show form, details, and proportions as the most important thing. They should still be quick, but slow it down a little to make the straight line straight enough to not get confused with a gradual arc, and make sure lines relate to each other. If a line is supposed to be halfway down, make sure it’s not only 1/3 down, those distinctive design decisions should be clear.
Move it up even more if the clients (think non-designers) are going to see the sketches. There you have to be more accurate. It should explain itself / be read easily without you having to explain it. This is when your perspective should be right, ellipses good enough to not be distractingly wrong, etc. Non-designers are looking at it, it needs to look like what it looks like. if your “straight” line has a dip in it they’ll tell you that dip will hold rain water and rust their part, etc… If a corner is to be sharp, it should be. They’ll be looking at the drawing more literally so it needs to be clean. You can probably still get away with a little slop because most of us draw with our bad hand better than non-artists so as long as it reads correctly and looks good, it’s good.
If you’re selling to other designers, a clients design staff, etc… presentation renderings, you have to be on your best foot. Usually for stuff real polished, I’ll then switch to Illustrator. Use the computer for what it’s good at, straight lines. If you’re going to scan and trace, you don’t need to fuss over proper line quality perfect ellipses, etc with the hand sketches. You’ll be re-drawing it anyway in the program even if it was “perfect” by hand first so don’t waste time duplicating efforts. If you’re going to photoshop render, make sure those illustrator lines are tight, especially where one curve changes to another one, work out the kinks in those lines. The better your linework there, the better the photoshop rendering.
Hope this long-winded explanation helped some. Granted these are just my views / process, they’ll work for giving you the best roi.
Quick summary
1st level: Just enough to get the general idea out of your head. Only enough to show the dif between square + circle, tall or short. You’ll still be talking at this level. Under 1 minute sketches.
2nd level: Enough to show design considerations, details, mechanical / engineering concerns. Where things line up, proportions, locations, corner or radius, flat or round, etc. You’ll still be talking at this level too, may still be sketching on the fly or standing over shoulder of modeller/engineer making on the spot decisions. 1-3 minute sketches on the fly, 5-10 min. sketches for a handoff.
3rd level: Pretty accurate representation. Should speak for itself without you having to explain it. Should thoroughly get the ideas across. May still need to talk for things like potential finishes, etc. 10-30 min. depending on how complicated.
4th level: Deadly accurate rep. Showoff. Needs to sell the idea, and impress. Everything needs to be as accurate as you can get. Some will do with drawing programs, others with 3-d modeling, etc…whatever works the best with what’s in your budget and skill levels.