[dropcap]C[/dropcap]reating designs digitally is not an effort anymore; in fact we are so habituated to technology that it seems to have become almost a way of life now. However I always feel that an artist using his hands to create any art is truly letting himself loose in many ways than one. In contrast to the digital experience, this rawness of creation is something that one should indulge in often. This blog talks about this very real, hands-on experience (in the literal sense too) of how and what a crucial role sketching plays in the life of a designer and that it truly can give you the feeling of liberation!
Digital revolution has successfully introduced the most sophisticated and speedy deliverables with optimum flexibility to turn an idea into a reality. GUI and an interface have evolved to a great extent to make communication and understanding faster, cohesive and more consistent. Without this revolution we would be using DOS prompt &Telnet (for internet access). But unfortunately while technology blesses us with many advantages, it does seem to have taken away much from humans- the human touch itself and the intuitive spontaneity that once painted every designers world.
Visuals are a very strong and powerful source of communication for creating an impact and hence a designer who wields it has a much greater responsibility towards it.
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“Everything we ever wanted to know is just a click away,when such second hand information isnt enough, that’s the time we dig in & get our hands dirty.”
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[two_third last="yes"]With the onset of easily available digital tools and the ample amount of resources available through the internet, we are being constantly bombarded with loads of information every minute of our lives. Knowing everything you want to know is just a click away. However this kind of second-hand information is not fodder enough to a designer. It’s exactly the time when you need to dig in and get your hands dirty with raw creative processes where the true joy is hidden.[/two_third]
It is just like going back to our roots and unlearning things to re-learn through old ways of creating art. This is where we strike a chord with the real physical tools of trade armed with a set of pens, pencils and paper.
[two_third last="no"]Sketching is often confused with the art of drawing. This creates apprehensions and stops one from enjoying the real joy of sketching. However the fact is that sketching is not a process of correct drawing; in fact, it is about capturing moments, ideas, thoughts, experiences and most importantly ones imagination. It is about giving a tangible form to one’s vivid mental imagery. It is so much about spontaneity.[/two_third]
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“Sketching is Intuitive & Pure! It’s about bringing back what we as users, designers & human beings have experienced and expressing it back on paper.”
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The real purpose of sketching is to inspire, give a visual direction to one’s fragile thoughts, seed ideas, brainstorm, communicate, plan, describe, sell and most importantly have fun and enjoy the activity to the fullest.
What is this exactly about having Fun? Yes, as most of our lives, whether a designer, programmer etc. is mostly limited to a canvas size of mere 1024X 740, 1280 etc. An exercise like sketching is great fun, a great opportunity that allows one to take his eyes and mind away from the limited space of the screen and break away from the confined routine.
It has almost become a norm or a habit now that whenever we receive a brief from the client, the first thing we tend to do is Google (the name has now become a verb) in order to get a preview of how other people would perceive an idea or think about it. With such resources at hand I feel that it has unknowingly trained our brains to just pick and choose from the options available and then just manipulate it to fit the requirements at hand.
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“With technology we intended to reduce paper, instead we reduced thought.”
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[three_fourth last="yes"]The tendency of creating from the scratch has taken a back seat and so have our thoughts. Sketching is a much purer and intuitive form of expression. It is also a faster way of ideating and that too, without having to depend on anything. It is about bringing back what we as users, designers and human beings experience and express it on paper.[/three_fourth]
[two_third last="no"]In the future, digital tools are only going to get more and more assistive and it won’t be long till they even start taking decisions for us. Before such enslavement happens, I strongly propose to keep sketching in our daily lives to keep our minds in momentum and our thoughts racing as designers. Most importantly sketching acts as a grease to keep the three essentials namely the hands, eyes, and the brain in perfect co-ordination with each other.
Hope you enjoy sketching as much as I enjoyed sharing my heartfelt thoughts with you through this blog.
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The following links and books could prove useful:
Books to refer to:
Back of the Napkin - Dan roam
Rapid Viz: A New Method For The Rapid Visualization Of Ideas - Kurt
Hanks / Larry Belliston
Visual Teams: Graphic Tools for Commitment, Innovation, and High
Performance - David Sibbet
Sketching User experiences: The workbook -Saul Greenberg /
Sheelagh Carpendale / Nicolai Marquardt / Bill Buxton
Sketching: The Basics: Koos Eissen, Roselien Steur
Many More are available on online shopping sites.
Gamestorming: A Playbook for Innovators -Dave Gray / Sunny Brown
