ENGINEERING SKETCHING, GESTURE DRAWING AND ‘HOW-TO’ VIDEOS TO IMPROVE VISUALIZATION

Engineering drawing, or engineering sketching, as it is known in our course, functions as a tool for creativity, design, and analysis rather than strictly for technical representation. This component is taught by an artist-in-residence and is worth one-third of the course grade. The technical drawing components (orthographic, isometric, etc.) are developed as supporting elements to the evolution of ideas rather than as an end in themselves. Students are taught how to convey ideas quickly by sketching on paper quickly and correctly. As a design tool, engineering sketching is being used to visualize engineering concepts such as movement, forces, and stresses. During the latter part of the course students are asked to use their newfound drawing abilities to explore projects ranging from biomimetics, inclusive design, design for development to the history of design, and design styles. The students are shown how to construct these drawings during ‘live’ drawing sessions. The students are taken through the steps required for drawing complex objects (ranging from hand-tools to an IC engine). The start of each drawing lecture simulates gesture drawing commonly seen in Fine Arts: students are shown slides of objects for roughly one minute and are asked to translate these objects into isometric sketches. Also, a series of videos are being developed to reach all 750 first year students – making drawing ‘help’ available in the middle of the night when most students are finishing their work. The videos were made available on our website this past February and will in future be formatted to be available for portable players. This paper describes the sketching process; the changes that have been made over the previous five years and the new components introduced this year. It will also include examples of student work.