Visualization in Design

Is What We Preach Being Practiced?

Exploring Visual Intelligence and Some Realities about Our Tools and How We Use Them

Eric Anderson, IDSA | Carnegie Mellon University

Introduction

Nearly a decade ago, a study was conducted to explore questions with regard to perspective
drawing in industrial design education and practice [Anderson1]. The survey included students
from a major industrial design program in the United States as well as educators and practitioners
across the country. It sought to understand the experiences and needs associated with learning
and teaching perspective drawing in education, and the needs of perspective drawing in the
practiced environment. What motivated the study were challenges that this particular program
encountered with a growing segment of diverse students who were attracted to design but had
limited visual experiences. Additionally, there were few faculty who could teach drawing. As a
consequence, drawing was left up to adjunct instructors and graduate teaching assistants who
had varied approaches and mixed results. Initial investigation found that educators from other
programs had similar issues, and there was a general desire by practitioners to see elevated
perspective drawing abilities in their entry-level hires.

The results of the survey unequivocally stated that perspective drawing remain an important tool
in industrial design education and practice. It also highlighted perceptual gaps and differences in
expectations, and suggested there were opportunities to explore alternative teaching approaches
to perspective drawing. In particular, no innovations were found to support drawing for the novice,
which is where the greatest challenge was found to lie. Rather new thinking, which most often
took digital forms, focused on the intermediate and advanced learners. From this data the author
studied and developed an approach to perspective drawing using grids as an assistive tool for the
novice. Through testing in the classroom and further development, this approach was found to
increase understanding, quickly raise confidence, and stimulate critical thinking faster than
traditional approaches. Over time, this approach evolved into a drawing system that continues to
have positive and consistent results.

Image: copyright the Art Factory

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