This document is a 741-word process essay on producing an attractive sketch submitted by a student named Tan Yit Fong for their English 1 class. The essay outlines several techniques for sketching a building, including holding a pencil at arm's length to scale lines, dividing the sketch into manageable cubes, and using crosshatching to add shading and texture. It emphasizes the importance of simplifying details, using Gestalt principles of perception to organize the sketch, and practicing techniques until they feel natural.

1. SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN
FOUNDATION IN NATURAL BUILD ENVIRONMENT
NAME: TAN YIT FONG
STUDENT ID NO: 0319133
WORD COUNT: 741
ENGLISH 1 (ELG 30505)
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 1: PROCESS ESSAY
LECTURER: CASSANDRA WIJESURIA
SUBMISSION DATE: 2ND
MAY 2014

2. Producing an attractive sketch
Different individuals will go about opposite poles to produce something as simple
as a sketch. Some of us might not even have the motivation to pick up sketching
because we believe that it is only meant for aimless artists or children. Before
you continue on any further, do believe that drawing can achieve a lot more than
just pleasure to the eyes. Cue in the melodramatic sounds as I say that drawing
can “encourage the creation of a more humane environment by developing visual
and artistic sensibilities” [1] or to simply help you “arrive at a shared
understanding” [2]. Whatever it is, do find that something more.
Remember those stereotypical Parisian street artists that wave their pencils
horizontally and vertically and back again in the air before they sketch? Well, it is
time for you to be one of those debonair artists. Start by simply holding out your
pencil at arm’s length, in parallel with your eyes and perpendicular to your line of
sight, roughly scale the lengths and angles of specific lines [3]. Otherwise, plainly
cut out a square in a blackboard and bisect the opening ever since Albert Durer
developed it in the 1500s! [4] Either technique will help the artist to outline a
clearer picture of what it is he or she sets out to obtain in manageable order. This
also allows a more focus on the detailing.
Now imagine yourself as a sculptor with the mental image that you gathered
earlier imprinted into your head. The second step is to draw out an oversized
three dimensional cuboid that could fit the desired size of your building’s sketch.
You now have this nice, clean slate of marble before you to slowly chip away to

3. your heart’s content. Do divide the cuboid into manageable cubes. Therefore
thirdly, chip away the cuboid(s) by focusing your eye on a particular point at a
contour of the building and sketch as your eye follows even the minutest of shifts
or bends. It helps to draw at the same pace as your eye moves during this
process. This is known as subtractive form of realizing space and form [5].
Sometimes, you just might be overwhelmed by the amount of detail that is
presented before you. Fear not, as to produce a good sketch is also to strive for
simplicity. When presented with all sorts of details of the building, remember that
you play judge to the significance of each characteristic and should strive for the
requisite first. By the way, don’t worry about it too much as according to the
Gestalt theory of perception; it is in our nature to untangle the complexities we
see before us. The way we do this is by organizing the input into patterns.
Accordingly, do look out for them through their similarities, proximities and
continuity to better grasp the coexistence of constituents that make up the
building [6]. Finish off with shading by crosshatching places where the light does
not hit the surface of the building to give your sketch tone and texture.
With all these tools at your disposal to tinker away the world, Kimon Nicolaїdes is
convinced that “there is one right way to draw and that is a perfectly natural way”
[7]. Do you have a similar belief? As the popular saying goes, in my opinion,
there is the obvious solution of practice, practice, practice [8] till the techniques
come naturally. When you finally meet the right building to sketch, my hope is
that you’d do more than just draw.
References

4. [1] Edwards, Brian (2008) “Understanding Architecture Through Drawing” 2nd ed.
The Cromwell Press, Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
[2] Sayre, H (2012) “A World of Art” 7th ed. Pearson
[3] Ching, Frank (1998.), with Juroszek, Steven P., Design Drawing, Van
Nostrand Reinhold, New York
[4] http://underpaintings.blogspot.com/2009/09/studio-tools-durers-grid.html
[5] Wisse, Jacob (October 2002) “Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528)”, In Heilbrunn
Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropoliton Museum of Art, 2000-
<http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/durr/hd_durr.htm>
[6] Wagemans, Johan; Feldman, Jacob; Gepshtein, Sergei; Kimchi, Ruth;
Pomerantz, James R.; van der Helm, Peter A.; van Leeuwen, Cees (November
2012) “A century of Gestalt psychology in visual perception: II. “Conceptual and
theoretical foundations”, Psychological Bulletin, Vol 138(6), Nov 2012, 1218-1252.
doi: 10.1037/a0029334-
<http://www.gestaltrevision.be/pdfs/A%20century%20of%20Gestalt%20psycholo
gy%20in%20visual%20perception%20I.pdf>
[7] Kimon Nicolaides (1969) “The Natural Way to Draw: A Working Plan for Art
Study”, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston

5. [8] Pollak, Michael (November 27, 2009). "The Origins of That Famous Carnegie
Hall Joke", The New York Times.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/nyregion/29fyi.html?_r=0>