Architectural drawing is one of the most fundamental foundations in architecture. Architects use this tool to convey their ideas, concepts, and visions for buildings and spaces.

By understanding how architects design using sketches, you can take your architectural drafting skills to the next level. While some people consider it as mere decoration or artistic expression, there’s much more to it than that.

Sketches play an integral part in the process of creating a building proposal or blueprint. They help get rid of excessive detail so that important elements are not over-looked while also providing a quick way to evaluate overall space proportions and shapes.

This article will go into greater depth about why designing with sketches is powerful and helpful. If you’re looking to improve your draughtsmanship, start by practicing at home by yourself.

Architectural drawings

When architects talk about drawing, they usually refer to designing buildings or landscapes. But what most people don’t know is that there are different types of architectural drawings. Some of these drawings help you create more detailed designs for things like windows and doors, while others help you plan future projects.

Architectural drawings can be categorized into three major groups according to their use. These are 1) Construction documents, 2) Presentation sketches, and 3) Planning diagrams. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Construction Documents

These are sometimes called “Drawing Plans.” They are typically used by builders who need accurate floor plans, interior and exterior elevations, and other related building information. Because construction documents contain lots of detail, they are the most complex of all the architectural drawing types.

Presentation Sketches

A presentation sketch is less formal than a construction document but still contains enough details to get your message across. Examples of presentation sketches include a logo design, an illustration, or a simple diagram.

Planning Diagrams

A planning diagram is probably the least complicated type of architectural drawing. A planning diagram only includes enough components to give a general idea of the area being sketched. For example, a family room planning diagram would only have a table and chairs, but it would tell you where those items go.

Refine your sketches

As with any skill, practicing architecture sketching is needed to achieve true proficiency. Once you have learned how to draw from nature, learn how to apply that knowledge to buildings!

Just because you can create beautiful pictures of natural landscapes does not mean that you are automatically able to design skyscrapers or houses. It takes practice and training to be able as designed structures.

Luckily for you, there are many ways to get more practice drawing buildings. You can find free architectural drawing resources online and in-person at college classes or private art schools.

There you can ask an instructor to help you out by letting you watch them work and then giving you feedback so you can improve your own skills.

Architectural drawing is like any other artistic discipline.

Learn to use the different shapes in architecture

There are many ways to use shape as a tool for exploring architectural styles. Some of the most common types include: line, circle, square, wedge, octagon, triangle, rhombus, vesica pisces (the top half of an oval that looks like two halves separating), and dome.

Many artists and designers learn how to apply these shapes to designs during their training so it is no wonder they are popular.

However, aside from being aesthetically pleasing, using shapes effectively can also help you understand which parts of a style work and why.

For example, looking at the lines and circles used in Gothic buildings, you will see that they are very heavily weighted towards verticality. The roofs are mostly lines with some curves here and there, and the windows and doors are almost all circular.

This effect is due to the influence of Christianity, where God is usually depicted as having his head up and heaven his destination, making the building vertical messages about faith in a higher power.

On the other hand, Neoclassical buildings emphasize horizontal lines and geometry. They want your focus to be on what happens next, not who or what happened before, which makes sense since this was originally designed after the French Revolution when people wanted to create new beginnings.

These types of buildings typically have strong lines such as doorframes, columns, and/or staircases, and lots of white space.