10
Freehand Drawing
Despite rapid advances in digital imaging technology, drawing with a
free hand holding a pen or pencil remains the most intuitive means we
have for graphically recording observations, thoughts, and experiences.
The tactile, kinesthetic nature of freehand drawing in direct response to
sensory phenomena sharpens our awareness in the present and enables
us to collect visual memories of the past. Freehand drawing also enables
us to initiate and freely work through ideas of a possible future that we
imagine in the mindÕs eye. During the design process itself, the freehand
drawing of diagrams allows us to further explore these ideas and
develop them into workable concepts.
10AG IV 10 4/9/02 10:41 AM Page 185
DRAWING FROM OBSERVATION
186 / ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHICS
Drawing from observation sharpens your
awareness of environmental settings, enhances
your ability to retain visual memories, and helps
build up your design vocabulary.
¥ Drawing from observation is most meaningful
and rewarding when you draw what interests
you. If assigned a subject to draw, consider
what aspect or quality of the subject attracts
your attention.
¥ Possible subject matter includes the
relationship between interior and exterior or
public and private spaces, spatial sequences,
and urban patterns.
¥ Other worthwhile explorations include studies
of proportion, scale, light, and color, how
materials meet in construction assemblies,
details, and other sensible qualities that
contribute to the character of a place.
¥ Do not neglect to look at architecture in
relation to the landscape.
The process for drawing from observation is to
look, respond, and record.
¥ First pay careful attention to the subject.
¥ Respond by recording not simply the optical
image but also your thoughts and
impressions.
¥ The constant challenge is to select a point of
view, medium, and technique appropriate to
describing the selected aspect,
characteristic, or quality of the subject.
¥ Do not be overly concerned with technique;
each one of us inevitably develops a personal
style of drawing.
10AG IV 10 4/9/02 10:41 AM Page 186
FREEHAND DRAWING / 187
Drawing from observation requires simple
equipment: a pen or pencil and a pad of paper or
sketchbook suitable for both dry and wet media.
You may want to experiment with the feel and
capabilities of other media, such as charcoal
pencils and markers. Try to determine the limits
of expression of which each is capable and how its
characteristics affect the nature of a drawing.
For example, you should find that a fine-tipped
pen or pencil encourages you to focus on minute
details. Because it takes innumerable fine lines to
cover a given area, many line drawings end up
smaller than intended or, if large in size, weak in
intensity. On the other hand, sketching with a
broad-tipped pencil or marker fosters a broader
view and the omission of details.
Freehand sketches may consist purely of lines
or be a combination of lines and tones. The line,
however, remains the single most essential
drawing element, one that is capable of a
wide range of expression. It can define
shape and form and even imply a sense
of depth and space. A line can portray
hard as well as soft materials; it can be
light or heavy, limp or taut, bold or tentative.
10AG IV 10 4/9/02 10:41 AM Page 187
CONTOUR DRAWING
188 / ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHICS
Contour drawing is one approach to drawing from observation.
Its primary purpose is to develop visual acuity and sensitivity
to qualities of surface and form. The process of contour
drawing suppresses the symbolic abstraction we normally use
to represent things. Instead, it compels us to pay close
attention, look carefully, and experience a subject with both
our visual and tactile senses.
¥ Contour drawing is best done with either a soft, wellsharpened
pencil or a fine-tipped pen that is capable of
producing a single incisive line. This fosters a feeling of
precision that corresponds to the acuity of vision that
contour drawing requires.
¥ Imagine the pencil or pen is in actual contact with the
subject as you draw.
¥ As the eye carefully traces the contours of a subject, the
hand moves the drawing instrument at the same slow and
deliberate pace, and responds to every indentation and
undulation of form.
¥ Avoid the temptation to move the hand faster than the eye
can see; examine the shape of each contour you see in the
subject without considering or worrying about its identity.
¥ The most noticeable contours are those that circumscribe
an object and define the outer boundary between the figure
and its background.
¥ Some contours travel inward at folds or breaks in a plane.
¥ Others are formed by overlapping or projecting parts.
¥ Still other contours describe the shapes of spaces and
shadows within the form.
10AG IV 10 4/9/02 10:41 AM Page 188
FREEHAND DRAWING / 189
We are conditioned to see the shapes of things rather
than the shapes of the spaces between them. While we
normally perceive spatial voids as having no substance,
they share the same edges as the objects they
separate or envelop. The positive shapes of figures and
the shapeless spaces of backgrounds share the same
boundaries and combine to form an inseparable
wholeÑa unity of opposites.
In drawing, also, negative shapes share the contour
lines that define the edges of positive shapes. The
format and composition of a drawing consists of
positive and negative shapes that fit together like the
interlocking pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. In both seeing and
drawing, we should raise the shapes of negative spaces
to the same level of importance as the positive shapes
of figures and see them as equal partners in the
relationship. Since negative shapes do not always have
the easily recognizable qualities of positive shapes,
they can be seen only if we make the effort.
¥ We should carefully observe the interconnected
nature of positive and negative shapes.
¥ As we draw the edges of positive shapes, we should
also be aware of the negative shapes we are creating.
¥ Focusing on the shapes of these negative spaces
prevents us from thinking consciously about what
the positive shapes represent, and we are free to
draw them purely as two-dimensional figures.
10AG IV 10 4/9/02 10:41 AM Page 189
ANALYTICAL DRAWING
190 / ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHICS
In drawing analytically, we seek to merge two
approachesÑdescribing the outer configuration of
surfaces of an object and explaining its inner
structural nature and the way its parts are arranged
and joined in space. Unlike contour drawing, in which
we proceed from part to part, analytical drawing
proceeds from the whole to the subordinate parts and
finally the details. Subordinating parts and details to
the structure of the overall form prevents a piecemeal
approach that can result in faulty proportional
relationships and a lack of unity.
¥ Begin an analytical drawing with light, freely drawn
lines. Draw these lines in an exploratory manner to
block out and establish a transparent volumetric
framework for a form or composition.
¥ These exploratory lines are diagrammatic in nature,
serving to establish and explain the underlying
geometry and structure of the subject.
¥ These initial traces are also called regulating lines
because they can be used to locate points, measure
size and distance, find centers, express
perpendicular and tangential relationships, and
establish alignments and offsets.
¥ Regulating lines represent visual judgments to be
confirmed or adjusted. Do not erase any previously
drawn lines. If necessary, restate a lineÑ
correcting basic shapes and checking the relative
proportions between the parts.
¥ Always strive for incremental improvement over the
last line drawn.
10AG IV 10 4/9/02 10:41 AM Page 190
FREEHAND DRAWING / 191
¥ Because of their constructive nature, regulating
lines are not limited by the physical boundaries of
objects. They can cut through forms and extend
through space as they link, organize, and give
measure to the various parts of an object or
composition.
¥ Drawing both unseen and visible parts of the
subject makes it easier to gauge angles, control
proportions, and see the optical appearance of
shapes. The resulting transparency also conveys a
convincing sense of volume occupied by the form.
Working in this way prevents the appearance of
flatness that can result from concentrating too
much on surface rather than volume.
¥ Through a continual process of elimination and
intensification, gradually build up the density and
weight of the final object lines, especially at critical
points of intersection, connection, and transition.
¥ Having all lines remain visible in the final drawing
intensifies the depth of the image and reveals the
constructive process by which it was generated
and developed.
¥ The closest analogy to analytical drawing is the
wireframe model produced by 3D CAD and modeling
software.
¥ Before actually drawing a line, practice the eyemind-
hand movement by marking the beginning and
end of the intended line with dots. Avoid scratching
in lines with short, feeble strokes. Instead, draw
lines as smoothly and continuously as possible.
¥ For short strokes or when applying considerable
pressure, swing the hand at the wrist or let the
fingers perform the necessary motions.
¥ For longer strokes, swing the entire forearm and
hand freely from the elbow, with a minimum of wrist
and finger movement. Only as you approach the end
of the stroke should you bring the wrist and fingers
into motion to control where the line ends.
10AG IV 10 4/9/02 10:41 AM Page 191
192 / ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHICS
In the analytical process of drawing, we build on geometry.
If we are able to break down what we see into regular
geometric volumes or a geometric arrangement of parts,
we can more easily draw them. We can reorganize the forms
in an additive manner or transform them in a subtractive
manner. The resulting structure can then serve as a
framework for the development and refinement of the
forms and intervening spaces.
¥ The cube is a convenient three-dimensional unit with
which to begin.
¥ From the cube, we can use geometric principles to derive
other basic geometric volumes, such as the pyramid,
cylinder, and cone. Mastery of drawing these simple
forms is a prerequisite for drawing a variety of derivative
compositions.
¥ We can extend a cube horizontally, vertically, as well as
into the depth of a drawing. A number of cubic volumes
or derivative forms can link, extend, or grow into
centralized, linear, symmetrical, or clustered
¥ Working from a cubic form, we can selectively remove
or carve out portions to generate a new form. In this
subtractive process, we use the solid-void relationship
between form and space to guide us as we draw the
proportion and development of the parts.
In drawing complex forms, keep the following points in mind:
¥ Use cross-sectional contours to develop the form of
complicated shapes. These imaginary slices strengthen
the dimensional effect of the drawn and show the volume
of the object.
¥ Pay close attention to overlapping forms and negative
spaces in the composition.
¥ Distinguish overlapping forms with linear accents.
¥ Use scattered lines to indicate the transitional surfaces
of curved forms.
¥ Subordinate details to the overall form.
10AG IV 10 4/9/02 10:41 AM Page 192
BUILDING A DRAWING
FREEHAND DRAWING / 193
Every drawing evolves over time. Knowing where to begin, how to
proceed, and when to stop are crucial to the process of drawing.
Building up a drawing in a systematic way is an important
concept. We should advance by progressive stages and
construct a drawing from the ground up. Each successive
iteration or cycle through the drawing process should first
resolve the relationships between the major parts, then resolve
the relationships within each part, and finally readjust the
relationships between the major parts once again.
Tediously finishing one part of a drawing before going on to the
next can easily result in distorting the relationships between
each part and the rest of the composition. Maintaining a
consistent level of completeness or incompleteness across the
entire surface of a drawing is important to preserving a unified,
balanced, and focused image.
The following procedure prescribes a way of seeing as well as
drawing. It involves building up a drawing in the following stages:
¥ Composing a view and establishing structure
¥ Layering tonal values and textures
¥ Adding significant details
10AG IV 10 4/9/02 10:41 AM Page 193
194 / ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHICS
Composing a View
We normally select out from what we see what is of interest
to us. Since our perception is discriminating, we should also
be selective in what we draw. How we frame and compose a
view, and what we emphasize with our drawing technique, will
tell others what attracted our attention and what visual
qualities we focused on. In this way, our drawings will naturally
communicate our perceptions with an economy of means.
Composing a perspective view of a scene involves positioning
ourselves at a particular point in space and deciding how to
frame what we see.
¥ To convey the sense that the viewer is within a space
rather than on the outside looking in, we must establish
three pictorial regions: a foreground, a middleground, and
a background. All three should not have equal emphasis;
one should dominate to heighten the pictorial space of
the drawing.
¥ When portraying a specific aspect of an object or scene, a
closer viewpoint may be necessary so that the size of the
drawing can accommodate the rendering of tonal value,
texture, and light.
10AG IV 10 4/9/02 10:41 AM Page 194
FREEHAND DRAWING / 195
Establishing Structure
Without a cohesive structure to hold it together, the
composition of a drawing collapses. Once the composition
for a view is established, we use the analytical process of
drawing to establish its structural framework.
In drawing an environmental settingÑan outdoor space or
an interior roomÑwe view the scene from a fixed position
in space. The structure must therefore be regulated by the
principles of linear perspective. We are concerned here
principally with the pictorial effects of linear
perspectiveÑthe convergence of parallel lines and the
diminishing size of objects with depth. Our mind interprets
what we see and presents an objective reality based on
what we know of an object. In drawing a perspective view, we
attempt to illustrate an optical reality. These two are often
at odds, and the mind usually wins out.
¥ We begin with regulating lines that
examine and verify the position, shape,
and proportions of major elements.
¥ As we establish these first few lines, a
tentative armature emerges that both
holds and guides further observations
and ideas.
¥ We draw further perceptions over this
framework, which in turn is adjusted in
response to our perceptions. Let this
structure remain visible, for it clarifies
pictorial relationships and serves as a
preparatory underdrawing for what
comes later.
10AG IV 10 4/9/02 10:41 AM Page 195
196 / ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHICS
¥ To help us frame and compose a view as well as gauge the
relative lengths and angles of lines, we can construct a
viewfinder out of dark gray or black cardboard.
¥ Another convenient sighting device is the shaft of the
pencil or pen with which we are drawing.
¥ We hold the pen or pencil out at armÕs length, in a plane
parallel with our eyes and perpendicular to our line of
sight.
¥ To make a linear measurement, we can align the tip of the
pen or pencil with one end of an observed line and use our
thumb to mark the other end. Then we shift the pencil to
another line and use the initial measurement to gauge the
length of the second line.
¥ To gauge the apparent slope of a line, we can align one end
of an inclined line with the shaft of the pen or pencil held
vertically or horizontally. We gauge the angle between the
two visually. Then we transfer this angular measurement
to the drawing, using as guides the edges of the drawing
...
Januszek66