Sketching as a record of thoughts

Beata Makowska

doi:10.5277/arc180202

Abstract

The significant and indispensable role of sketching in a creative process is emphasizes in the paper. Within this process, sketches represent an internal conversation that takes place inside the author’s mind and involves ongoing verification and adjustments to the author’s way of thinking. On the other hand, freehand drawing is a form of a dialogue with reality, and offers an opportunity for its exploration and discovery. Thanks to a certain degree of unpredictability inherent to sketching, sketches are indispensable in the creative process. They prove to be particularly useful when ideation turns out to be insufficient or when a problem is more likely to be solved by “externalising” the thinking (the process of restructuring – creating an analogy, mutation and combination of forms by sketching). Due to the fact that education of future architects today focuses on drawing less than in the past, students find it increasingly more difficult to develop their skill of creative “thinking on paper”. Meanwhile when teaching future architects the artistic skills that support the creative process, it is important that each of them seek their individual perspective and strive to go out of the box, challenging stereotypes. Methods discussed in the article include observation based on the vast teaching experience in the academic context.