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VisCom Reviewer
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Drawing- is a means of making an image, using any of a wide variety of tools and techniques. It
can be subjective through emotive works and it can be objective through technical works.
Stages of drawing in Architecture:
1. Pre -Design
2. Schematic Design
3. Design Development
4. Construction Documentation – Finalized part of the drawing phase.
5. Construction Administration
Types of Drawings:
• Artistic Drawings – It is about the discipline of drawing and delineating figures or
abstract forms that represent a real or an imaginary object.

It has been used since prehistory as a language of universal characteristics that allows the
transmission of information, description, ideas and feelings.
Its purpose is aesthetic, or to convey an idea or feeling

• Architectural Drawing – It is a system of graphic representation of various types of

objects or structures. Its purpose is to provide sufficient information to facilitate its
design, construction, and maintenance.

This type of drawing is based on descriptive geometry uses orthogonal projections to

draw different views of an object, plane, part, machine and others.

Several views are usually represented as top view, roof, floor, elevation, bounded and
covered among others.

Two projections of the object are needed to provide useful information about it.

• Technical Drawing – the technical drawing follows internationally approved regulations

to unify the language used.

It includes sketches, diagrams, electrical, mechanical, architectural, and urban planning

plans.
Architectural drawing – is a two-dimensional and three-dimensional representation of three-
dimensional objects. In general, it provides necessary information about the shape, size, surface
quality, material, manufacturing process, etc, of the object.
Engineering drawings – Is called the universal language of engineers.
Foreign standards:
• DIN of Germany
• BS of Britain
• ANSI of America

Other Classification of Drawings

Illustration Drawings – these are drawings that are created to represent the lay-out of a
particular document. This includes all the basic details of the project clearly stating its purpose,
style, size, color, character, and effect.
Life Drawings – drawings that result from direct or real observations are life drawings. This are
also known as still-life drawing or figure drawing, portrays all the expression that are viewed by
the artist and captured in the picture. The human figure forms one of the most enduring themes in
life drawing that is applied to portraiture, sculpture, medical illustration, cartooning and comic
book illustration, and other fields.
Emotive drawing – similar to painting, emotive drawing emphasizes the exploration and
expression of different emotions, feelings and moods.
Analytic Drawing – sketches that are created for clear understanding and representation of
observation made by an artist. In simple words analytic drawing is undertaken to divide
observations into small parts for a better perspective.
Perspective Drawing – is used by the artists to create a three-dimensional images on a two-
dimensional picture plane, such as paper. It represents space, distance, volume, light, surface
planes, and scale all viewed from a particular eye level.
Diagrammatic Drawing – serve as active design process for the instant ideas to conceived.
When concepts and ideas are explored and investigated, these are documented on paper through
diagrammatic drawing.
Diagrams – are created to depict adjacencies and happenstance that are likely to take place in the
immediate future.
Geometric Drawing – Is used, particularly, in construction fields that demand specific
dimensions. Measured scales, true sides, sections, and various other descriptive views are
represented through geometric drawing.

Role of architectural Drawing

1. The ability to read drawing is the most important requirement of all technical people in
profession. As compared to verbal or written description this method is brief and clearer.
Some of the applications are:
• building drawings for civil engineers
• machine drawing for mechanical engineers
• circuit diagrams for electrical and electronics engineers
• computer graphics for one and all
2. Ability to read and prepare engineering drawings.
3. Ability to make free – hand sketching of objects.
4. Power to imagine, analyze and communicate.
5. Capacity to understand other subjects.

Architectural Drawing – sketching classified by stages

of drawing in architecture
1. Process Drawing – preliminary images, sketches, schematics.
2. Construction documents – drafted drawings
(technical sketch mechanical drafting, computer aided) working drawings, plans
elevations, sections, details,
3. Presentation drawings – 3D ex. Perspectives, isometrics, obliques, etc.

Drawing Methods
Hand drawings – is the traditional sketching with a pen on a paper. For a long time architects
have used hand drawings to explore ideas and assess multiple options during the design stage.
The first hand drawings in the history of architecture are dated back to 10,000 B.C.E at this time
the drawings were merely artistic, but then they gradually evolved to become architecturally
meaningful.
Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) - is as the name suggests the processes of using a
computer application to create a representation of a project, with the soul purpose of
communication.

The purpose and importance of drafting

• Drawing is a tool for thought, for creativity, for invention

• Method for problem solving – exploring and documenting the evolution of an idea.
• Can capture time and record memory. It is visual communication: a medium for
expression.
• It teaches us to see, to observe – educating our visual sense through the exploration of
form, light, texture, distance, and perspective.
• drawing is essential to the process which leads the development of a design. Various
types of drawings are produced –diagrammatical at the initiation of a project and highly
technical in the end. During this process the exploration of design ideas are studied,
shared and presented, and varying levels of information must be communicated.
• Hand drawing is incomparable when one considers its efficiency, and perhaps even its
beauty.
• Used as a method for problem solving, a hand sketch can explore numerous possibilities
quickly. The development of a parti, the analysis of a site, the organization of spaces
within a building, even the exploration of construction details are all efficiently produced
in the line work of a sketch.

Parti - is often obtained through numerous diagrams that analyze form, space, orientation,
context, and more. Typically loose in style, these drawings initiate an often-complex design
with an abstract suggestion.
Site analysis - is often documented with overlaid diagram sketches illustrating wind
directions, solar paths, topography and terrain, vegetation and landscape, infrastructure,
contextual relationships, directional views and more. This visual information begins to define
a buildable area and orientation for building placement.

Building Design - Conceptual building sections are explored with sketches that consider floor-
to-floor heights, structural depths, vertical circulation, and potential daylighting strategies.
Building elevation sketches record initial ideas of style, proportion, exterior materials, and
color. In combination, these illustrations provide useful analysis for consideration in the design
of the building’s mass, roof design, exterior fenestration and more.
Details - Hand sketches are efficient for problem solving construction details. A number of
illustrations can be produced quickly, incorporating varying ideas that reach a single solution.
The evolution of the process provides documented analyses which can then be compared to
identify the best solution

The dangers of poor DRAWINGS

An inaccurate drawing can mean a construction job fails before it has even begun. If the artist
has not infused their work with enough clarity, spatial awareness and precision, it will lead to
serious issues further down the line. If the original plan was not rendered with enough skill,
everything from unexpectedly high costs to under-equipped builders can be the result.

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ARCHITECTURAL LETTERINGS
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Lettering - is defined as writing of titles, sub-titles, dimensions, etc., on a drawing.
Importance of Lettering - To undertake production work of an engineering components as per
the drawing, the size and other details are indicated on the drawing. This is done in the form of
notes and dimensions.
Main Features of Lettering
• legibility, uniformity and rapidity of execution. Use of drawing instruments for lettering
consumes more time. Lettering should be done freehand with speed.
• Practice accompanied by continuous efforts would improve the lettering skill and style.
Poor lettering mars the appearance of an otherwise good drawing
Single Stroke Letters - The word single-stroke should not be taken to mean that the lettering
should be made in one stroke without lifting the pencil. It means that the thickness of the letter
should be uniform as if it is obtained in one stroke of the pencil.

Vertical letters - are preferred for easy and fast execution, instead of sloped letters.
• Note: Lettering in drawing should be in CAPITALS (i.e., Upper-case letters).
• Lower-case (small) letters are used for abbreviations like mm, cm, etc.

Size of Letters
Size of Letters - is measured by the height h of the CAPITAL letters as well as numerals.
Standard heights for CAPITAL letters and numerals recommended by BIS are given
below:
• 1.8, 2.5, 3.5, 5, 6, 10, 14 and 20 mm
•Note: Size of the letters may be selected based upon the size of drawing.
In order to obtain correct and uniform height of letters and numerals, guide lines are drawn,
using 2H pencil with light pressure. HB grade conical end pencil is used for lettering.

Procedure for Lettering

1. Thin horizontal guide lines are drawn first at a distance 'h' apart.
2. Lettering Technique: Horizontal lines of the letters are drawn from left to right. Vertical,
inclined and curved lines are drawn from top to bottom.
3. After lettering has been completed, the guidelines are not erased
BIS denotes the characteristics of lettering as:
❖ height of capital letters
❖ height of lower-case letters
❖ tail of lower-case letters
❖ stem of lower-case letters
❖ spacing between characters
❖ spacing between baselines
❖ spacing between words
❖ line thickness

The following are some of the guide lines for lettering

1. Drawing numbers, title block and letters denoting cutting planes, sections are written in
10 mm size.
2. Drawing title is written in 7 mm size.
3. Hatching, sub-titles, materials, dimensions, notes, etc., are written in 3.5 mm size.
4. Space between lines = ~ h.
5. Space between words may be equal to the width of alphabet M or 3/5 h.
6. Space between letters should be approximately equal to 115 h. Poor spacing will affect
the visual effect.
 7. The spacing between two characters may be reduced by half if this gives a better visual
effect, as for example LA, TV; overlapped in case of say LT, TA etc., and the space is
increased for letters with adjoining stems.

Capital Letters:
❖ Ratio of height to width for most of the CAPITAL letters is approximately = 10:6
❖ However, for M and W, the ratio = 10:8 for I the ratio = 10:

Lower Case Letters:

❖ Height of lower-case letters with stem I tail (b, d, f, g, h, j, k, I, p, q, t, y) = Cz= c3 = h
❖ Ratio of height to width for lower-case letters with stem or tail = 10:5
❖ Height of lower-case letters without stem or tail c1 is approximately = (7/10) h
❖ Ratio of height to width for most lower-case letters without stem or tail = 7: 5
❖ However, for m and w, the ratio = 7: 7. For I and I, the ratio = 10:2

Numerals:
❖ For numerals 0 to 9, the ratio of height to width = 10 : 5. For I, ratio = 10 : 2
Spacing:
❖ Spacing between characters = a = (2/10)b
❖ Spacing between words = e = (6/10)b

Notes:
❖ Notes - are lettered comments placed on the drawings. There are general notes, which
apply to the whole sheet or set, and local notes, which have a leader line pointing to the
feature discussed
❖ Notes describe specific features and clarify intent, such as “slope floor to drain.” Here are
some tips for their placement.
❖ Notes can be placed between dimension lines and object lines. Arrange notes at the same
time as dimension lines so they don’t overlap. Avoid long leader lines between notes and
the items they point to.
❖ Group the notes around the construction they refer to. For instance, in a wall section,
place all notes that refer to the floor slab in one general area close to that slab.
❖ Notes that apply to other areas should be placed elsewhere. Place notes as close to the
items they point to as possible; for example, the topmost note directed to the floor slab
should describe the topmost material in the floor slab construction, and so on. This will
avoid crossed leader lines.
❖ Align notes at the left; an even margin improves readability.
❖ Draw leader lines at an angle to avoid confusion of leader lines with the drawing’s
vertical and horizontal lines. They may also be drawn with an irregular curve.
❖ Start leader lines at the beginning or end of the note, not in the center. They should touch
the material they’re referring to.
❖ Notes should be short and to the point. Nomenclature should be consistent throughout the
set of drawings.