Drawing Techniques
(Source: Hutton, B 2024)
To visually represent your design, two- and three-dimensional drawings, perspectives, isometric and paraline drawings are used to visually represent relationships, ideas and appearances. All good designers and architects use drawings to develop design ideas, concepts and solutions. Ensure you apply technical conventions to document drawings (Patterson, 2024).
​
Ensure you use drawings and annotations in your presentation and journal accompanied by written rationale as visual evidence.
Development drawings
Development drawings are used both in the Develop and Deliver stages of the Visual Communication Design process to visualise design ideas and concepts, and may incorporate abstract, symbolic or realistic representations. They assist in devising, documenting and communicating concepts so that they can be analysed, tested and evaluated. Development drawings may be generated using rapid, informal and expressive drawing techniques, or presented as refined concepts for the purposes of testing or critique. They may be produced either digitally or by hand, and might be rendered to suggest surface textures, materials and the direction of light, shade and shadow. Development drawings include but are not limited to schematic diagrams, ideation sketches, storyboards, mock-ups and illustrations.
​
​
Documentation drawings
Documentation drawings define and record technical specifications required for the assembly of three-dimensional objects and environments. They may represent forms in two dimensions, such as orthogonal drawings, architectural plans and elevations, packaging nets and technical flats, or in three dimensions, such as perspective and paraline (isometric and planometric) drawings. Documentation drawings include technical conventions, such as symbols, dimensions and scales.
​
Presentation drawings
Presentation drawings convey resolved design concepts to stakeholders for consideration. They include but are not limited to rendered impressions of buildings, environments or objects, illustrations, documentation drawings and storyboards, and can be a part of mock-ups, concept boards or style guides.
​
(VCAA, 2024)
VCD Technical Conventions resource
The revised 2024 VCAA VCD Technical Conventions resource can provide advice and support on the specifications for the key skills and key knowledge areas for Unit 2, Outcome 1.
The Technical conventions document can provide VCE requirements to isometric, paraline drawing, one and two point dimension drawings, plan, elevations, packaging nets and technical flats.
​
These are based on a set of standards that have been globally agreed upon by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) and the Australian Standards AS 1100 to follow. ​Use this as a guide and support for your design.
The online isometric drawing pad can be used for online technical drawings. Whilst you can prefer to use hand drawn images, please feel free to undertake online drawing, however, ensure it's added to your visual journal with annotations.
Rendering is applied to a drawing to enhance its form, surface finish and texture. A designer can choose from a variety of materials and media to render an object or drawing. These can include inks, pencil, pastel, markers or a combination of these. Use complimentary colours or anachromatic colour can help create a focal point (Patterson, 2024). Page 133 of your Viscomm textbook can provide examples.
(Patterson, 2024)
Elevation and Packaging Nets
This resources material links shared provides advice and support on technical conventions listed in the Study specifications and Key Knowledge and Skills across the VCE Visual Communication Design study 2024-2028. This resource document draws upon conventions from the Australian Standards (AS).
Australian Standards (AS)
​
Technical conventions are based on a set of standards that have been globally agreed upon by the International Standards Organisation (ISO). These standards are then tailored to the needs of each country, depending on their measuring system (metric or imperial), environmental conditions, manufacturing processes and developments in technology. The Australian Standard AS 1100 provides the technical conventions for all Australian engineers, architects, designers, surveyors and patternmakers to follow.
​
The standards for Australian technical conventions can be found at: www.saiglobal.com/pdftemp/previews/osh/as/as1000/1100/1100101.pdf
Creating a basic Package Net
Creating Packaging Netting can be daunting. If you need further guidance, watch the youtube clip by VCD Tutorials.
​
​
A packaging net is a drawing of a flat two-dimensional shape that when folded becomes a three-dimensional form. It can also be referred to as a development net or a dieline. Often a packaging net will include tabs for stability and fastening. The drawings are to scale and involve the use of line conventions that indicate fold lines (broken lines) and cutting edge (solid outline). Refer to page 13, Figure 10 in the VCE Technical Conventions document.
VCAA, 2024)
Designing three-dimensional objects (paraline) and one/two point perspective drawing (perspective)
‘Perspective’ is a system used to depict objects and structures in a naturalistic manner consistent with human vision (VCAA, 2024).
​
One Point perspective means objects or structures are drawn ‘front on’ on the picture plane. Sides of the object recede with lines converging to one vanishing point on the horizon line (VCAA,2024).
​
Two Point Perspective means objects or structures are drawn from a corner view with the depth of the object (sides) drawn with receding lines converging at either of the two vanishing points on the horizon line (VCAA, 2024).
​
Click on the underlined wording to download the videos from the QR codes in your Viscomm textbook.
In addition to the previous webpage on drawing, extra resources from your textbook with recommended reading from page 112 -130 with the videos can help with extra drawing techniques.
Perspective, one- and two-point perspective can also be found commencing page 9 of the VCE VCD Technical Conventions document.
(Cambridge University, 2024)
(VCAA, 2024)
Elevation Drawings & Techniques
Where Orthogonal drawings refer to ‘views’, architectural drawings refer to plans and elevations.
Plans and elevations may include:
-
site plans (showing relationship of the building to site, orientation of site with title boundary, larger foliage or landscape features)
-
landscape plans (design concepts for external landscaping for gardens, parks etc.)
-
floor plans and elevations
​
Further Information on Plans and Elevations can be located on page 26 of the VCE VCD Technical Conventions document (VCAA, 2024).
Check out some works by artists for elevation drawings through MoMA Gallery (2024).
Futher beginners techniques can be followed by watching Henry Geo (2022) Beginner's Guide to Designing in Elevation.
(Rudolph, P. c. 1958-1964)
(VCAA, 2024)
Good Design
Notions of good design are personal, contextual and political. Students of VCE Visual Communication Design are encouraged to draw from both universal and culturally specific understandings, together with personal experiences of good design, to formulate their own conceptions, and use these criteria to guide their design practice.
​
References to ‘good design’ frequently accompany best-practice design guidelines, policies, principles of practice and criteria for design competitions, such as Good Design Australia's Good Design Award, industrial designer Dieter Rams’ Ten Principles for Good Design, and the Good Design series by the Victorian Government Architect (VCAA, 2024)
​
What is good design?
Good design comes in many forms and is defined by much more than how something looks. It starts from refining the purpose and aspiration of a project, improves how it works, creates additional benefits and elevates how people feel and behave in the final outcome. Good design creates inspiring places and greater lasting financial value. And of course, good design also looks and feels good.
Why good design is important?
Good design is critical in creating high-quality buildings and public places that are:
-
fit for purpose and adaptable to changing needs
-
engaging and create a strong sense of place
-
able to engender civic pride and wellbeing in the community
-
inclusive, culturally rich and diverse
-
sustainable environmentally, economically and socially
-
an enduring legacy in the built environment
(Hamer Hall Redevelopment, Architect: ARM Architecture, Victorian Government Architect, 2024)
(Geelong Library and Heritage Centre, Architect: ARM Architecture, Victorian Government Architect, 2024)
If you think good design is expensive, you should look at the real cost of bad design.
Dr Ralf Speth CEO, Jaguar
(Australian Garden Cranbourne, Landscape Architect: TCL, Victorian Government Architect, 2024)
Good design is
Inspiring
Good design embeds the very essence of a project into a narrative and vision. A thorough interrogation of a project’s purpose, objectives and influencing factors establishes a vision which is essential to elevate a project beyond its primary purpose and deliver an inspiring addition to the built environment.
Contextual
Good design is informed by its location and responds to site-specific environmental, social and cultural conditions. Appropriate contextual relationships with regard to building scale, form, mass and materiality of all elements create a valuable addition to a place.
Functional
Good design meets the requirements of a building or place through efficient spatial arrangements which enhance convenience, amenity and opportunities for future adaptability. A good design will deliver a concept that fully integrates functional requirements and explores synergies with the project vision to deliver value beyond primary technical needs.
Valuable
Good design marries aesthetics and functionality at the inception of a project, which is fundamental in reducing the full life-cycle costs of a project. Good design is essential in the value creation of a place.
Sustainable
Good design respects our environment and resources by embedding efficiency, enhancing local ecology and creating a durable long-term built legacy.
Enjoyable
Good design increases amenity through creating healthy and safe places that are enjoyable at all times of the day, fosters community involvement and engenders community pride. Inclusive and equitable environments contribute to broader positive social and economic outcomes for all users.
Enduring
Through the synthesis of vision and function, good design embeds lasting value into our built environment. Good design is essential in place-making which promotes community pride, providing a truly enduring legacy which will continue to serve, inspire and delight.