Conceptual Design Sketching

A ceramics teacher split her class into two groups. To one group, she gave a simple instruction: “Make as many pots as you can. You’ll be graded on quantity.” To the other, she said: “Make just one pot. But make it perfect. You’ll be graded on quality.” At the end of the week, something unexpected happened. The quantity group, in their rush to produce, iterated constantly. They tried new shapes. They learned from cracked handles and warped lids. Each failure taught them something. By the end, they had made not only the most pots — but also the best ones. The quality group? They spent most of their time theorizing. Planning. Sketching. Worrying. Their pot, though done, was far from perfect. This story plays out in plenty of situations and initiatives, big or small. When building products, don’t wait for perfection. Start building. Ship. Learn. Repeat. Iteration is how excellence emerges. Doing is how you find direction. Especially in today’s AI-fueled world, where the ground is shifting fast — the teams that move, learn, and ship quickly will beat the ones that wait for perfect specs. So the next time you find yourself overthinking, remember the pottery class. Just make another pot.

Are you getting the right insights from your design process? Wireframe ≠ mockup ≠ prototype. And if you're mixing them up... You're not just betraying your lack of design understanding. You're committing an even more insidious mistake: you're not getting the right type of insights. Here's what you need to understand about their different: 1. Frequency of use 2. Core purpose 3. Ideal creator 4. Level of effort 5. Quality of insights — WIREFRAMES Wireframes range from low-fidelity to high, but generally are a step below a mockup. They: 1. Should be used frequently 2. Are great for alignment and early feedback 3. May be created by PMs lo-fi ("sketches"), but otherwise are by designers 4. Are relatively low effort 5. Generate mid insights The reality is: a whole lot happens in between a wireframe and a functioning product. So, using them for evaluative research and calling it a day is a mistake. They are good for "low effort, quick insights." — MOCKUPS Mockups are static designs that show what the product will look like, but without any working interactions. They: 1. Should be used often 2. Are ideal for visual feedback and detailed feedback 3. Should be created by experts in design: designers, not PMs 4. Require more effort than wireframes 5. But generate higher quality insights They're useful for getting stakeholder buy-in on the visual direction, but don't confuse them for the real thing. If you really want to harness the power of evaluative research, you haven't gotten to the promise land yet. They're for "mid effort, mid insights." — PROTOTYPES Prototypes are interactive and can range from simple click-throughs to fully functional. They: 1. Should be used occasionally, for big features 2. Are great for user testing and identifying issues before dev 3. Are created by designers, sometimes also with a developer 4. Require significant effort - both to build and maintain 5. Generate very high quality insights However, jumping into a prototype before a mockup can lead to premature judgments on design elements. They excel in usability testing scenarios, providing invaluable insights into user behavior and preferences. They're for "high effort, awesome insights" — Don't let sloppy terminology derail your design process. Use the right tool at the right time. A lot of design stakeholders misuse these terms at the expense of good product work. It's worth learning when to use what.

-Rendering by Sketching: The Art of Expressive Visualization - In an era dominated by digital renderings and AI-generated visuals, hand-sketched rendering remains an invaluable tool for architects and designers. It brings warmth, personality, and a direct connection between the mind and the material—something that even the most advanced software struggles to replicate. Why Sketching Still Matters? ✅ Expressive & Fast – A few strokes can communicate ideas instantly. ✅ Engages Creativity – Unlike rigid digital tools, sketching allows for spontaneous exploration. ✅ Stronger Client Connection – A hand-rendered concept feels more personal and engaging. ✅ Timeless Skill – From Zaha Hadid’s fluid sketches to Frank Gehry’s iconic forms, great architecture often begins with a pencil. How to Elevate Your Sketch Renders? 🔹 Play with light and shadow to add depth. 🔹 Use hatching and shading for texture. 🔹 Blend watercolor, markers, or digital overlays for a unique look. 🔹 Keep it loose—imperfections make sketches dynamic! Embracing sketch-based rendering isn’t about rejecting technology—it’s about keeping the human touch alive in architectural storytelling. Who else loves the magic of sketching? Let’s celebrate it! 🖌️ #ArchitecturalSketching #Rendering #ArchitecturalDesign #SketchRender #HandRendering #DesignThinking #CreativeProcess #UrbanSketching #ArchitectureVisualization #TactileDesign

-Architectural Sketching with Markers: Bringing Ideas to Life - by Baian Shanin- Architectural sketching with markers is a powerful way to capture the essence of a design. Unlike digital renderings, hand-drawn marker sketches add warmth, character, and spontaneity that resonate with both clients and design teams. When using markers, architects can quickly layer colors to suggest materials, lighting, and context. By combining bold strokes for shadows and fine lines for details, these sketches can effectively communicate the vision of a building, even in early design stages. The key is to keep it loose and expressive—embracing the imperfections that make the sketch feel authentic. Markers like Copics or Prismacolors, in combination with fineliners, help architects create dynamic, eye-catching visuals that stand out in presentations and portfolios. So, pick up those markers and bring your architectural ideas to life—one stroke at a time. #Architecture #MarkerSketch #ArchitecturalDrawing #DesignVisualization #HandSketching #CreativeProcess #ConceptDesign #SketchingWithMarkers #ArchitectLife

Sketch First: Why I Still Start My Logos with Paper and Pencil In a world filled with powerful design software, AI tools, and tablets that do almost everything for you, I still find myself reaching for the basics, a pencil and a sheet of paper, every time I start designing a logo. You might ask, “Why go analog in a digital age?” Here’s why: When I sketch, I’m not using a second tool to transfer my thoughts. I’m not clicking, dragging, or tapping. I’m free-flowing directly from my mind to my hand. That simple connection gives me more control over my ideas. It allows me to experiment faster, try 10 ideas in 10 minutes, and refine without the pressure of perfection. Sketching feels natural. It’s raw. It’s real. And funny enough, it’s usually where I get it right the first time. Sure, I later refine and finalize my work on software, but the foundation is built on paper. And it doesn’t cost a thing to get started. No expensive apps, no fancy tools, just pure creativity. To the creatives out there: Don’t feel pressured to jump straight into big tools. If you have an idea, start small. Sketch it, doodle it, build it from scratch. Sometimes, the best designs are born not on a screen, but on a napkin. What’s your process like? Do you still sketch your ideas first or go straight to digital? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. #LogoDesign #Sketching #DesignProcess #CreativeTips #StartSimple


 How to Iterate on a Level Blockout (Without Losing Your Mind) Iteration is the heart of great level design, but it can also be one of the most frustrating parts of the process if you don’t have a structure to guide you. When you're deep in a blockout, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by feedback, second-guess your layout, or get stuck in a loop of endless changes.
 Here’s how I approach iteration to keep my head clear and the project moving forward:
 1. Set Clear Intentions Before You Build Before the first shape hits the grid, I define the goal of the space.
 Is it a combat arena? A narrative moment? A quiet place for exploration?
 This intention acts like a compass—every iteration decision is measured against it. If a change doesn’t support the core purpose of the area, it’s either reworked or cut.
 2. Feedback is Fuel, Not Fire It’s tempting to treat all feedback as immediate action items, but not all feedback is created equal.
 When I get notes, I do three things:
 • Group similar feedback
 • Separate opinion from objective issues
 • Ask “What’s the root problem?” Sometimes, what sounds like a request for a new layout is really about flow, pacing, or visibility. Identifying the why behind the feedback saves you from chasing your tail.
 3. Small Changes First, Big Changes Last I’ve learned to start iteration by tweaking flow and clarity within the existing structure before scrapping whole sections.
 You’d be surprised how far small shifts—like changing sightlines or moving cover—can go toward solving problems.
 Only when small changes can’t resolve the issue do I consider major reworks.
 4. Play, Test, Reflect—Then Tweak If you’re not playing your blockout regularly, you’re designing in the dark.
 After each iteration pass, I do a quick playthrough, often with a specific question in mind: “Does this feel too linear?” “Is the player seeing the objective when they need to?” “Can they identify a path forward without stopping to think?” Recording a play session or watching someone else play it blind can reveal blind spots instantly.
 5. Track Your Changes and Learn From Them I keep a running log of iteration changes and the reason for each. This not only helps me understand how a level evolved, but it also builds my library of design solutions I can refer back to on future projects.
 Final Thought:
 Iteration isn’t failure—it’s refinement. Every tweak is a step toward a better player experience. Build with intention, respond with clarity, and keep your goals visible. You’ll be amazed at how smooth the process becomes. If you’ve got your tips for surviving the iteration loop, I’d love to hear them. How do you keep your brain from melting during blockout changes?

Sketching is visual thinking with your hands. A skill for humans only. I never intended to rebel against the use of AI in design, but the more I think about it, the more I feel I should. There seems to be a big misunderstanding about the way design works. I get it, from a distance it looks like a designer starts with a problem and finds a solution. That sounds like a process that can easily be optimised and amplified by the use of AI. In reality however, the 'problem' is never clear. Often the designer's job isn't to come up with a clever solution as quickly as possible, but rather to gain insight to help identify what you (and your client) are really looking for. Unfortunately there is no fail-proof-recipe for this job, but with the right education and guidance, designers learn that the best way to gain insight and move forward is to start making stuff: sketches, mock-ups, 3D-models. Making stuff triggers a thought process that is not just happening inside your head, but a process that is feeding on real (physical) sensations–moving your hands, feeling a form, seeing flaws or beauty, pushing buttons, testing the fit. This can also be called 'prototyping', but that label can be misleading because it often serves as a proofing mechanism at the very end of a (short sighted) design process: problem > ideation > drawing > 3D-modeling > prototyping > manufacturing. I urge my students to start making something from day 1. Not to jump to the solution, but to kickstart their thinking about the problem. A sketch is often the fastest way to spark this thought process. In making the sketch (or doodle) you learn something that you didn't know before and in my experience that insight always leads to new ideas. Key is to keep the sketch as simple as possible. The lower the fidelity, the faster you can move. The same goes for physical models (mock-ups) and even CAD models. Keep it simple to stay in your creative flow. Over time a designer will learn to trust this process and will start to feel comfortable in the 'learning space' where nothing is clear until you make it. I argue that (at least for now) only humans are capable of successfully navigating this 'muddy' learning space in the design process. Here's my call to action: Invest in human skills. Learn to use your hands, learn to sketch, learn to make things, learn CAD. And then use these skills to explore and learn even more! Jelle van Dijk Joep Frens Kevin Henry Claas Eicke Kuhnen Arvind Ramkrishna Paul Woodward Hector Rodriguez Yann Leroy #designsketching #industrialdesign #sketching #drawing #designeducation #prototyping –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– I teach design sketching techniques to help designer professionals streamline their creative superpower. I offer online courses and live workshops. Let me know if you have a class of design students that can use my help!

Urban design is both imaginative and precise at the same time. Sketching by hand allows for creativity, but without the right scale, it’s just an idea on paper. That’s why combining freehand drawing with accurate measurements is such a powerful tool. morpholio trace is a good tool for achieving just that: My methodology: Sketch directly on a real-world map - Importing maps (in scale!!) helps ground ideas in existing urban contexts. Measure, scale, and compare, measure, scale, compare, measure scale compare - this is what I do constantly - Adjusting proportions and checking distances ensures that ideas are not just visionary but also feasible. I add dimensions to the drawing – Marking key measurements directly on the sketch makes communication with others much clearer. This combination of creativity and precision is my key advantage in designing! (In the video: Comparing and understaning Ginko development in Bordeaux vs Sonnwendviertel in Vienna)

The first mockup rarely works perfectly, but it reveals secrets CAD can't: - How an object feels to hold - How it lives in its context - How users interpret it - How proportions translate to reality Early in my career sketching and rendering fascinated me. I grew up with a love for art and visuals So, naturally I sketched a lot which meant tons of ideas to sift through. Probably also a result of being in design consulting for most my professional life. Now, I find joy in carefully selecting and refining ideas rather than generating hundreds. This is probably the natural transition for most designers as well. The real excitement in the process really comes from validating and knowing that your ideas work. I'll leave you with a few thoughts on building and validating: 1) Physical prototypes unlock tactile insights: CAD can't replicate the feel of a product in your hand. Build early to understand ergonomics and user interaction. 2) Context is king: Seeing a prototype in its intended environment reveals design flaws or opportunities invisible on screen. 3) Rapid iteration beats perfection: I've found that creating 3 quick, rough prototypes often yields better results than obsessing over one "perfect" version. 4) User feedback on physical objects is revealing: People interact with physical prototypes in unexpected ways, providing insights you'd never anticipate from sketches/CAD alone. 5) Prototyping develops your designer's intuition: The more you build, the better you become at predicting how 2D concepts will translate to 3D reality. Alright, that's it! happy building! #industrialdesign #productdesign

"The pencil in the hand begins to act as the mediator between the mind and the world. The act of drawing does not merely record an idea; it is the act of discovery." — Juhani Pallasmaa, The Thinking Hand In many of today’s architectural practices (and down to the individual), the idea and use of gesture in visualizations has languished, to say the least. But in my experience, it’s one of the most powerful tools for generating dialogue and propelling the design process forward. Too often, we rely on mood boards filled with photographs of other people’s work or overly polished CGI renderings that fail to inspire. The ability to express architectural ideas through quick and loose gestures is becoming a rare skill, and that’s a loss for the profession and the clients we serve. Expressive, gestural drawing captures the spirit and character of a design in a way digital renderings cannot. It invites conversation, and allows us to explore multiple options live (virtual or not) in real time, with our clients. The act of sketching together becomes an act of shared discovery and breathes creativity and dynamism into the creative process. Hand drawing isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about clarity, intuition, and communication. It belongs in our process in concert with the digital tools we've become so proficient with. And yes, the AI elephant is in the room. This post is not to lobby for or against Ai, this is about a type of image that we, as an industry, do not use enough of.  We have forgotten the Power of Gesture.