Freehand Sketching: An Introduction [Paperback]

Paul Laseau (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 039373112X | ISBN-13: 978-0393731125 | Publication Date: January 2004

Even in the computer age, freehand sketching is the designer’s most useful tool for notation, design exploration, and graphic communication.

From basic skills to sketch construction using grids, frames, and shapes to the creation of tone, texture, color, and detail, and experimentation with digital rendering, Freehand Sketching helps you build your drawing skill and confidence through mastery of fundamentals. Carefully designed exercises guide you step by step in effective sketching in the studio and in the field. Also covered are helpful topics such as useful equipment, observation skills, framing and editing sketches, rendering people, and keeping a journal.

An array of the author’s lively sketches as well as examples from other architectural professionals fill the pages of Freehand Sketching, making this an ideal handbook for architecture and design students and all who wish to be more effective at visual communication.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A lovely little book . . . As much of a holiday companion or stocking stuffer as it is an office library staple. It doubles as a beginner's guide as well as a refining tool for more expert draughtspersons, showing hundreds of examples of genuine sketches. . . . This is a very handy guide that aims to increase the reader/user's 'personal satisfaction'. Well worth the money.” (Austin Williams - The Architects' Journal (UK) )

About the Author

Paul Laseau, an artist and illustrator with over thirty years of experience teaching sketching, lives in Muncie, Indiana.

Product Details

• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (January 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039373112X
• ISBN-13: 978-0393731125
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 9 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,551 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #94 in Books > Professional & Technical > Architecture

More About the Author

Paul Laseau is an architect, author, artist, and illustrator residing in Muncie, Indiana. He divides his time between painting, workshops, and illustration- commissioned or for his own publications. He has lectured and conducted workshops on communication in the United States, Europe, and Asia on a broad range of design communication subjects including Fundamentals of Communication, Visual Communication, Freehand Drawing, Visual Notation in Support of Ideation and Invention, and the Role of Digital Media in Design Communication.

Paul Laseau is a Professor Emeritus of Architecture at Ball State University with an outstanding career in teaching and research with an emphasis in design communications including traditional and digital media. He is one of a handful of nationally recognized authors in the field of design communications with nine published books that are course texts for students of architecture, landscape architecture, interior design, and industrial design in the Americas, Europe, and the Far East. One or more of his books have been republished in Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Malaysian, Indonesian and Spanish languages.

Published books include:
Graphic Thinking for Architects and Designers (3rd Ed.). John Wiley Publishers, New York
Graphic Problem Solving for Architects and Designers. Van Nostrand Reinhold Publishers, New York
Inkline Drawing. Van Nostrand Reinhold Publishers, New York
Architectural Drawing: Options for design. McGraw-Hill publishers, New York
Handbook of Architectural Representation. McGraw-Hill publishers, New York
Visual Notes (with Norman Crowe). John Wiley Publishers, New York
Freehand Sketching: an introduction.WW Norton Publishers, New York
Frank Lloyd Wright: between principle and form (with James Tice) John Wiley Publishers, New York
Far East: a collection of sketches. Crossroads Communications, Muncie, Indiana

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great little book, November 22, 2009

By 

Peter Shahrokh "forget it" (polar bear hollow, Artic) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Freehand Sketching: An Introduction (Paperback)

This book gets down to the essence of live, line drawing. The author is extremely helpful in getting the reader past his fears by giving encouraging words and giving great examples. One can easily progress with his advice, and change one's attitude from being hesitant to celebratory. A great place to start if you want to get past initial personally-imposed restrictions. This book, above all things, teaches courage--courage to draw and courage to express.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SImple, elegant, June 9, 2009

By 

DW (California, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Freehand Sketching: An Introduction (Paperback)

The single most useful drawing guide I've seen, by an artist whose style is swift and lively, as it should be. Uncluttered pages abound with terse commentary and there is not a superfluous line, either in sketch or prose. Especially useful for those who love to use pen and ink.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars not much in here, January 17, 2010

By 

C. Keil "mountainwhore" (Bend, OR USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Freehand Sketching: An Introduction (Paperback)

"An Introduction" is an appropriate subtitle. Nice examples, layout and descriptions of fundamental sketching techniques for architects/landscape architects. However, this is more like a pamphlet than a book. You can devour it in an hour. It is useful to think about the concepts and ideas while sketching but I really do not see myself turning back to this book for technique or drawing solutions down the road.