Introduction
Freehand sketching is the technique of making drawing without the use of drawing instruments. It is one of the efficient ways employed to communicate ideas and designs. A designer records his ideas critically in the form of sketches which are later converted into drawings.
It is usually assumed that skill in sketching may be acquired more easily than proficiency in instrumental drawings. However, a lot of effort and practice is required to sketch two parallel lines, a circle and an ellipse, etc. Proficiency in sketching can be achieved only with constant practice.
Sketching Materials
The following materials are required for making good sketches:
(i) A fairly soft pencil, particularly HB or H
(ii) A soft eraser
(iii) A suitable paper
The pencil used for sketching should have a conical point. A good quality eraser should be used that will not spoil the paper. Depending upon the conditions of work and the purpose of a drawing, a variety of papers are used for sketching. Rectangular or square coordinate papers and isometric ruled papers are generally used by beginners. This helps the beginners in sketching straight lines and keeping a drawing to a good scale. As such, papers may not always be readily available; it is important to start sketching with plain paper too.
Uses of Sketches
These are as follows:
(i) To help the designer in developing new ideas
(ii) To convey the ideas of the designer to the draughtsman and management
(iii) To provide a basis for discussion between engineers and workmen
(iv) To serve as a teaching aid in the classroom
Sketching Straight Lines
Generally, the shape of an object consists of straight and curved surfaces which are represented by straight and curved lines respectively. The lines may be either horizontal, vertical or inclined. Horizontal lines are sketched with the motion of the wrist and the forearm. These are sketched from left to right. Vertical lines are sketched downwards with the movement of the fingers. Inclined lines (which are nearly horizontal) are sketched from left to right, whereas inclined lines (which are nearly vertical) are sketched downward.
The first step in sketching any straight line is to mark the end points of a line. A light line with one or series of strokes may then be tried between the end points. Fig. 18.1 shows the directions in which these lines must be sketched to attain the straightness.
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