Abstract:

When approaching design challenges, inexperienced engineers and students frequently resort to CAD without preliminary sketching. This tendency often leads to difficulties in conceptualisation and wasted effort on unfeasible designs, prompting the question: why not start with sketching the basics? Even seasoned designers adhere to this practice, acknowledging its effectiveness in tackling fundamental issues.

Swansea University has devised a sketching course in collaboration with a professional artist, aimed at equipping novice designers with essential sketching skills to articulate and communicate their ideas. Covering basic shapes, shading techniques, and perspective, the course serves as the cornerstone of sketching proficiency. The underlying assumption is that inexperienced designers eschew sketching due to their inability to effectively communicate through this medium, instead favouring digital tools like CAD for their precision.

The study involved first and second-year Mechanical Engineering undergraduates tasked with sketching a wind turbine from memory before and after participating in the drawing techniques course. A subsequent survey measured students' perceptions of competence and confidence in sketching their ideas post-course, with 85% reporting a moderate or higher increase.

This ongoing initiative is in its early stages and will undergo further refinement, with plans to integrate it into first-year Mechanical Engineering Design modules alongside continued pedagogical research. The project aligns with the topics of Creativity and Design Thinking , Active and Experiential Learning, and pedagogical innovations.

Keywords:

Creativity, Design, Sketching.