landscape design

Sketch and landscape architecture

The significant relation between sketching skills with landscape architecture are due to some reason which are :

to try out early ideas before execute with the final ideas in designing any landscape design

to capture preliminary process of defining the later and complex process of producing landscape design

graphic sketch is one of the most significant communication aid among professionals as well as public which it will portray clearer and vivid image of the idea

as a process of producing design solution, analysis and synthesis in which lead towards the final design output.

The designers also use diagram in a sketch form to establish their design ideas in a form of metaphor which indirectly guide them towards the design production. Besides that, it also helps designers to abstract attributes of hypothetical provisional design solution and summarize their complex design pattern, hereby enhancing the design solution.

Introduction to sketches....

Sketch is rapidly executed freehand drawing that is not usually intended as a finished work.A sketch may serve a number of purposes: it might record something that the artist sees, it might record or develop an idea for later use or it might be used as a quick way of graphically demonstrating an image, idea or principal. Sketching is generally a prescribed part of the studies of art students.

Media for sketch...

The media that can be used in sketch are consist of 2 major media ; dry media and wet media. to some extent, solid media also can be used as part of the sketching media. The term "sketch" has most often been applied to graphic work executed in a dry media such as graphite pencil, charcoal or pastel. It may also apply to drawings executed in pen and ink, ballpoint pen, water colour and oil paint. The latter two are generally referred to as "water colour sketches" and "oil sketches". A sculptor might model three-dimensional sketches in clay o

How to start sketching....??

So, what does one need for sketching basically? These are few tips that you can use to start sketch, so try this out!

In sketch, we must possess a very good observation skills. We must observe the object carefully and thoroughly. Look at how does the object looks like, the shape and form, texture, shading and detailing. This observation skills can be polished through time.
Before start sketching, do some warm-up session by making some movement. One of the best way to warm up your hand is by drawing vertical, horizontal and circles on a piece of paper just to make your hand familiar with the movement and let it loose. Fluid hand movement really helps us to deliver a good sketch.
During sketch, do not rest your wrist on the paper! The sketches are produced by hand movement, not finger movement. Therefore, if you put your wrist on the paper, it will limit your hand movement especially when drawing a big picture or images.
Normally, people who are new in sketching, they tend to get the drawing finish quickly and get it look good. As good as what it should be, but in contrast, usually they cannot produce the sketch properly. Thus, it is very important for us to get the right form first! Do not think about how to finish the drawing. Focus on capturing and refining the shape and form. Later on when the shape is formed, then only we go for detailing of the object.
When the shape are formed, we can add texture, shadow and highlight. The tips to add shadow and highlight is to start at the darker side first and move to the lighter side. When we want to render the object, we can use some technique of hatching such as cross-hatching, stippling / dotting, or varied hatching.

Sketch also used by the designer to develop and record their idea development and design process or storyline. Normally, we start to sketch our first or preliminary ideas and we gradually develop it using sketch and evolve our ideas. Sketch also become evidence of our development in producing the design. This is to show our originality of the idea. Therefore, sketch is one of the most important skills and tool that all designer must be well equipped. Sketch also considered as important documents for all designer as their reference in presenting ideas, discussions and consultation session.