EXPLORATORY SKETCHING

Exploratory
Sketching

C&A

In short

The 8-week course of Exploratory Sketching focussed on using the sketching skill as a tool to explore, develop and communicate ideas and concepts in Industrial Design. By following a variety of consecutive modules, a mental sketching library was slowly developed in combination with an advancement of sketching techniques.

grade

9

Exploring

linework

communication

My initial goals

Before starting the course, my main goal was to be able to communicate my design ideas more easily through the use of sketches. Therefore, I was initially focused on further developing my communicative mindset. By knowing the various sketching techniques I hoped to be able to, and eventually also proved to be able to produce sketches which are highly communicative and improve the credibility of ideas.

However, throughout the course, there was a shift in my goal as a result of slowly reaching all competency chart goals except for one: exploring. Other than still wanting to get the hang of all the techniques to be able to produce sketches accurately and recreate aesthetics into detail, my main focus was now on developing an exploratory mindset. Being a perfectionist, it takes quite some effort to let go of this perfectionism, but as time progressed I managed to loosen up the sketches and give my creative touch to them, which has proven to be much more efficient to open up a creative mindset without focusing too much on details and communication yet.

Developed workflow

Throughout the process, I seem to have developed a workflow which alternates between an exploratory and communicative mindset when producing a sketch. I first start exploring by applying my knowledge on perspectives (e.g., foreshortening, convergence etc.) as a base for the creative ideas that naturally flow through my mind while sketching. After being satisfied with my explorations I start focusing more on communication in terms of linework (e.g., fluency, line-weight etc.) to express depth and set the attention to the desired part of the sketch. Next, I open up my exploratory mindset once again; first when adding in some details that come to mind during the linework, and later by testing various colours and materials (e.g., by reflection) through rendering with markers, which is done efficiently by maintaining speed. Lastly, to finish the sketch, I go back to the communicative mindset, focusing on expressing the smaller details for higher communication, such as adding extra bounce light and implementing reflections from a coloured background on an object.

Learning points

Throughout the course, I discovered the value of taking a step back after exploration phases, to clear your mind and continue sketching with a fresh perspective which allows for new ideas to arise. I believe the same principle applies to design processes in general, suggesting a new workflow for future projects. Furthermore, during the first few assignments, I followed all examples very strictly, whereas I started exploring my own ideas and creativity later on in the course which boosted my confidence, seeing all the developed skills and knowledge come together. By strictly following all the material available I have managed to develop a mental library of the various sketching techniques which I am now able to apply in an exploratory way to produce iterative sketches which help explore and communicate designs efficiently, which may be relevant in collaborative contexts where team members or stakeholders are involved.

Martijn van der Wiel

Lecturer

''Compliments Vera! Amazing progress in just 8 weeks!''

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To further put my developed skills into practice and open up my creative mindset I entered the yearly online sketching contest of StudentDesign (@student.design) and Wacom (@wacom) on Instagram. This year's theme was 'From ordinary to extraordinary' and entries are judged on creativity and (industrial) drawing skills. Transforming recognizable shapes into new non-related objects, served as an opportunity to train out-of-the-box thinking.

More of my work