SCREEN AND PENCIL, AN INTERTWINED COMBINATION FOR TEACHING: FIRST REFLECTIONS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN ONLINE TEACHING TOOL WITH SPECIALISED VIDEO-TUTORIALS (SKETCH ATLAS) ON THE TOPIC OF FREEHAND ARCHITECTURAL DRAWING

Abstract

Screen and pencil, an intertwined combination for teaching: First reflections on the implementation of an online teaching tool with specialised video-tutorials (Sketch Atlas) on the topic of freehand architectural drawing.

The skill of freehand drawing is essential for architects. The pencil is a basic tool to rapidly observe, to express first ideas and to communicate design problems. The interaction with the freehand drawing or sketch is – besides the computer - still a part of the daily practice of an architect. The haptic and direct quality of the sketch can be used in every phase of a project: with a client, in the office and on the construction site. Teaching this skill to students in architectural education programs is challenging. It requires a lot of guidance, a persistent methodology and a lot of practice. In contemporary programs of architecture the omnipresent computer consumes a lot of space and time. The investment in a one-on-one educational environment for hand drawing is often neglected or simply impossible due to the large groups of students. We developed a tool, Sketch Atlas, where the learning trajectory of freehand drawing is presented in a new way. By introducing high level video tutorials with step-by-step instructions, the whole trajectory from line to space is covered. The student can work at his or her own pace. The starting point of this project was that the very precise movement of a pencil in a hand is hard to communicate in a textbook. However, the project is not a replacement for the classroom or the textbook. The interlocking quality of the two teaching systems (the classic demonstration of a teacher on a black board and the video-tutorial platform) introduces a new and refreshing combination of learning methods. We will demonstrate that this blended system can structure and enrich the learning path of freehand drawing on different levels. The first version of the platform was used intensively during the lockdown period of 2020 at our Faculty. We will reflect on this ‘forced’ experiment. At the moment, a version 2.0 is ready for dissemination in an international context (in faculties of architecture and in architectural offices).