Best_of_sketches_vol_01.pdf

Best of vol. 01

#SketchLikeAnArchitect

Dedication

To all fans of sketching, architecture, or both! Special thanks to all of you sticking around #SketchLikeAnArchitect! You’re a huge inspiration for me and I appreciate you more than you might think!

- David Drazil #SketchLikeAnArchitect

© 2018 by David Dražil. All rights reserved.

Contents

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My Back Story

p. 4

Why Sketching

p. 6

Best of Sketches

p. 7

Resources to Check Out

p. 43

About the Author

p. 44

Get in Touch

p. 45

Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

My Back Story Back in summer 2016, I graduated from Aalborg University in Denmark as a Master of Science in Architecture and Design. Together with my girlfriend (now wife ;)), we moved to Copenhagen to look for jobs. I was a young architect, unemployed expat, not speaking local language properly, with very little of working experience, and no contacts in the new city. ‘In Copenhagen, getting a job is easier than getting accommodation,’ they said. Well, we were lucky enough to find an apartment, not jobs, though. While sending job applications, calling (and sometimes even visiting) many of architecture studios, I thought to myself that I could use this unemployment time to my advantage somehow. But how? During that job-seeking period, I was rejected by firms more than 100 times (yes, I numbered all my applications). It got me thinking whether architecture is actually something for me. Lots of self-reflection went in, but after a while thinking about what makes me happy, I realized that I always loved to school and correct other people -- ehm, I mean teach.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

With passion for both visual presentation of architecture and teaching, I decided to create an online course on architectural sketching. At the same, I took it as an opportunity to start sharing my sketches and works in progress on Instagram, making it a little gallery to show the process behind it. This was at the beginning of 2017. That’s how #SketchLikeAnArchitect was born and since then this little venture of mine brought me a lot of joy, motivation, and purpose in life. But don’t get me wrong, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. It’s been also lots of hours, evenings, weekends, and sometimes nights spent sketching, learning all the hacks on Instagram or how to shoot and edit video, and struggling with juggling all the balls in the air. Eventually in the summer of 2017, one year after my graduation, I got a full-time job as an architect in which I continue to this day. On top of that, thanks to sharing my sketches and tips on architectural sketching on Instagram and in my online course, I’ve had the chance to meet some amazing people, speak at conferences, collaborate as a featured artist for two sketching apps, be interviewed, and featured in a magazine. The unstable and bit difficult period of time wasn’t all bad, I guess. It gave me an opportunity to take a shot at doing something I otherwise wouldn’t have a chance to do. I’m grateful for all what happened and excited about what’s coming next. Thanks for following and being part of this journey!

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Best Shotoffrom Sketches video vol. footage 01 | of#SketchLikeAnArchitect Sketch Like an Architect| online Davidcourse. Drazil

Why Sketching As an architect, I believe in power of effective visual communication. For me, sketching is a communication tool, helping to make sure that people I work with understand exactly what I mean. With ability to sketch, you can quickly, easily, and naturally present and communicate your ideas. However, it’s not only about presenting the final result. Sketching serves extremely well even during the process. By sketching you can brainstorm new ideas, solve problems, shape your design and make iterations to optimize it. A free-hand sketch, with all its imperfections, often opens a dialogue, invites viewers to participate in the process and suggests with welcoming arms that nothing’s set in stone. Good free-hand sketching connects us on a very human level which people can relate to. Even in today’s world focused on innovative technology, 5D BIM, and virtual reality, I find hand-sketching with pen and paper irreplaceable. My hope is to share all my knowledge about sketching with creative, like-minded people so they can use it to their advantage - in their design process, in communicating their ideas better, and more convincing presentations of the results, whatever they are creating.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Best of Sketches These sketches on the right hand side are not here to represent the ‘Best of...’. These are the sketches which my journey started with - I brought these to my artistic entrance exams at architecture school in Prague, Czech Republic. On the following pages, you can find more recent (and hopefully better) sketches! I hope they will serve you as an inspiration or references for your own work, and will offer some handy tips & tricks you might find useful. Hope you enjoy and happy sketching!

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Family House Concept 01 These sketches are from a family house project for a private client in the Czech Republic. Perspective section, showing how the house works, its orientation towards views, connection with the garden, and accessibility to both floors from the terrain. Axonometry of the whole plot shows the full volume of the house, its position on the plot and relation to the slightly sloping terrain. Sketches are based on a very simple Sketchup model, all the details are added directly in the sketches.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Family House Concept 01 Photoshopped version of the axonometry with added colours and textures.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Family House Concept 02 Another solution for the same brief on the family house project. In these examples, hand-sketches really helped to create an impression of flexbility of the design. Client was more open to talk about adjustments and changes, coming up with new ideas to the topic. High level perspective sketch shows important relation to the existing buildings around the plot, comparing volumetry and typology of the houses.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Imagination Exercise This image was a really good exercise for perspective and composition. To add a sense of depth, I was working with the 3 depth planes - foreground, middle ground, and background. At the end I emphasized the focal point with a colour accent. This time I also tried a bit more creative approach to the sky which supports the flow of the building and the landscape. (Excerpt from my PDF Handbook ‘Sketch Like an Architect’.)

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Batman You might think ‘Wait a minute, that’s not architecture!’, - and you’re right! However, architecture isn’t the only thing and I’m a huge fan of! ;)

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Tree House Hotel, Bengo Studio In this image, there is an interesting play between the two complementing major elements - stacked architectural structure and natural surroundings. The central part of the image is most detailed and therefore it draws the most attention. The focus is on the hotel itself, its role within the nature, and the contact with the closest vegetation. (Excerpt from my PDF Handbook ‘Sketch Like an Architect’.)

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Tree House Hotel, Bengo Studio Photoshopped version with added colours and texture, using watercolour brushes.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Expandable House Sketch of the Expandable House by Urban Rural Systems. This was my contribution to Envisage Brand’s Diary campaign.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Expandable House Photoshopped version with added colours and texture, using watercolour brushes.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

You have to love this sport! It wasn’t intentional, but one of these guys turned out to look a lot like Carles Puyol!

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Guggenheim Museum, NYC Architectural masterpiece by Frank Lloyd Wright in New York City! Sketch from our visit in NYC last Christmas - I absolutely loved the city. Definitely planning on coming back! Simple framing of the sketch, tree in the foreground, and couple of people for the sense of scale.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Guggenheim Museum, NYC Photoshopped version with added colours, reflections, and texture, using watercolour brushes.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Hoomans Bunch of hand-sketched architectural hooman figures. Populating your sketch adds liveliness, suggests a story, and adds sense of scale! Don’t forget that you can get exactly these for free as Photoshop brushes and raster and vector files!

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Imagination Exercise Lonely, quiet, calm - I had these three values in mind when creating this 2-point perspective. Instead of a busy city context, a simple summer house is placed in a very natural environment, offering peace of mind. All the natural elements are very important to the desired atmosphere, including the water with reflections. As a final touch, I used a colour marker to enhance the shading of the image. (Excerpt from my PDF Handbook ‘Sketch Like an Architect’.)

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Rhythm Rhythm created by repetition in 1-point perspective.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Ribbon Chapel, Hiroshima Absolutely love this project by Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP architects. Such an elegant and clever combination of beauty, story-telling, and engineering.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Ribbon Chapel, Hiroshima Photoshopped version with added colours and texture, using watercolour brushes.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Slovenia Pavilion For me something not so typical - pencil-coloured sketch - of Slovenia Pavilion from EXPO 2015, Milan, Italy, by SoNo Arhitekti.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Trees, trees, trees Architecturally sketched trees in all forms, shapes, and sizes. Don’t forget that you can get exactly these for free as Photoshop brushes and raster and vector files!

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Vegetation Exercise Start by defining the scale with a human figure and then drawing a basic composition of trees. In the examples on the right hand side, there is always one small and one big tree, but you are free to choose your own composition. Subsequently, you complement the sketch with smaller elements, such as small pots with flowers, bushes, and grass. As a final touch, I recommend to anchor the composition by defining a setting - in this case, a simple brick wall in the background will do fine. (Excerpt from my PDF Handbook ‘Sketch Like an Architect’.)

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Natural elements Sketching vegetation is very calming to me and I’ve always liked how natural elements can complement man-made spaces. We should return the favour when designing architecture - so our designs complement nature.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Natural elements Photoshopped version with added colours and texture, using watercolour brushes.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

2D-to-3D Two sketches representing how a 2D principle/section/elevation can be transformed into 3D perspective sketch, revealing the spatial consequences.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Bay-window, Copenhagen Sketch based on a photograph I took in the streets of Østerbro, Copenhagen. Big scale of the sketch requires a high level of detail. That is a very challenging change from regular exterior sketches. Nonetheless, I encourage you to pay attention to such small details - on the buildings, on the streets, or in a public space in general. Very often you need to thoroughly understand the principle behind a  detail and its tectonic qualities in order to sketch it properly. This was a great exercise in observation skills and detailing work, including window reflections and shading techniques. (Excerpt from my PDF Handbook ‘Sketch Like an Architect’.)

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Wingardium Leviosa! It was fun to try more of a concept art architectural sketch for a change! Notice how the reference to human figures create the impression of a big scale piece of architecture. This trick is often used in concept art to achieve a feeling of monumentality!

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Only the best staircase! Most beautiful staircase I’ve ever seen with my own eyes. I should add that I was totally blown away by the whole project of Antinori Winery in Tuscany, Italy, by Archea Associati Architects. Since we’ve done a winery project as our master thesis, I know how much of a factory a winery actully is. Absolutely gorgeous factory this one!

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Danielsen Architecture Here are couple of sketches I made for Danielsen Architecture. Both of them depict the same residential building in Copenhagen, Denmark. Again, Photoshopped with added colours and texture, using watercolour brushes.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Danielsen Architecture Here are couple of sketches I made for Danielsen Architecture. Both of them depict the same residential building in Copenhagen, Denmark. Again, Photoshopped with added colours and texture, using watercolour brushes.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Getting Industrial Sketched composition inspired by industrial architecture.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Originality is a myth! Absolutely unoriginal idea of twisting a high-rise. Great example of a multi-point perspective, though!

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Story of a cube Quick diagrammatic sketch drawn in 3-point perspective. Similar style is often used for presenting concepts in architecture and industrial design.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Landscape Simple 1-point perspective using strong principles to create an illusion of depth. Trees, as getting further from the viewer, get smaller in size and contain less details. Use of different lineweights is crucial to support this illusion, as well as to create contrast in a sketch.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

How many people?

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Angled Picture Plane The only single sketch in this collection, which I drew with a ruler. I like to think about this object as a big-ass wine cork. No particular reason.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Space Efficiency Simple sketch of a complicated geometry. Based on a photo reference by Daniela McAdden, design by Estudio Ramos.

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

Resources to Check Out Freebies Free Hand-Sketched Human Figures Free Hand-Sketched Vegetation Vol. 01 Free Hand-Sketched Vegetation Vol. 02 Free Hand-Sketched Photoshop Brush Sets PDF Handbooks Sketch Like an Architect Online Courses Sketch Like an Architect - Step-by-Step from Lines to Perspective (Skillshare - 2 months free offer)

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Best of Sketches vol. 01 | #SketchLikeAnArchitect | David Drazil

About the Author David Drazil is a young architect and CG artist from the Czech Republic, currently based in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since his childhood he‘s been fascinated by visuals and has been inclined to fine arts, architecture, and graphic design. During his architectural studies, both in the Czech Republic and Denmark, David found his passion in the visual presentation of architecture - namely architectural sketching, visualisations, animation, and virtual reality. To name a few accomplishments, David obtained several academic distinctions, including the Yellow Card Award for outstanding and high quality studio project (2011, nomination 2012) and Best student‘s visualisation award (2013, 2014). Furthermore, he wrote an online article about Photoshop post-process in arch-viz, and presented a Net-ZEB project City Gardens at the Passive Housing Conference 2016 in Brno, CZ. David has gained working experience from both Czech and Danish studios, such as Cigler Marani Architects, KHR Architecture, and Danielsen Architecture. In 2016, David graduated from Aalborg University in Denmark with a Master of Science (MSc.) degree in Architecture and Design.

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