Further to Rob Curedale's comment. Drawing is not purely a modelling method. It is a reflective process in itself, allowing the designer
to dwell in a complex problem and, often tacitly, engage in very fast cycles of modelling and evaluation within the creation of a particular
drawing (model) as well as through a series of sketches. It can mobilise right brain activity and, arguably, it promotes the integration of
right and left brain in solving problems.
Contrary to Dick's suggestion, I feel that drawing is very fast and efficient indeed, more importantly it is effective. Most of the
objections he raises are concerned with the difficulty of the task rather than the benefit (and satisfaction) that flows when you have
learned to do it well. It is such a good thinking and learning tool that it would be a crime to discourage anybody from learning to use it
if they have any aptitude or inclination.
In my country we are having to rediscover the power of drawing. The national "drawing power" campaign is at http://www.drawingpower.org.uk
<http://www.drawingpower.org.uk> here are two quotes from their "why draw" page:
"In the design process, drawing is the act of thought"
Richard MacCormac
"Drawings are an invaluable aid to my mathematical thinking and an essential ingredient of most of my mathematical expositions"
Sir Roger Penrose
As a footnote, I was interested, some years ago, to meet an automotive design company who put their CAD surface modelling engineers through
a sketching and clay modelling course before starting them on the CAD system. They had found that this promoted a much better understanding
of the three-dimensional issues they would face in the less tangible environment of the computer.
But the Hummer was a low blow Rob.
best wishes from Sheffield
Chris Rust
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Professor Chris Rust
Art and Design Research Centre
Sheffield Hallam University, UK
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