Architectural Designs

how to be more efficient at drafting (technical drawing)?

I recently started an architectural design class and since I love drawing, I thought I'd really like this. Well, I do like it, but it takes me forever to do a drawing. And to make matters worse, my teacher doesn't tell us how to things, so I have to figure out how to do stuff and most of the time it isn't the most efficient way. For example, today I had to do a brick layout, which would have been easy because it's only 8" rectangles side by side except there is a 1/2" mortar in between the bricks. So I can't draw a rectangle and divide it by 8, because of the 1/2". Needless to say, I'm still not done the drawing and it's due tomorrow. What are some common mistakes you architects and drafting technologists made when you first started drawing, and how did you fix them? Yes, I am literally drawing, using paper and pencil (and it has to be the right linecolour too). It's grueling work! I think my teacher is doing that to us so that when the time comes to use AutoCAD, we'll notice the big contrast between doing it by hand using the computer.

Public Comments

1. I have a contact great at drafting, have a star....
2. I was married to an Auto Cad teacher. The one thing he couldn't put up with is the kids not making him explain. Then late on the drawings..He would tell me if they don't know the stuff they need to keep asking until the light comes on. And he added if I see them give up I fail them...If I see they are trying I give them every advantage. So keep the teacher at your desk if you must...That is why they hired him.
3. It depends on which software you are using. I can mainly speak from only an AutoCad perspective. I've used AutoCad for about 3 years now, for mechanical and architectural drawings. I am also currently working on a degree in Engineering Graphics and Design Drafting. You should never have to draw bricks by hand. That is very inefficient. If you are in AutoCad, you can just go into your HATCH command and choose the brick hatch pattern. You will have to adjust your brick scale though and you will have remember to PICK AN ORIGIN FOR THE HATCH PATTERN. I believe the standard for a 48:1 scale drawing is something like 10.3 scale factor on the brick. There should also be commands to do brick automatically for any other software that you may be using, but you might just have to do a HELP ---> SEARCH for either "hatch" or "brick" And there is, of course, a way to create custom hatch patterns in Notepad if you really want the mortar, but that gets rather complex. Do you really need such fine detail as the space between bricks anyways? Additionally, if you are using Autocad, just remember three commands: OFFSET, TRIM, EXTEND. You can draw almost an entire house using nothing but those three. And I use the OFFSET command more than almost any other, especially for house plans. It is much, much more efficient and much quicker than measuring and drawing every wall and door one at a time. Also, for your TRIM and EXTEND commands: to make them much faster, simply hit the "t" or "ex" keys on the keyboard with your left hand, and right click the mouse button twice to go to power trimming or power extending. You also want to try to learn to keep your left hand on the keyboard and your right hand on the mouse as much as possible. Learn where the frequently used single or 2 button commands are on the keyboard, and learn to use the right mouse button as your "enter" key instead of the "enter" key on the keyboard. You want to avoid ever taking your right hand off of your mouse if you can, as it only slows you down. If you do not have AutoCad set up this way, then go to the drop down menu TOOLS -----> OPTIONS ------> USER PREFERENCES and check the DOUBLE CLICK EDITING box. A typical command sequence that I use would be: 1. type "t" for trim with left index finger. 2. double right click on the mouse. 3. select the ends of the lines I want trimmed (does it now automatically since I double clicked to begin with) 4. right click on mouse again to escape. 5. move right into next command. You can trim, offset and extend extremely quickly this way with practice. And feel free to email me if you have any questions =)
4. Keeping the teacher at your desk is great, IF he knows a triangle from an erasure shield. Many teachers, in any subject, don't have any idea how to explain what they know. My advice--the same way the musician gets to Carnegie Hall, practice, practice, practice. And, plan ahead. Literally imagine yourself drawing the drawing. think as you get to the end, what did I just do wrong/? then, in your imagination, go back and change it. And, don't be afraid to erase. Jeez, wait. It just occurred to me, are you actually DRAWING ? with a pencil? Like we used to do? Thought they only taught CAD these days.
5. You are just starting. It does take practice, a lot of practice. Learning to draw with a pencil may not be the most efficient way but it does develop a skill. Those who have been at it a while can produce drawings better than done by computer.
6. For your 'brick' layout, use guide lines. Mark all your lengths on the two starting edges.(V. & H.) Hint: Your 'module' will be 8 1/2". Then just use your triangle and square to draw the line segments where you need them. Lay out continuous guide lines. Fill in your object lines, and spot erase with the shield.