1. SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN
FOUNDATION IN NATURAL BUILD ENVIRONMENT
NAME: ONG EU XUAN
STUDENT ID NO: 0319050
WORD COUNT: 741 WORDS
ENGLISH 1 (ELG 30505)
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 1: PROCESS ESSAY
LECTURER: CASSANDRA WIJESURIA
SUBMISSION DATE: 2ND MAY 2014

2. The beauty of a building can be reflected in various ways.
Photographs and sketches may often express the strength and glamorous
vision of a building, but as many would say, as compared to photography,
sketches tend of have a higher functional value. Unlike photographs, sketches
are not duplicable or reproducible. Types of sketches may vary, ranging from
pencil sketches to ink sketches. But however, sketching a building doesn’t
require a lot of work as long as you are able to master the skill well. There are
steps you may follow to produce an attractive sketch.
You are required to prepare the suitable supplies and materials to
produce an attractive sketch. It is important to find a sketchpad of the right
size for the building you will be sketching. The type of paper may vary from
thin and cheap ones to the thick and rough ones. The surface texture of the
paper usually depends on the medium used to produce the sketch. For
instance, graphite pencil drawing may require sturdy papers with rough
surface, while pretty much all types of paper will allow you to produce a pencil
sketch. For medium, pencil and ink would be the most common and most
used mediums to be used to sketch on a paper, as they are less messy as
compared to other mediums like charcoal and chalk. Pencils come in different
grades that produce different levels of boldness. Other tools like rulers,
erasers and watercolor paint may also be used to produce the sketch.
Before picking up a pen or a pencil to start your sketch, it is vital to
visualize the sketch you are about to produce. If you are a beginner, avoid
being too ambitious and try going for buildings that may be less challenging to
sketch. Do make sure that your body is in the right posture and your eye level
is at its optimum to ensure that you are able to view your work from the right
angle. Adjust your paper and make sure that it is in the position that you
would like it to be in. Do remember that it is very important to draw with a
perspective, make sure you capture the ideal angle and ensure your sketch is
in its proportion.
Next, you may pick up a pencil and let your imaginations and
creativity flow. Focus on the blank piece of paper and be sure to concentrate
and don’t allow any distractions from the surroundings to distract you. Using a
pencil, roughly sketch out the outline of the building. Sketch out the structure
of the building lightly and erase your mistakes. It is very important to ensure
that you draw to scale and avoid distorting the proportion of the sketch. Make
sure that it was sketched on lightly so that you could correct the mistakes you
made.
After a brief outline of the sketch was produced, try following up the
lighter strokes with a darker outline. At this stage, the sketch should be in a
darker shade, and its time to map out the little details such as the doors and
windows, or even the intricate carvings or designs of your building. It is
extremely important that the little details are being taken care of. It could be
the texture of the walls or even the design of the roofs. Upon completing the
little details, your sketch would be ready to be filled in with shading and
texturing. Then again, the boldness of the pencil and its strokes are very

3. important. The strokes may cause a very big difference in its texture. Be sure
that your sketch has a darker outline, and is drawn in an ideal perspective,
without it being out of proportion. Do ensure that the sketch of the building is
being shaded evenly and precisely, with its strokes all to the same direction.
To wrap up the entire sketching process, it is vital to do an overview check,
making sure that the sketch is completely flawless. Once you’re sure that
there’s not a single flaw in it, your sketch is completed.
These are the steps that you may follow to produce an attractive
sketch. It wouldn’t be too tough to follow after many times of practice. It is
optional whether or not to follow up your pencil sketch with ink, or even add
color to it. It is immensely gratifying, knowing that you are able to express
yourself and your ideas through sketches.