How to produce an attractive sketch

1. How to produce an attractive sketch of buildings
Buildings; the amazing structures that provides shelter. Without it, life would just be
barren and not as satisfying as we know it today. City skylines, offices and residences would not
exist if it weren’t for the fundamentals of sketching and drawings. But have you ever wondered
how are buildings designed, sketched and translated into its final product? There are various
steps involved in producing attractive sketches and drawings which is not only essential to the
design and construction of buildings but also as a means of communication. It is through these
sketches and drawings that architects and designers convey their creativity and interesting
ideas thus inspiring others around world. Well, now we are about to find out how and what are
the techniques applied to producing an attractive sketch.
First and foremost, every sketch starts off with an idea. This can be done through
brainstorming and creative thinking skills, through this process an idea is created and the
architect would draw out the rough sketch on a piece of paper with the essential drawing tools
such as a 2B pencil, a ruler, a sharpener and an eraser. After translating the ideas into its first
images, feel free to erase and make changes to the drawings if you are not satisfied with the
initial drawing. Lightly draw on the paper to ease the erasing process and make room for
improvisation as this is just the spark of the beginning of an attractive sketch.
After a rough sketch is completed, the designer will then carry on by adding in vertical
and horizontal lines crisscrossing the faces of the building with a pencil to serve as guidelines
for the windows or any other structures and at the same time providing a structural perspective
of the building. This is also the time where you add some improvisation of the structures into the
sketch. The latter is followed by using a pen or a fine felt-tip marker to darken the pencil marks
that make up the finished drawing. Then, gently erase any remnants of the pencil marks.

2. In this step, the sketch is halfway through its journey of revealing itself as an attractive
building sketch. Now, start off by adding in details such as simple objects, light shades and
decorations, do try different styles and proceed building up the drawing to more complex items
such as curves and features. This is where more room for ideas, inspiration and improvisation of
the sketch kicks in and provides the ‘flesh’ to the skeleton of the building. Following that, the
designer will add in shading and toning to add in depth of field and provide an ambience to the
sketch. Finally after all the shadings are done, clean up the sketch using an eraser to make it
look more tidy and presentable and there you have it, a simple yet attractive sketch of a building.
In conclusion, there are many fundamentals involved in producing an attractive sketch of
the building as mentioned above. By starting out with an idea and drawing it onto a piece of
paper, it gives me a chance to express myself in a creative way. Through all the sketches that I
have done, it inspires me to keep on going while new ideas keep filling in. Besides that, this
process also expands my knowledge from just referring to pictures while sketching into coming
out with my own ideas and translating them into images which further explores my creativity and
provides a platform as a means of communication to others through drawing. Furthermore, I
already feel accomplished after perceiving the first sights of the final product which is the rough
sketch and what more could I feel when witnessing the final product? An achievement that is
indeed satisfying and rewarding.