The Benefits Of Sketching As A Designer

I’m a keen sketcher and am always fascinated as to how other designers incorporate sketching into their design process to kick-start their creativity and help brainstorm faster and more efficiently. In order to gain a thorough understanding of how beneficial the process of sketching can be, I asked a small selection of talented designers and illustrators to share their process, advice and tips.

For this interview each participant was asked the same set of questions. Below you will see the questions listed with the corresponding responses from each person.

1. Can you talk us through your typical design process?

Brian Hoff – Designer, writer and founder of the ever useful Design Cubicle, answers:

 
My process always start off in my sketchbook, although I try not to have a 1-2-3-step process to my work (I like to switch things up and keep it interesting; I get bored easily). If I’m working on a website design in my sketchbook, I start with wireframing and layout. I like to spend a lot of time of this since I personally feel that the layout is one of the most important elements of the site. “Pretty” graphics and stunning effects will often get downplayed with lack of good layout and flow. Plus bad layout will definitely hinder the viewers experience.

Von Glitschka – Illustrator, teacher, designer and founder of Glitschka Studios, answers:

 
My best answer to this would be to direct people to a presentation I did
at the HOW Design Conference in Boston. They’ll be able to see exactly how
I approach my work.

David Airey – Blogger, Brand identity designer, consultant and founder of Logo Design Love, answers:

 
I approach projects in the same way as many other designers would, i.e., gathering information, interpreting the brief, brainstorming, sketching, digitizing, presenting — all the while communicating with clients. You can read a more in-depth description here: The brand identity design process.

Simon Wild – Illustrator, doodler, lecturer, author and lover of colour, answers:

 
My design process varies as I work with various processes including screenprint and collage. Everything starts with drawing though, either in sketchbooks as thumbnails, or uncontrolled scribbles on loose bits of paper. The drawings are then scanned and digitally treated or used as blueprints for collages. Sometimes I combine these practises depending on the work I make. My work can be very eclectic, but drawing is always the common thread that holds everything together.

2. Could you give us an insight into your style or technique?

Brian Hoff – Designer, writer and founder of the ever useful Design Cubicle, answers:

 
I try not to stick to a particular style, although I think it is fair to say that we all have influences that we draw upon. Sometimes I settle on a typefaces, other times a color palette, or at times, I start off designing something as little as button and then expand from there.

Von Glitschka – Illustrator, teacher, designer and founder of Glitschka Studios, answers:

 
My style is influenced by the project type and context. Regardless of
style my technique and approach stays relatively the same from one project
to the next.

David Airey – Blogger, Brand identity designer, consultant and founder of Logo Design Love, answers:

 
The emphasis is on ideas. I aim to keep the outcome as simple as possible, so it’s easier for people to remember (and therefore recall at a quick glance).

Simon Wild – Illustrator, doodler, lecturer, author and lover of colour, answers:

 
I don’t think I have an identifiable style as such. Sometimes my work is born from reckless doodling. Other times it comes from relentlessly observing something, or glueing paper together like an angry child. I think my work is a collision of the real world and the imagination with a strong passion for colour.

3. Who or what inspires, informs, and influences your work?

Brian Hoff – Designer, writer and founder of the ever useful Design Cubicle, answers:

 
My passion lies in typography and layout, so much of my web work places emphasis those things. I love looking at old, hand-drawn type and signage, book cover design, and publication design / layout. I enjoy timeless design.

Von Glitschka – Illustrator, teacher, designer and founder of Glitschka Studios, answers:

 
Being informed on as many fronts as possible inspires, informs and
influences me the most. I read a lot both non-fiction, fiction, physics,
business journals, and marketing. I love traveling and studying history.
All of it kind of mixes together and my mind starts to make connections
and it helps me to formulate ideas and better understand topics so I can
design from a more informed perspective and not just merely be a picture
maker.

David Airey – Blogger, Brand identity designer, consultant and founder of Logo Design Love, answers:

 
I’m influenced by friends, family, designers, blog readers, authors, business-people, the weather, nature, architecture… everything. A strong designer will make use of all the elements around him or her.

Simon Wild – Illustrator, doodler, lecturer, author and lover of colour, answers:

 
I am very inspired by travel and keeping sketchbooks of the places I have visited. I love design in nature, and colour plays a significant role in my work too. I love the absurd and try and capture some of that in my work. I admire the work of Heinz Edelmann for it’s distinct personality and quirks.

4. How do you effectively use sketching as a designer?

Brian Hoff – Designer, writer and founder of the ever useful Design Cubicle, answers:

 
If I’m designing a logo I start off by mind-mapping in my sketchbook. It’s my way of visualizing with words, that help me come to terms with the iconography that relates to the logo I am creating. Once I settle on a few terms and keywords I then beginning loosely sketching ideas based on the mind-mapping exercise.

Von Glitschka – Illustrator, teacher, designer and founder of Glitschka Studios, answers:

 
My process is both analog and digital. I start off in analog, move to
digital and go back and forth through out my creative process. I strongly
believe all designers should be drawing. Doesn’t matter if you ever want
to become a full-blown illustrator. That isn’t the point. It’s about being
able to take that intangible idea and put it on paper in 2D form. Drawing
improves design period.

David Airey – Blogger, Brand identity designer, consultant and founder of Logo Design Love, answers:

 
I don’t think there’s an effective and ineffective way. All sketching helps, as long as you consider it an integral part of the process, and don’t simply go through the motions.

Simon Wild – Illustrator, doodler, lecturer, author and lover of colour, answers:

 
I use sketching in different ways. To solve problems/ make mistakes / try out and remember ideas and for finished work.

5. What are the important elements to consider within a composition?

Brian Hoff – Designer, writer and founder of the ever useful Design Cubicle, answers:

 
Lately, I’ve been finding myself starting off in the early stages of a project by choosing a particular typeface and then designing around it. Type has so much personality and can really set the tone for the remaining elements of which still needs to be designed.

Von Glitschka – Illustrator, teacher, designer and founder of Glitschka Studios, answers:

 
Focusing the viewers attention, and directly them visually where they
should go and what they should think. Making sure visual tension isn’t
within my design because it deteriorates your design. The more visual
tension the weaker the design.

David Airey – Blogger, Brand identity designer, consultant and founder of Logo Design Love, answers:

 
Space, shape, texture, colour, line, form, balance, proportion, emphasis.

Simon Wild – Illustrator, doodler, lecturer, author and lover of colour, answers:

 
For me personally it is the white space that frames the subject I am illustrating. So it is the areas that you don’t design in that helps to enhance the areas that you do.

6. How do you think a designer can develop a personal style when drawing or sketching?

Brian Hoff – Designer, writer and founder of the ever useful Design Cubicle, answers:

 
In every designer’s body of work, even though each piece is different, you can always see at least small traces of the designer’s hand and eye in their work. When it comes to sketching I would imagine it being similar.

Von Glitschka – Illustrator, teacher, designer and founder of Glitschka Studios, answers:

 
Just start drawing and the more you do it the more your style will come
out and be apparent. You can’t really force it, it’ll come out naturally
but it takes time and patience.

David Airey – Blogger, Brand identity designer, consultant and founder of Logo Design Love, answers:

 
By sketching quickly. If you take too long, it defeats the purpose. Remember, sketching isn’t about becoming the next Picasso. It’s about transferring ideas from your brain to paper. The more sketches you make, the more ideas you can draw upon when moving forward.

Simon Wild – Illustrator, doodler, lecturer, author and lover of colour, answers:

 
By getting out and observing real life. Avoid copying trends, but opt for drawing the things that interest you. I think that drawing from life really contributes to the designer developing their own visual language.

7. How do you think sketching can be of benefit to other designers?

Brian Hoff – Designer, writer and founder of the ever useful Design Cubicle, answers:

 
Sketching is very beneficial for designers; it allows us to quickly get ideas out on paper and focus more on the overall picture instead of minor details too early in the process. I was recently speaking with Dan Mall and he also noticed and mentioned his past students mostly focus on the tiny details much too early; many of which bypass sketching all together. For anyone that has ever taken a drawing class, in fine art they call it gesture drawing. The act of getting the shape of a figure down before worrying about little things (ie: eye balls, finger nails, etc).

Von Glitschka – Illustrator, teacher, designer and founder of Glitschka Studios, answers:

 
Lets say you start drawing daily now. You continue to draw for the next
five years, do you think you’ll be a stronger creative at that time or
worse? Creativity is progressive, it should always be growing, refining,
becoming better both in craft and concept.

That said drawing can be directly related to inspiration and if you’re not
feeding the furnace by taking in life at it’s fullest it’ll be very hard
to stay motivated and keep that fire going. So I think this question ties
into question 3 in very significant ways.

David Airey – Blogger, Brand identity designer, consultant and founder of Logo Design Love, answers:

 
Sketching is the fastest method available for documenting visual design ideas. Using a computer brings an unnecessary restriction into the mix, almost like a “middle man.”

Simon Wild – Illustrator, doodler, lecturer, author and lover of colour, answers:

 
I think that good design should have personality and something to say. Sketching and visually recording provides a good platform for strong design. Sketching is the place where you make your mistakes and your discoveries. It is a place to lay the foundations of your ideas. Sketching can develop a designers voice.

8. Lastly, name 5 tips for the budding sketch artist?

Brian Hoff – Designer, writer and founder of the ever useful Design Cubicle, answers:

 
1. Sketch often.
2. Sketch loosely and fast.
3. Forget the tiny details.
4. Never leave your house without a notebook; you never know when inspiration will strike.
5. Keep written sketches / notes just as much as visual sketches.

Von Glitschka – Illustrator, teacher, designer and founder of Glitschka Studios, answers:

 
1. Start: You’ll never grow if you never start.
2. Have Fun: Don’t worry about what to do, just do what wherever you’d
like to do.
3. It’s OK to do a bad drawing: Many times you’ll learn more from a crappy
drawing than you will from one you love. No one nails it every time.
4. Save your doodles: Even if it’s not a formal drawing and just a doodle
save it.
5. Make it easy to do: Personally I don’t like sketch books, I prefer
sketch pads I can tear off. So figure out how to make it work for you,
that will help you stick with it.

David Airey – Blogger, Brand identity designer, consultant and founder of Logo Design Love, answers:

 
1. Carry a notepad and pen/pencil with you.
2. Practice makes better.
3. Focus on the idea — not shading or tone.
4. Don’t worry about making a mistake. Mistakes are how we learn.
5. Stay hydrated.

Simon Wild – Illustrator, doodler, lecturer, author and lover of colour, answers:

 
1. Draw every day
2. Get interested by the little details of life.
3. Spend as little time in front of your computer as you can manage
4. Draw with your opposite hand
5. Don’t seek praise for your drawing. Seek criticism

Conclusion

So there you have it, some fantastic insights and advice from a selection of talented designers and illustrators.

Thank you to all of the contributors who were very gracious in taking their time to answer my questions.