LECTURE
Fast Graphics
Lines, plants, figures, sections, and perspective, drawn by hand against the clock. Adapted from Hui Gao.
Lecture Slides
Fast Graphics
LAAR 61400 · Adapted from Hui Gao
Part I

Lines

Part II

Plants

Part III

Figures

Part IV

Plans

Part V

Sections

Part VI

Axonometric

Part VII

Perspective

A confident line

  • Draw each line once
  • A little wobble is fine
  • Let lines cross at the corners
  • Slow down: plan the line, then draw it
Pen practice sheet: squares filled with single-stroke parallel lines, cross-hatching, nested squares, and hatched triangles, line ends crossing at the corners
Elevation of a roof built from dense parallel lines
Hand plan of a small garden with trees, deck, and handwritten labels
Quick perspective of a curved glass building with palms and notes
Part I

Lines

Part II

Plants

Part III

Figures

Part IV

Plans

Part V

Sections

Part VI

Axonometric

Part VII

Perspective

Photo of a broad deciduous tree
Tree drawn leaf by leaf, dense and dark
Trees drawn as outlines over a section
Outline trees along a sectional edge
Sample outline stroke with sharp angles
Sample outline strokes with break points
Spiky radiating stroke
Photo of a spreading tree
Sketch of trees with angular outlines and a dark accent
Photo of a multi-stem tree
Outline trees in a perspective sketch
Tree drawn as a circle on a stick
Tree drawn as a triangle
Tree with an arched top and flat bottom
Tree outline with an arched top and flat base
Fishbone branching
Fan branching from one point
Uneven branches splitting at different heights
Photo of a flowering shrub
Rock garden drawn in heavy detail
Planting bed in section with simple shrub and conifer symbols
Long section strip with symbolic shrubs and conifers
Broadleaf trees drawn with a few lines
Outline trees with a conifer over a ground line
Sketch of trees in section
Outline trees in perspective
Part I

Lines

Part II

Plants

Part III

Figures

Part IV

Plans

Part V

Sections

Part VI

Axonometric

Part VII

Perspective

Two conifers with small figures pointing
Two tall standing figures with patterned coats
Two figures with outstretched arms
Figures carrying bags and reading maps
Two figures in solid coats
Groups of simplified standing figures
Cartoon figures with detailed faces
Detailed sketch of two people from behind
Detailed sketch of people walking
Detailed sketch of figures at a wall
Figures built step by step from a diamond shape
Row of figures built from wedge shapes
Elevation of a building and palms with simplified figures at different sizes
Part I

Lines

Part II

Plants

Part III

Figures

Part IV

Plans

Part V

Sections

Part VI

Axonometric

Part VII

Perspective

Nine pen tree symbols in plan, each a circle with a different edge
Sheet of colored plant symbols in plan with a north arrow and scale bar
Diagram of tree shadows in plan: a grove built in three steps, how sun angle and height change a shadow, and how tree form changes its shape
Loose pen drawing on trace between a parti and a plan: a grid of tree circles, a path, arrows for connections, and zigzag lines for a buffer
Sketchbook page: a plaza plan with a curving path, two tree groves, round seats and a 40-foot scale bar, beside a tree-and-seat detail and a section with a six-foot figure
Sketch plan of a walled garden with a pool, coloured pencil planting, handwritten notes, and small sections
Part I

Lines

Part II

Plants

Part III

Figures

Part IV

Plans

Part V

Sections

Part VI

Axonometric

Part VII

Perspective

Five steps

  • Cut — mark the section line on the plan
  • Terrain — project the ground line, the heaviest line
  • Main elements — trees, walls, steps, water
  • Secondary elements — people, seats, low planting
  • Annotations — levels, labels, scale
Contour plan with a section cut beside the terrain profile projected from it
Hand section through terraces and water with labels and levels
Section with a sunken space, figures, and level marks
Section through a pond with a blue wash, trees, and dimensions
Sectional perspective into a sunken court with dimensions
Sectional perspective of a building set into a planted slope
Sectional perspective of a channel with stepped banks and a tree line
Hand section of a country road between two trees, with people, a car, dimensions, and handwritten specification notes below
Part I

Lines

Part II

Plants

Part III

Figures

Part IV

Plans

Part V

Sections

Part VI

Axonometric

Part VII

Perspective

Line axonometric of two gallery buildings with a garden, trees, and a road alongside
Coloured axonometric of a long garden: a row of cypresses beside an orchard grid of trees
Coloured axonometric of a sloping lawn ringed by trees, with a building and a grass amphitheatre
Coloured-pencil axonometric of a grid of trees along a street, with small coloured figures under the canopy
Part I

Lines

Part II

Plants

Part III

Figures

Part IV

Plans

Part V

Sections

Part VI

Axonometric

Part VII

Perspective

One-point perspective diagram labeling the viewpoint, eye-level line, and vanishing lines
One-point perspective of a pavilion and trees in high black-and-white contrast
Two-point perspective diagram with two vanishing points on the eye-level line
Two-point perspective sketches of a modern building among trees
The High Line at eye level, a crowded walkway between buildings
The High Line from above, walkway and benches receding to the river
One-point perspective construction diagrams
Two-point perspective construction diagrams
Bird's-eye drawing of low buildings and courtyards
Bird's-eye drawing of a dense city block
Photo of the High Line walkway with planting and buildings
Even-weight line tracing of the photo, flat and grey
Sketch with white plants and dense dark hardscape
Photo of people on a High Line deck with trees and benches
Even-weight line tracing of the scene
Sketch with light tree crowns and dark deck and buildings
Photo of two people walking past long timber benches under trees
Even-weight sketch of the bench scene
High-contrast sketch of the bench scene
Pass one: horizon and vanishing lines over a faint trace
Pass two: loose masses of planting and benches
Pass three: dark hardscape and open planting
Three quick pencil perspectives of a hospital approach road with trees, people, and a car, with handwritten notes
First pen sketch: a round seat around a tree at the center of a grove, buildings behind
1
Second sketch: the round seat moved aside with people on it, a large trunk in the foreground
2
Third sketch: a light grove with a round seat, a standing figure, and ferns in front
3
Sketchbook page with the third perspective, an aerial view from the street with a café, and a section with a bench, people, and a row of trees
Third sketch of the grove with a round seat and ferns
Sketch 3
Photorealistic render: a dense grove with low canopy, round seats, gravel, and waist-high ferns
Render 1
First render: dense grove, low canopy, tall ferns
Render 1
Second render: higher canopy, open gravel ground, low planting, clear views across the plaza
Render 2
/ 48