11291 Freehand Drawing
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Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Subject level:
Undergraduate
Result type: Grade and marksThere are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.
Description
This subject focuses on practical experience in freehand drawing, with emphasis placed on pencil as medium. The intent is to develop the relationship between what we see and how we graphically present these images. The lessons focus on a range of subject matter, including still life, but with an emphasis on architectural form and space. There is a session of life drawing which is a valuable class for investigating various sketching and sighting techniques. Techniques for sketching as well as more formally-finished rendering are covered.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
| 1. | Develop skills in using sighting techniques and understanding visual cues to more accurately capture proportions and spatial relationships for a variety of subject matter. |
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| 2. | Develop skills in various sketching and rendering techniques, to effectively capture and portray still life arrangements and studies of the built environment. |
| 3. | Comprehend and investigate a variety of compositional concepts to compose images that successfully represent the intent of the student, that is, to communicate their perceptions and interpretations. |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:
- Creatively use architectural media, technologies and materials (I.2)
- Understand and challenge disciplinary conventions through an engagement with emergent forms of architectural practice, technologies and modes of production (P.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
The class is structured so that the fundamental lessons are covered in the first half of the semester with still life subject matter, to be further extended with architectural subject matter. In each class, lectures are presented which are supported by visual slides showing a diverse range of precedent images, interspersed with a variety of exercises relevant to those specific concepts and lessons. These lectures are then uploaded to UTS Online for the student to have access to during the week to attempt and complete homework. During class time at the completion of selected exercises, students will informally share their work with the class so that students can gain insight into alternative approaches and styles. It is expected that students undertake and complete homework throughout the semester, as the most effective and speedy way to improve drawing skills is to draw often and with intent. Verbal feedback is provided during the exercises in each class; written feedback accompanies the grades for each formal submission. For the final submission (Assessment 3), during class in the week prior to submission, students will informally present their drawings-in-progress to receive verbal feedback for the opportunity to most effectively complete the drawings. Criteria is set for each assessment so that regardless of the drawing skills each student brings to the class, the various drawing concepts can be demonstrated with confidence.
Content (topics)
The content of this subject includes a series of in-class exercises relevant to each week’s subject matter. The homework set for specific weeks will aid the student to develop and extend skills that can directly relate to submissions. Prior to selected lectures/classes, there will be recommended readings and/or exercises set that will prepare the student for those classes, although all required learning will be presented, discussed and attempted during class time. The lecturer will communicate with the students during the class and via email and UTS Online regarding these preparatory exercises.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Rendering Still Life
| Intent: | This assessment aims to focus the student on using skills of observation and technique. Multiple drawings are required so that a variety of skills that have been discussed in class can be employed in creating formally-finished drawings. The study and recording of still life is important for recognising and interpreting visual and physical relationships (tone, texture, dimension, shape, proportion) which are also fundamental aspects of the built environment and architectural design. |
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2 and 3 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): .3 |
| Type: | Design/drawing/plan/sketch |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
Assessment task 2: Sketching Built Environment
| Intent: | This assessment involves observation, interpretation and recording of the built environment. Observational sketching is an important skill for students to hone so that the relationships of architectural and urban elements may be studied, understood, interpreted and recorded. This will build the student’s visual vocabulary of architecture, more so than just relying on photography. Sketching requires a concentration that will also build strong connections between hand, eye and mind, further developing fundamental skills beneficial for creative architectural design. Outdoor sketching is important for understanding and employing perception of 2- and 3-dimensional form. |
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2 and 3 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): .3 and P.1 |
| Type: | Design/drawing/plan/sketch |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
Assessment task 3: Rendering Built Environment, Submission of Journal
| Intent: | This assessment builds on the skills discussed and practiced in the previous assessments. Additional complexities are brought to the process of drawing the built environment, including tonal rendering, multiple depth cues, and understanding of composition to bring a greater awareness of personal expression and persuasion. These drawings should be of presentation quality. In addition, it is expected each student will start and continue with a visual diary specific to this subject. This visual diary/journal can provide an opportunity to develop and make progress on those concepts introduced in class, as well as finding particular interests (eg: subject matter, techniques, precedents) specific to each student. As Paul Laseau (architect, drawing teacher, author) says, “There are two important conditions to keep in mind when trying to develop any skill: skill comes with repetition; the surest way to practice any skill is to enjoy what you are doing” (Graphic Thinking for Architects and Designers). |
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| Objective(s): | This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2 and 3 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): .3, I.2 and P.1 |
| Type: | Design/drawing/plan/sketch |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 40% |
Minimum requirements
Attendance in class, completion of class exercises and homework, submission of assessments on time.
Recommended texts
Ching, F. Design Drawing John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1998
A full bibliography of reference texts and sources used within the lecture series will be made available on UTS Online at the start of semester. Additional recommended texts include:
Barber, B. “The Fundamentals of Drawing”. Arcturus Publishing Ltd, London, 2002
Ching, F. “Architectural Graphics”. John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2003
Civardi, G. “Drawing: A Complete Guide”. Search Press, Kent 2009
Dodson, B. “Keys to Drawing”. North Light Publishing, Ohio, 1985
Lauer, D. “Design Basics”. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Saunders College Publishing, New York, 1990
Simblet, S. “The Drawing Book”. Dorling Kindersley, London 2009
Wallschlaeger, C. and Busic-Snyder, C. “Basic Visual Concepts and Principles for Artists, Architects and Designers”. WCB Publishers, Dubuque USA, 1992
Wang, T. “Pencil Sketching”. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 2002