Leon wrote:
On 6/13/2011 7:58 PM, Bill wrote:

I don't think I've seen many threads on drawing/sketching here.

A point of view I'm considering is that it's difficult to "design"
anything without being able to sketch. Thus I've developed some interest
in improving my skills in this area. For instance, I might like to
sketch some (bed) back boards to show my wife, or just for my own
amusement. I think that in woodworking that some sketching is
assumed--and while I think I can draw better than those who say they
"can't", I believe I have plenty of room to improve too!

I will distinguish here between "a sketch", "a formal design document
drawing",and "art". My interests also do not extend into color thus far.

There appear to be dozens of books with titles like "How To Draw XXX",
where XXX is horses, cartoons, people, ..., but (for some strangle
reason) none on "furniture"! ; ) Book suggestions welcome (I am
considering "How To Draw What You See"). Until yesterday I never tried
drawing with a graphite pencil softer than a regular #2.

Coincidentally, the newest issue of FWW, which arrived a few days ago,
contained an article encouraging "old fashioned formal drawing", on $38
paper (containing perspective lines...), using a a t-square and a
drawing board and addititional wasted $ for tracing equipment, etc..
IMO, I almost feel like the author should apologize in the next issue
and show how to do everything better, faster and cheaper on SketchUp!
Ironically, I wouldn't say SketchUp is for sketching as I have used the
term above.

Bill





I recall way back when I took drafting courses in school. Long before
computers, when drawings were done on a straight edged drawing board.
Add to that the t-square, right triangle, 30-60-90 triangle and the
scale. With those simple tools and the help of dividers and a bow
compass we could draw just about any thing. Even more interesting was
knowing how to draw a perfect elipse with a bow compass and triangles.

The first year class was very disciplined with lots of rules and lots of
lettering. The last quarter of that year we had to give up all the tools
except for the drawing board and pencil. All drawing till the end of the
year would be free hand. I was shocked as to how simple this seamed and
how accurate the drawings were considering every thing appeared very
close to scale.


I did minimal drafting in woodshop and metalshop classes in high school.
My dad also had a drafting table set up at home for a few years before
that and I experimented by trying to copy a few schematic diagrams I saw
in a book (when I was about 13). I didn't have the discipline (or
guidance or expertise) at the time to draw the diagrams as neat as the
ones in the book. My dad was a civil engineer (though). I tried to read
"Popular Electronics" from the school library every month--that was some
of the "hardest reading" I did in those days. I believe Popular
Electronics folded into Byte magazine around 1980 or so.

Bill