I'm gel 17 yrs old an incoming college freshman, i want to pursue architecture but I'm not that confident with my drawing skills. i could draw lines etc. but I'm not that good at drawing without a copy of what I should draw. I'll attach a sample of my drawing, I copied that from the image i saw on pinterest.
Bonus: I suck at math. but i think i could get it to work (I think..) though it'll be hell.
Send help guys.
From a confuse freshman.
Non Sequitur
Feb 25, 18 1:18 am
Math is important, so is the ability to sketch out ideas. Take some drawing classes and brush up on the fundamental math and physics. Drawing (copying) from a photograph does not count for much.
Wilma Buttfit
Feb 25, 18 1:56 am
You are good at math. Much of our math is ratios and percentages so you got it! I think math class can be intimidating, but seek out some extra help and combining learning math with drawings skills you can do it.
Medusa
Feb 25, 18 9:47 am
You will be fine.
joseffischer
Feb 25, 18 9:59 am
Georgia Tech grad... so my experience may be skewed. Most of my peers in school were the ones who couldn't do math, since the rest of the school was engineering and CS. Architecture only requires Calc 2, and most of the arch undergrads shared homework and previous tests enough to get a C no matter how bad they were. Architectural structures courses (of which there are 3 at tech) never required more than basic "plug into your calculator" trig functions. It still confused many, but as above, they shared information, got their C's and moved on.
Drawing is a bigger thing. I was not considered good at it, and based on your example, we seem to have similar styles and problems. Just keep working on it, understand that especially in the first two years, you'll be redoing studio work constantly and way more than others only to end up with a B and a critical review on your charcoals you took 4 days to do when someone with way more talent will create a photo realistic charcoal during class and secure an A and adulation from the teachers. You'll get better of course, but ultimately when you get into drafting (especially computer aided drafting and modeling) it will no longer matter that your drawings are sub-par. Just figure out a way for your sketches to be simple (parti), communicative, and evocative.
thisisnotmyname
Feb 25, 18 12:46 pm
Find a program with light math requirements and you will be fine. I've seen schools where College Algebra was the only math requirement. Look at doing your science and math courses at a community college over summer breaks.
CAD and Adobe programs are the dominant forms of "drawing" nowadays, I wouldn't worry too much about not having fantastic freehand skills.
Dangermouse
Feb 25, 18 1:13 pm
at 17 i couldn't draw a stick figure but i somehow manage to squeeze by
b3tadine[sutures]
Feb 25, 18 1:15 pm
The only numbers that matter in architecture? The ones to call your structural engineer.
thatsthat
Feb 25, 18 2:32 pm
I couldn't draw much at all when I started. I never took any art classes in high school at all. I managed to squeeze out a B average in all of my drawing classes in college. It takes time to develop your drawing skills. The best advice I was given was just to take your time, go out and PRACTICE! You have to practice sketching in real life to get the hang of it.
Superfluous Squirrel
Feb 25, 18 3:33 pm
The whole point of college is learning things you don't know. The next 4 years are an opportunity to learn everything you need to be an architect. So take drawing classes and learn to draw, like thatsthat said practice is how you get better.
You actually don't have to be great at drawing or math to be an architect. Architecture isn't drawing, its putting buildings together. Drawing is a tool that helps explain your architecture, but the architecture is whats important.
joseffischer
Feb 25, 18 3:46 pm
A small ... well not so small caveat to S-Squirrel. You will learn very little about what you need to know to be an Architect during school. But that's ok too!
DJ7910
Feb 25, 18 7:07 pm
Confused Freshman-
I think you need to step back a bit and really find out what your passion is and why you'd want to study architecture, before you spend a lot of $$ and grief trying to figure out if its for you.
Have you ever looked at architecture before entering college or even- designed, built or remodeled any thing from a bird house or doll house or actual building?
Do you think you're going to make large sums of $$ when you graduate?
Are you ready to go through the boom and bust cycles of the Real Estate industry and possibly be working as a barista at 30 while the industry recovers?
This is a brutal industry and the rigors of architecture as a college endeavor and profession, are not what you might imagine. It might be best for your to do some more research before you go this route. Maybe job shadow or informational interviews would help.
Think long and hard on this.
fionawys09ns
Feb 25, 18 7:53 pm
Copying drawings is an important practice to get better at drawing, to understand construction of images, to appreciate composition. I don't think copying drawings take away from your potential to be a good architect. That said, a typical good designer/architect has the ability to draw with hand from 3d environment in their mind or real life. So you should gradually move away from copying, and start constructing your own drawings from real environment or a 3d scene in your mind.
If you love any of what architecture school has to offer (i.e. design philosophies, exploring robotics/construction, rendering), if you have a love for it, pursue it. Think about why you want to be in architecture, is it the opportunity to draw? is it opportunity to be an artist and make money? etc. For me personally, like you, I started with copying images in high school. After attending a summer school in architecture, I discovered architecture school offers me opportunities to building physical models, hand drawings, and also photoshopping, so I went. I won the design excellence award of my year many times at school. I eventually realized that I don't want to be a typical design architect because I love renderings so much, which is fine too. Architecture offers so many directions. See my work below, most of my work did not involve math beyond its basic level. If you have more questions, let me know :)
Agree with djohnson6940. Being able to draw beautifully does not an architect make. Here's my two cents:
1. You don't necessarily need to be good at math as in earning top scores in your math exams, just some good common sense and logical thinking. I was good at math and I can't remember the last time I had to use advanced calculus at work. You are not an engineer or rocket scientist.Being able to visualize a space is much more important.
2. Chances are, you will rarely get to "design" or do artsy-fartsy works once you enter the workforce, this is especially true if you work for someone else. I don't have the guts to start my own firm and have to be content with much more mundane works like drafting or attending meetings. I get my design fix by doing room layouts and power point presentations. Oh, and I sketch in my spare time.
3. From the drawing sample you provided, it seems to me that you would be better suited to pursue a career in the graphic design field, or interior design if you must. Architecture has more to do with spaces, construction, and building compliance, not creating something pretty per se.
zonker
Mar 1, 18 10:56 pm
I was a total dolt math and drawing - then I combined the two - by drawing math, you can visualize the problem and it's easy to set up an equation - I want from a being an idiot to an Einstein of Trig and Analytic Geometry and became good at drawing from doing it mathematically - you must hand draw your math or you will get discimbubblated - then courses like Physics, Calculus and Statics will be easier
zonker
Mar 1, 18 11:01 pm
I was a total dolt math and drawing - then I combined the two - by drawing math, you can visualize the problem and it's easy to set up an equation - I went from a being an idiot to an Einstein of Trig and Analytic Geometry and became good at drawing from doing it mathematically - you must hand draw your math or you will get duscombulated - then courses like Physics, Calculus and Statics will be easier - who knows, you might want to be a structural engineer, then you can get condescending to architects during coordination meetings whenever they want to take take out your columns - "Sooooo tell me how you expect us to make this building stand again
jenanpanotolanmacapodi
May 2, 20 4:15 am
Hello! I just wanna ask if should I still pursue architecture when I'm very bad with numbers, not really techy, and couldn't draw anything without a copy. I never had a formal trainings in drawing or art school, but if I have a copy or a step by step procedure, I can somehow draw it. But the thing is I'm really intimidated with numbers, and about computer stuff. I am an incoming freshman after this quarantine an
d until now, I'm still not sure if I can do architecture. Here's a picture of my drawing (copied a step by step procedure in YouTube)
midlander
May 2, 20 10:06 am
focus more about why you want to be an architect and what your personal strengths are than the other stuff. no one is good at everything. drawing is a learnable skill, and architecture doesn't require advanced math or coding unless you want it to.
Non Sequitur
May 2, 20 10:14 am
And sharpen that pencil. Use a 8b lead.
Sean Joyner
May 7, 20 11:22 am
midlander is right. You might dig this story about Alán Ramiro Manning's journey learning to draw:
This is the funniest post i’ve seen in a while. But in all seriousness, go for it haha.
zonker
May 7, 20 5:49 pm
Well, Aldo Rossi's professor took one look at Aldo's drawings: " you will never be an architect" Aldo would go on to write Architecture and the city in 1966, and build numerous buildings throughout his career
Hello!
I'm gel 17 yrs old an incoming college freshman, i want to pursue architecture but I'm not that confident with my drawing skills. i could draw lines etc. but I'm not that good at drawing without a copy of what I should draw. I'll attach a sample of my drawing, I copied that from the image i saw on pinterest.
Bonus: I suck at math. but i think i could get it to work (I think..) though it'll be hell.
Send help guys.
From a confuse freshman.
Math is important, so is the ability to sketch out ideas. Take some drawing classes and brush up on the fundamental math and physics. Drawing (copying) from a photograph does not count for much.
You are good at math. Much of our math is ratios and percentages so you got it! I think math class can be intimidating, but seek out some extra help and combining learning math with drawings skills you can do it.
You will be fine.
Georgia Tech grad... so my experience may be skewed. Most of my peers in school were the ones who couldn't do math, since the rest of the school was engineering and CS. Architecture only requires Calc 2, and most of the arch undergrads shared homework and previous tests enough to get a C no matter how bad they were. Architectural structures courses (of which there are 3 at tech) never required more than basic "plug into your calculator" trig functions. It still confused many, but as above, they shared information, got their C's and moved on.
Drawing is a bigger thing. I was not considered good at it, and based on your example, we seem to have similar styles and problems. Just keep working on it, understand that especially in the first two years, you'll be redoing studio work constantly and way more than others only to end up with a B and a critical review on your charcoals you took 4 days to do when someone with way more talent will create a photo realistic charcoal during class and secure an A and adulation from the teachers. You'll get better of course, but ultimately when you get into drafting (especially computer aided drafting and modeling) it will no longer matter that your drawings are sub-par. Just figure out a way for your sketches to be simple (parti), communicative, and evocative.
Find a program with light math requirements and you will be fine. I've seen schools where College Algebra was the only math requirement. Look at doing your science and math courses at a community college over summer breaks.
CAD and Adobe programs are the dominant forms of "drawing" nowadays, I wouldn't worry too much about not having fantastic freehand skills.
at 17 i couldn't draw a stick figure but i somehow manage to squeeze by
The only numbers that matter in architecture? The ones to call your structural engineer.
I couldn't draw much at all when I started. I never took any art classes in high school at all. I managed to squeeze out a B average in all of my drawing classes in college. It takes time to develop your drawing skills. The best advice I was given was just to take your time, go out and PRACTICE! You have to practice sketching in real life to get the hang of it.
The whole point of college is learning things you don't know. The next 4 years are an opportunity to learn everything you need to be an architect. So take drawing classes and learn to draw, like thatsthat said practice is how you get better.
You actually don't have to be great at drawing or math to be an architect. Architecture isn't drawing, its putting buildings together. Drawing is a tool that helps explain your architecture, but the architecture is whats important.
A small ... well not so small caveat to S-Squirrel. You will learn very little about what you need to know to be an Architect during school. But that's ok too!
Confused Freshman-
I think you need to step back a bit and really find out what your passion is and why you'd want to study architecture, before you spend a lot of $$ and grief trying to figure out if its for you.
Have you ever looked at architecture before entering college or even- designed, built or remodeled any thing from a bird house or doll house or actual building?
Do you think you're going to make large sums of $$ when you graduate?
Are you ready to go through the boom and bust cycles of the Real Estate industry and possibly be working as a barista at 30 while the industry recovers?
This is a brutal industry and the rigors of architecture as a college endeavor and profession, are not what you might imagine. It might be best for your to do some more research before you go this route. Maybe job shadow or informational interviews would help.
Think long and hard on this.
Copying drawings is an important practice to get better at drawing, to understand construction of images, to appreciate composition. I don't think copying drawings take away from your potential to be a good architect. That said, a typical good designer/architect has the ability to draw with hand from 3d environment in their mind or real life. So you should gradually move away from copying, and start constructing your own drawings from real environment or a 3d scene in your mind.
If you love any of what architecture school has to offer (i.e. design philosophies, exploring robotics/construction, rendering), if you have a love for it, pursue it. Think about why you want to be in architecture, is it the opportunity to draw? is it opportunity to be an artist and make money? etc. For me personally, like you, I started with copying images in high school. After attending a summer school in architecture, I discovered architecture school offers me opportunities to building physical models, hand drawings, and also photoshopping, so I went. I won the design excellence award of my year many times at school. I eventually realized that I don't want to be a typical design architect because I love renderings so much, which is fine too. Architecture offers so many directions. See my work below, most of my work did not involve math beyond its basic level. If you have more questions, let me know :)
https://issuu.com/yeesangwong/...
Agree with djohnson6940. Being able to draw beautifully does not an architect make. Here's my two cents:
1. You don't necessarily need to be good at math as in earning top scores in your math exams, just some good common sense and logical thinking. I was good at math and I can't remember the last time I had to use advanced calculus at work. You are not an engineer or rocket scientist.Being able to visualize a space is much more important.
2. Chances are, you will rarely get to "design" or do artsy-fartsy works once you enter the workforce, this is especially true if you work for someone else. I don't have the guts to start my own firm and have to be content with much more mundane works like drafting or attending meetings. I get my design fix by doing room layouts and power point presentations. Oh, and I sketch in my spare time.
3. From the drawing sample you provided, it seems to me that you would be better suited to pursue a career in the graphic design field, or interior design if you must. Architecture has more to do with spaces, construction, and building compliance, not creating something pretty per se.
I was a total dolt math and drawing - then I combined the two - by drawing math, you can visualize the problem and it's easy to set up an equation - I want from a being an idiot to an Einstein of Trig and Analytic Geometry and became good at drawing from doing it mathematically - you must hand draw your math or you will get discimbubblated - then courses like Physics, Calculus and Statics will be easier
I was a total dolt math and drawing - then I combined the two - by drawing math, you can visualize the problem and it's easy to set up an equation - I went from a being an idiot to an Einstein of Trig and Analytic Geometry and became good at drawing from doing it mathematically - you must hand draw your math or you will get duscombulated - then courses like Physics, Calculus and Statics will be easier - who knows, you might want to be a structural engineer, then you can get condescending to architects during coordination meetings whenever they want to take take out your columns - "Sooooo tell me how you expect us to make this building stand again
Hello! I just wanna ask if should I still pursue architecture when I'm very bad with numbers, not really techy, and couldn't draw anything without a copy. I never had a formal trainings in drawing or art school, but if I have a copy or a step by step procedure, I can somehow draw it. But the thing is I'm really intimidated with numbers, and about computer stuff. I am an incoming freshman after this quarantine an
d until now, I'm still not sure if I can do architecture. Here's a picture of my drawing (copied a step by step procedure in YouTube)
focus more about why you want to be an architect and what your personal strengths are than the other stuff. no one is good at everything. drawing is a learnable skill, and architecture doesn't require advanced math or coding unless you want it to.
And sharpen that pencil. Use a 8b lead.
midlander is right. You might dig this story about Alán Ramiro Manning's journey learning to draw:
This is the funniest post i’ve seen in a while. But in all seriousness, go for it haha.
Well, Aldo Rossi's professor took one look at Aldo's drawings: " you will never be an architect" Aldo would go on to write Architecture and the city in 1966, and build numerous buildings throughout his career