Abstract:

There has always been, in order to improve the quality of life, a need to create tools and products that help make work easier. Since ancient times, the craftsman was the professional who was in charge of the elaboration of these products, carrying out the entire production process on his behalf, from the conception to the construction of the piece. These works were carried out by hand. With the beginning of the industrial revolution, a rupture in the classic production scheme takes place, dividing the process of conception and design of the products, and the manufacturing one. The manual work of the artisans is then replaced by machines.

However, the lack of aesthetic harmony and quality that prevailed in most products led to different movements that opposed this manufacturing model. The main goal was working mixing different fields of knowledge, as science and art. For example, according to the Bauhaus’ philosophy every product should have a well defined functionality but also an aesthetic approach.

A qualified and well-trained professional is needed to deal perfectly with manufacturing, to even design the last technical detail in digital programs, and, in short, to be a person that dominates many other areas. And although many people think otherwise, art is one of those tools that an industrial designer should know and use in their projects.

It is a paradox that in a world full of technologies, the use of our hands is essential to transmit ideas. The immediacy of this tool, connected directly with our brain, will not be replaced. For industrial design, sketching is the first step to start thinking about new ideas, and art, in deep contact with hand sketching can help industrial designers.

Art is a form of communication and expression, which acquires great importance in the conceptualization of the product. In addition, the artistic mentality gives us the ability to innovate and develop more creative products never seen before. Inevitably, art has a great influence on industrial design.

One of the sections of design in which art is most involved is sketching, so Artistic Drawing subject of the degree in engineering in industrial design is the perfect space to carry out artistic experiences. When making these drawings, students move away from the more functional and technical aspects of the product, and focus on its appearance, defining the less tangible values, such as its character and style, and the more tangible ones, such as the different shapes and dimensions. However, sketching is not a simple and easy skill to master, it is necessary to learn certain artistic concepts.

Art not only intervenes in the aesthetics of a product, it can also help us develop a more creative, innovative and spontaneous mentality and at least, a working methodology allowing industrial designers to think beyond established or existing manners.

To train future industrial designers according to an art vision, they have dealt with different fine art experiences as landscape stain-based synthesis, organic nature abstraction to create a pattern and an approach to biomimetics starting from a beetle. All the proposals use sketching as the fundamental tool. The experience was set during the academic course 2021-2022, and some results will be analyzed and shown in an art exhibition in the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería y Diseño Industrial of the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Its concept design will be explained as well as the plot of the narrative.

Keywords:

Art, Industrial design, Multidisciplinary approach, Sketching process.