above: illustrator serge bloch // “a designer who can’t sketch is like a journalist who can’t write!” ~ nike creative director // editors note: this post amended 14 november 2018.

Slowing the thought process down
Does sketching provide an advantage at the critical product collaborative phase with the client ? While computers can explore options quickly, sketching slows the design process down which is also desirable because clients like getting involved earlier in the concept and the sketch seems to do that.

above: ray eames, sketch of chairs, Source: Eidelberg M et al. the eameslounge chair: an icon of modern design


above: sketchbooks by hiro kurata



above: sunbeam toaster and a hair clipper by alfonso Iannelli (1888-1965)


above: henry p. glass (1911-2003)


above: john samsen


above: hugh ferriss ( 1889 – 1962 )


above: eero saarinen ( 1910 – 1962 )



above: asif ahmed, student, flux energy elixir workup

I teach a graphic design course, Introduction to Graphic Design at Columbia College Chicago, comprised of graphic design, advertising, and illustration students. It’s a semester-long assignment where they have to create a product/service, name it, design a logo, create five marketing mix concepts, a complex design solution that involves both graphic and product thinking. This course for me was a bit of a revelation regarding the designer vs illustrator comparison: though all students will be sketching concepts, design and advertising majors tend to conceptualize on the computer while illustrators rely on drawing skills to concept as illustrator asif ahmed demonstrates above. asif’s concept exploration also seemed to draw him more into hypothetical branding touchpoint applications.

Am I a good sketcher? There were no computers for my earlier jobs but I had some skills. Today I can relate more closely to bloch and eames.

Select comments from resources below:
Good sketcher says, “Sketching is a must! Bad sketcher says ”Sketching isn’t all that important, what about model making?!” // “A couple of good points, but it still doesn’t negate that sketching well is the cost of entry. I think this piece explains why sketching isn’t just important to get a job, but an essential part of the the process.” // “Drawing is very closely linked to thinking, and building something in your head.” ~ architect

Resources:
sketchy thinking 2 / DesignApplause
a private view
vintage concept sketches
questioning the cult of the sketch
hugh ferriss, delineator of gotham
types of drawings
designing for humans
why products fail
michael bierut: five secrets from 86 notebooks / added 14 nov 18