MIT Sketch Class

Massachusetts Institute of Technology | IAP Session

SKETCHING: communication, concepts, and the line

Thursday Jan 13th, 5:00-7:30 pm; Friday Jan 14th, 5:00-7:30 pm; Saturday Jan 15th, 10:00-2:00 pm
Room: 7-431 AVT map
Instructors: Jason Hart, Simon Bradbury, Aaron Malnarick
Limited Enrollment
Contact: jhart [at] alum.mit.edu
Sponsor: MIT Department of Architecture

The Sketch is a way of communicating, thinking, and understanding. This workshop is grounded in hands-on activities and instruction. It is intended to enhance skill sets for effective graphic communication and sketching ability. Emphasis is placed on the three-dimensional sketch. Topics include: perspective, axonometric, diagramming, graphic organization, proportion, and the anatomy of the sketch. Exercises challenge students to investigate space, objects, and concepts in multiple ways. Students must finance their own materials and local travel.

Required Reading for first class: cube.pdf and learning_to_draw.pdf

Course Outline: 2005outline.pdf

Students must purchase the following materials for the first class:

sketch pad (any brand) - size 14" X 17" or 18" X 24" (up to you) with minimum 50 sheets. You will find the sketch pads have titles in large bold letters at the bottom such as: sketch, watercolor, drawing, charcoal, etc, buy "sketch" or "drawing" - $10.00 - $20.00

4B and 2B sketch pencils (any brand) - the number and letter will be marked on the end of the pencil (this refers to the softness of the graphite) $0.75 - $1.00 each. You must purchase these types of pencils. Mechanical pencils and regular HB writing pencils will not do.

two colored pencils of your choosing: mute tones of reds, browns, blues, etc. (no bright colors) $0.75 - $1.50

felt tip pen - Black, any brand, sharpie etc. ( no ball points) $1.00

small pencil sharpener - $1.00

You may find materials at any number of the Boston area art supply stores; which include but are not limited to: Pearl Arts and Crafts in Central Sq. (Mass. Ave & Pearl St) and Utrecht Art Supply in Harvard Sq.

Saturday's Class will travel to several locations in Boston.

Tutorials and Reference Downloads:

BASICS.pdf
PERSPECTIVE_AXO.pdf
FIGURE.pdf
MOVEMENT.pdf
TONE.pdf
DIAGRAMS.pdf

Suggested Reading:

Steinhart, Peter. (2004) The Undressed Art: why we draw, Alfred A. Knopf, Publisher, New York.
ISBN: 1-4000-4184-8

Edwards, Betty. (1979) Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, St. Martin’s Press, New York.
ISBN: 0-87477-088-2

Tufte, Edward R. (2001) The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, Second Edition, Graphics Press, Cheshire.
ISBN: 0-9613921-4-2

Tufte, Edward R. (1997) Visual Explanations: Images and Quantities, Evidence and Narrative, Graphics Press, Cheshire.
ISBN: 0-9613921-2-6

previous years taught: 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005

other courses by Jason Hart: www.hartstudios.com practice: CUBE design + research www.cubework.com