INTRODUCTION TO DRAWING

Interior design is a multifaceted and everchanging discipline. The practice of interior design continues to evolve due to technological as well as societal changes. Computers, the Internet,
and fax machines have deeply influenced and changed its practice. For example, use of computer-aided drafting and design (CADD) is standard operating procedure in current design practice, whereas 15 years ago it was just beginning to gain in popularity.

In addition to undergoing rapid technological advancement, the profession of interior design has grown in terms of scope of work, specialization, and the range of design practiced.

The growth of the profession, combined with efforts toward standards and licensing, have increased its legitimacy as a serious professional discipline. Constant change in society and in one’s profession can be overwhelming and a bit frightening, and for that reason it is useful to consider the elements that remain constant in an evolving profession. In many ways, the design process itself remains constant—whether practiced with a stick in the sand, a technical pen, or a powerful computer. There are many stories about designers drawing preliminary sketches on cocktail napkins or cheeseburger wrappers, and these stories lead us to a simple truth.

Professional designers conduct research, take piles of information, inspiration, and hard work, and wrap them all together in what is referred to as the design process, to create meaningful and useful environments. A constant and key factor in interior design is the fact that human beings—and other living creatures— occupy and move within interior spaces. To create interior environments, professional designers must engage in a process that involves research, understanding, idea generation, evaluation, and documentation. These are significant constants that exist in a changing world.

For the most part this issue covers the process designers engage in and the related presentation techniques used in design communication. These processes and basic concepts are consistent, whether generated manually or by computer. Some examples included here were created manually, whereas others were computer generated. Regardless of how drawings and graphics are generated, they are part of a process of discovery, exploration, and creation.

This issue covers what is often referred to as drafting, as well as other forms of two-dimensional graphics. The term DRAFTING refers to measured drawings done with specialized tools and equipment. The truth is that not all drawings used in the process of interior design are drawn with the aid of tools. Often those drawings created in the preliminary stages of the design process are rough sketches and involve little use of drafting tools or equipment.

As designs are refined, there is clearly a need for highly accurate, measured, and detailed drawings, and these are drafted with tools. This issue presents the materials, equipment, and tools used for manually drafted and freehand design drawings, as well as an overview of the most common drawings used in interior design practice. The information presented in this issue is meant as an overview, not a definitive drawing or drafting reference.