SKETCHING

TECHNIQUES
Louise Swärdshammar@lnu 2016
METHOD: HOW TO START...

To sketch circles, ellipses, spirals, glasses, bottles

(etc.) for 5 - 10 minutes are great way to start a
sketching and drawing session. It gives you both
focus and energy.
TODAY’S WORKSHOP...

Course literature

Introduction: Louise...

Design processes + mindsets

Introduction: sketching vs. drawing

Tools & material

Introduction: sketching & drawing

+ methods

End notes
COURSE LITERATURE

Not course literature, but we recommened you to buy this book...

MMM.

INTRODUCTION
Louise Swärdshammar
 BODANOVA/HÖGANÄS (2000)

Louise Swärdshammar & Camilla Wessman. BodaNova. Kitchen trolley. Part of the Louise Swärdshammar. Concept sketches to the product line “Connect” . BovaNova.
product line “Connect”. 2000.
 FRAMFAB: STADIUM (2000)

Louise Swärdshammar. Storyboard sketches. Business pitch to Stadium. Framfab. 2000.

BIGSO (2001)

Louise Swärdshammar. Product presentation sketches.

Bigso. 2001
Louise Swärdshammar. Mixed media. 70x100cm. 2012. Louise Swärdshammar. Old metal carved molds Charcoal. 30x40cm. 2016.
DESIGN PROCESSES
mindsets
DESIGN PROCESSES
DESIGN PROCESSES + MINDSETS
PROCESS oriented
• Primary focus on the “journey” (how)
• Primary focus on meaning
• Primary focus on framing the “problem”
• The result is not of primary importance
• Very flexible mindset
RESULT/SOLUTION oriented
• Primary focus on the “destination” (what)
• Primary focus on achievement
• Primary focus on framing the “solution”
• The approach is not of primary importance
• Very fixed mindset
DESIGN PROCESSES + MINDSETS

Process orientation + Result/solution orientation = IN SYMBIOSIS

SKETCHING vs. DRAWING
+ design processes
SKETCHING VS. DRAWING vs. RENDERING
SKETCHING VS. DRAWING/RENDERING

SKETCHING DRAWING/RENDERING
• Primary focus on the process • Primary focus on the outcome
• An explorative mindset/skill • Primary focus on achievement
• Often an open mindset • Often a fixed mindset
SKETCHING + DRAWING & DESIGN PROCESS

DRAWING
SKETCHING RENDERING
 short introduction
SKETCHING + DRAWING
THE VISUAL REPRESENTATION
The visual representation of a
content. It’s also a mindset and
an approach to what you visually
represent by a sketch, a drawing
and/or a rendering.
Some examples:
• Analytical (design/architecture)
• Descriptive (design/
architecture)
• Objective (art)
• Technical (design/architecture,
engineering)

• Emotional
• Abstract
• Presentation
PRESENTATIONS (IN GENERAL)
b. Final presentations
• Focus on the overall and details.
Be thorough and precise in
your “craft”.
• Mount your sketches, drawings,
renderings on a cardboard or
similar.
• Or in a digital presentation:
scan/take photos of your sketches,
drawings, and renderings.
• Be communicative and show only
what is relevant to your project.
• BUT show/communicating your
design process (sketches, etc.) is
as important.
• If you’re working with presentation
models as well, see that the
2D-material is complimentary.
3 KINDS OF SKETCHING MINDSETS

1. Sketching something 2. Sketching something 3. A combination of

existing: descriptive, non-existing/inventing 1 and 2: descriptive,
analytical, objective, something: descriptive, analytical, objective,
emotional, technical... analytical, objective, emotional, technical...
emotional, technical...
 some
MATERIALS & TOOLS
+ see the material
list on myMoodle
 SKETCHING
different representations
and methods
 HOLDING THE PENCIL

writing position
sketching position

sketching position sketching position

ANALYTIC/DESCRIPTIVE/OBJECTIVE
 

...sketching and drawing

relates to the type of freehand
drawing of lines to represent
the three-dimensional structure
and geometry of a form.*
• The role of the analytical
drawings it to analyze,
study, discover, document
and communicate.*
 

• An accurate representation
of the real life.*

*http://papers.cumincad.org/data/works/att/
eaea2015_t2_paper08.pdf
EMOTIONAL SKETCHING & DRAWING

Pratt Institute. Contour sketches, 2008.

It’s an emotional based • How does “it” feel? • Then visually express
approach to something you • What emotions do you have those feelings/emotions
want to sketch or draw. towards “it”? in a more intuitive way.
METHOD: THUMBNAILS

• fast way to explore and frame...

• many times it’s helpful to sketch (at least)
3 different views of the subject...

• S quares that are about 5x7cm

(but find what size that works for you)

• What/where is the focal point?

• What are you framing?
• What is important
• What are you including/excluding?
• The gesture and movement
• The overall composition and feeling

Both analytical and emotional

Louise Swärdshammar. Thumbnails of old metal carved
molds for glass-blowing. 5x7cm. 2016.

thumbnail sketches
THE QUALITY OF LINE & TONE
...create value to the surfaces of the sketched and drawn.

Quality of line:
• Weight of line: the thickness
of a sketched/drawn line.
• Hardness of a stroke
Lines as:
• Outline, contour, profile...
• Descriptive (material, texture,
structure, describing volume...)
• Tone/surface
• Shadow
THE QUALITY OF LINE & TONE
...create value to the surfaces of the sketched and drawn.

Hatching Crosshatching Scribbling Stippling

VALUE SCALES
Black represent
the darkest
possible value.

In between exists
an intermediate
range of greys.

White represent
the lightest
possible value.

Smooth stroke shading Hard stroke shading

TO BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR TOOLS
a recommendation: make value scales of the sketching and drawing tools you are using...
FROTTAGE
b.

The technique or process of taking a rubbing

from an uneven surface to form the basis of a
work of art.*
• soft pencils (1B-9B)
• not too thick paper

*Oxford Dictionary of English

POSITIVE vs NEGATIVE SPACE

Positive space:
the physically and visually tangible
Negative space:
The space between things. This may be disregarded in
real life, but in the picture-making it is as important as
the objects/subjects themselves.*
Every space in a sketch/drawing/picture has
• a shape
• a position
• a tone
• a role to play*
*Sarah Simblet. Sketch Book For The Artist. DK
Publishing, 2009.
FOREGROUND vs BACKGROUND
Picture plane
The imaginary plane
corresponding to the surface
of a picture, perpendicular to
the viewer’s
line of sight.*
Foreground Background/Backdrop
The part of a view that is The part of a picture, scene,
nearest to the observer, or design that forms a
especially in a picture or setting for the main figures
photograph. The most or objects, or appears
prominent or important furthest from the viewer. Less
position or situation.* important.*
*Oxford Dictionary of English.
FRAMING

Types of framing: (photo/film)

• Wide shot/Environment
• Full shot
• Medium shot
• Close-up
• Detail
Orientation:
• Portrait
• Landscape
View:
• Bird’s-eye view (high angle shot)
• Worm’s-eye view (low angle shot)
METHOD: VIEWFINDER

A helping method to frame:

• cut out a suitable frame
in cardboard
• fast/easy way to explore and
frame a motif/composition
• You can work with or without
transparent film (+ permanent
pen), thread
PERSPECTIVE
+ visualization
1-POINT PERSPECTIVE

Perspective a technique of depicting

volumes and spatial relationships on a
flat surface.
Point of view (POV): a position from
which someone/something is observed.
Horizon line (HL): a horizontal line
across a picture. It placement defines
the view’s eye level.
Center line of sight (CLS): central
direction of seeing.
Vanishing point(VP): that point toward
which receding parallel lines appear to
converge.*

*Scott Robertson & Thomas Bertling. How to Draw.

Design Studio Press, 2013.
1-POINT PERSPECTIVE
a recommendation: do this perspective exercise from the course literature...
2-POINT PERSPECTIVE
3-POINT PERSPECTIVE
USING RECTILINEAR BOXES...
LET’S SKETCH SOME BOXES...
TRACING

• Tracing: A way to copy a sketch and continue

exploring/evoloving your work.
• Overlay: a sheet of transparent paper placed
over a sketch, photo, or other artwork for
making revisions.
• Tracing paper/Transparent paper
• Sometimes it’s helpful to work in layers till
you find the overall concept...
• Focus on the outlines, the describing lines etc.
• Avoid shading (depending on the paper quality)
 short intro
SHADOWS
illusion of light and volume
DIRECT LIGHT - INDIRECT LIGHT

Direct Light: Lighting in which the light

goes straight from the source to the lit
object. (sunny day, spotlight)
Indirect lighting: no single direct light
source. The object is lit by scattered or
bounce light. (cloudy day)
A. Highlight
B. Halftone
C. Core Shadow
D. Reflected Light
E. Cast Shadow*

*http://www.stanprokopenko.com/blog/2009/08/
direct-light/
THINGS THAT AFFECT...

Types of light: natural: Placement of light: Colour tone changes

sunny, cloudy, season. far away, close... depending if it’s highlighted
Artificial: spotlight, Materials/surfaces: or in shadow...
fluorescent, general glossy, matt, transperent,
lighting, candle... textured...
EXPLORE DRAWING LIGHT & SHADOWS
a recommendation: explore light and shadows with a cube and then other

+
MMM.

End notes
“Excellence is not an act.
It’s a habit.”
Aristotle
 MIXED MEDIA/ COLLAGE TECHNIQUE

A piece of art made by

sticking various different
materials such as photographs
and pieces of paper or fabric
on to a backing. A collection
or combination of various Student work. Pratt Institutte

things.*

*Oxford Dictionary of English

SHOW INSPIRATIONAL MATERIALS

Imageboard, inspiration board: • Environments

In addition to your sketches and models
• information about your stakeholders
(especially during tutoring, presentations, in
(to whom your work affects and concerns)
conversation with others) it’s good to show:
• Different kind of inspiration Depending on the situation, you can mix above
content with your sketches and presentation
• Colour schemes sketches, renderings and/or drawings.
• Shape and form schemes
• Real samples of material (or images),
structure, texture, details, etc.
PROJECT BOOK/SKETCHBOOK...
b.
 USE THE WALLS
b.

Studio/workshop area at the 3D-department, Pratt Institute The corridor/hallway at 3D-department, Pratt

• in the corridor/hallway • while working on projects • in connection to

• during classes/workshops in the classroom your desktop
DOCUMENTATION
b.
SOME SKETCHING BOOKS
art design/architecture inspiration
b.
PREPARATIONS FOR RÅSHULT...
• Sketching tools/materials:
bring your own sketching tools

• Water colours/aquarelle

• Project book/Field notes

• Thumbnails: make your own

thumbnails in different sizes.

• Viewfinder: make your own

framing devise.

• Print + bring with you parts of

this presentation as a reminder...

SKETCH + take NOTES as much as possible.

And have FUN!!!