Sketch to Model from an Abstract Brief

Name: Steve Kelly

Field or discipline: Art, Architecture and Design
Program: Interior Architecture
Course: Design Communication 2A
Year level: 2
Class size: 60+
Activity type: Sketch to model from an abstract brief

Aim: The aim of the course is for students to utilise one of a series of journal articles to create an abstract brief. The students’ perceptions of this theoretical article formulate into a conceptual hand-drawn sketch before commencing the primary element of the course namely a digital modelling.

Description: In the past the courses in digital technologies have placed an emphasis on technical teaching rather than the integration of taught skills across other streams within the program. Instead of simply teaching computing techniques and skills as was done in previous years, students were required to develop their model from an initial hand drawn perspective to reinforce and integrate drawing skills taught in first year. Students were given a choice from three journal articles and asked to develop a brief from which they would eventually model in 3D digitally. The final presentation hardcopy was compared with the original perspective sketch and helped demonstrate the different results and outcomes possible.
Among other things three outcomes where observed.

• The project developed a real-life employment scenario without making the stages or progression obvious to the students until near completion.
  


• The use of a journal abstract to develop a brief challenged the majority of students but allowed others to show high levels of articulation and comprehension.
  
  
• This task required the teaching staff to be capable of reinforcing sketching/drawing skills as well as digital modelling skills. A crossover area often neglected.
  

As the task was primarily a modelling project, resources and marks were focussed on this component, but incorporation of skill-sets from other areas of the course enabled students to develop a real-life example and a portfolio piece at an early year level.

Benefits: Enabled students to develop a concept and think creatively before developing a digital model. This mirrors a real-life situation.
The students were encouraged to avoid focusing on the end result until the modelling stage.
It is very easy for digital outcomes to be fluked because of the nature of the types of technologies being used. The process of theoretical perception, conceptual design and interpretation guides the students away from this result and towards resolving their own design intentions by using the software.

Application: Student engagement and real-life experiences.