First draft

Title

Is drawing a powerful tool in design process?

Abstract

‘Things are because we see them, and what we see, and how we see it, depends on the Arts that have influenced us. To look at a thing is very different from seeing a thing. One does not see anything until one sees its beauty.’ (Oscar Wilde, 1891)

I decided to write my report about how do graphic designers and students in the 21^st century use drawing in their process and what impact it has on their creativity. This report will inform primarilly new generation of students about how benefitial understanding of drawing is.

This report will explore my interest in how human vision and perception lead us to think what we think and how our imagination helps activate meaning of given experience and understanding of knowledge that makes sense and plays a key role in our learning process.

The project will aim to look into detail about the characterization of drawings – why and how people draw; what abilities students should develop and what purpose they should be able identify drawing for? Also it will look at methods of research and characterization - how people research; what tools should be used; what is the best way to do it?

To begin with, I will explain the definition of drawing. As Hazel Harrison says ‘drawing is a process or learning how to see well’. It is necessity to mention the biological principles of vision briefly, how human eye focus on an image or an object.

Then I will undertake an experiment with professionals and students on thinking process. I will observe and document how these people see, how they move from first idea to another. I will design a short questionnaire to find out their impressions from the task given. 

From this point I will try to answer following questions:

How designers/students sketch and document ideas?

Are they more familiar with paper based or digital thinking?

What is the best way to see?

How do they approach design problems?

Chapter headings

Chapter headings might be changed according to better understanding of the topic. I must get a lot more information from books and different resources.

Introduction

An overview of the report’s aim

Definition of drawing

A brief explanation of drawing and its usage

How do we see?

An introduction to biological principles of vision

Methods, Research and Characterization

Identifying types of methods, research

Creative thinking?

Application of useful methods

Strategy for experiment and Analysis

The plan of my experiment and its result

How drawing is useful for designers?

Reconsidering creative thinking usage

Conclusion

A summary and reflection of my report

 

Action Plan

In order to my report I will gather a lot more information from different resources during summer holiday.

I will decide on who and how to interview professionals, educators and students.

I will decide on what exercise I would like to use for my experiment.

I will design a relevant questionnaire.

I will think of a strategy that suits best for the report experiment. 

 

Bibliography

Books:

Merleau – Ponty (2002) The world of Perception

Bruno Munari (2000) Design as Art

Kimberly Elam (1980) Geometry of design

Paul Klee (1961) The thinking eye; Volume 1.

Kenneth Keele (1977) Pioneers of Science and Discovery

Bruno Munari (2000) Air Made Visible

Martin Kemp (2006) Leonardo Da Vinci – Experience, experiment and design

Bo Bergstrom ((2008) Essentials of Visual Communication

 

Electronic resources:

http://visualthinkingart.blogspot.com/ (accessed 12.07.2009)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_language#Gestalt_psychology (accessed 12.07.2009)

http://www.drawing.org.uk/ (accessed 12.07.2009)

http://www.fluidhive.com/ (accessed 12.07.2009)

http://blog.fluidhive.com/ (accessed 12.07.2009)

http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/CC/vision_background.php (accessed 12.07.2009)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perception (accessed 12.07.2009)

http://www.mnstate.edu/gracyk/courses/phil%20of%20art/wildetext.htm (accessed 12.07.2009)

 

Reports:

P. Schenk (2005) Developing a taxonomy on drawing for design; School of Art, Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

 C. Stones, T. Cassidy (2007) Comparing synthesis strategies of novice graphic designers using digital and traditional design tools; Design Studies Vol 28 No. 1 January (2007)