Abstract

As the increase in technology within the fields of architecture and interior design continues, the debate over hand drawing versus computer drawing has become a relevant topic both in the professional environment and the academic arena. And while the computer is a dominant tool in design education, it is important that professors emphasize freehand sketching in universities to create designers with skills that combine the artistry and technical sides of the design field. Sketching empowers creativity throughout the design process, as a means for communication, and most significantly a tool for “seeing.” This paper gives a pedagogical method for teaching freehand drawing to architecture and interior design students, beginning with furniture and expanding in scale to interiors and architecture. It explores the basic elements of drawing such as line, composition, perspective, shade/shadow, composition, and color, while relating to them specifically to constructed space. This methodological approach gives architecture and interior design faculty the ability to incorporate drawing into their studios and courses; accentuating the substantive act of freehand drawing as a way to approach seeing in a new way.