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Doing A2 Product Design but cannot draw... help?

Hey everyone,

I have no idea how I survived AS Product Design, but here I am in my second year of it. And I hate it. I have a good few designs for the product I want to design, make and model. Problem is that they are quite complex drawing wise, not necessarily real-life wise. I have some rudimentary drawing skills, but for folding designs that have lots of legs that collapse to compact the whole thing together, for example, my legs end up being 2D looking and crap. I have two designs sheets to do for when I am back in January and should be able to get them done. Just feeling a bit discouraged. I have had a talent of sorts for drawing but never really worked on it, life seemed to get in the way. Now I am panicking, and really need an A in this subject for the university choices I have. Help?
Sorry you've not had any responses about this. :frown: Are you sure you've posted in the right place? :smile: Here's a link to our subject forum which should help get you more responses if you post there. :redface:


Just quoting in Fox Corner so she can move the thread if needed :wizard:

Spoiler

Original post by Kierensaddlr
Hey everyone,

I have no idea how I survived AS Product Design, but here I am in my second year of it. And I hate it. I have a good few designs for the product I want to design, make and model. Problem is that they are quite complex drawing wise, not necessarily real-life wise. I have some rudimentary drawing skills, but for folding designs that have lots of legs that collapse to compact the whole thing together, for example, my legs end up being 2D looking and crap. I have two designs sheets to do for when I am back in January and should be able to get them done. Just feeling a bit discouraged. I have had a talent of sorts for drawing but never really worked on it, life seemed to get in the way. Now I am panicking, and really need an A in this subject for the university choices I have. Help?


Hey Kierensaddlr,

I know how you feel about this. I still struggle from time to time with this problem when I sketch. I would recommend the perspective drawing method and slowing down a bit. I find that when I rush when I end up restarting it. Also if you have a model, you can still life draw it?
I would look at shading techniques to give it that effect of it being more 3D than 2D and look up other people's sketches. It could really help. Practice is key!

If you are thinking of continuing product Design in future, feel free to look at Ravensbourne. (The link is here.)
we are base in London if you are wondering about the location.

Don't be afraid to ask anymore questions! Hope it goes well!
Kay
Original post by Ravensbourne
Hey Kierensaddlr,

I know how you feel about this. I still struggle from time to time with this problem when I sketch. I would recommend the perspective drawing method and slowing down a bit. I find that when I rush when I end up restarting it. Also if you have a model, you can still life draw it?
I would look at shading techniques to give it that effect of it being more 3D than 2D and look up other people's sketches. It could really help. Practice is key!

If you are thinking of continuing product Design in future, feel free to look at Ravensbourne. (The link is here.)
we are base in London if you are wondering about the location.

Don't be afraid to ask anymore questions! Hope it goes well!
Kay


When I try perspective my drawings end up looking stretched and skewed! It's all well and good for doing damned boxes but it does not help me for drawing various lamp designs I am attempting :/ .
Original post by Kierensaddlr
When I try perspective my drawings end up looking stretched and skewed! It's all well and good for doing damned boxes but it does not help me for drawing various lamp designs I am attempting :/ .


Hey,

What about using a tool like a helix flexible curve. It's a tool that helps you draw curves. That might help.
I would say redraw the line when you're sketching?
I do that all the time. I take a step back and look at where it doesn't look in perspective and adjust my sketches. Also use an eraser to get rid of any extra lines. :biggrin: I recommend life drawing or still life drawings. It helps you improve with curves and difficult round shapes.

Let me know if it works out for you :smile:

Kay
Original post by Ravensbourne
Hey,

What about using a tool like a helix flexible curve. It's a tool that helps you draw curves. That might help.
I would say redraw the line when you're sketching?
I do that all the time. I take a step back and look at where it doesn't look in perspective and adjust my sketches. Also use an eraser to get rid of any extra lines. :biggrin: I recommend life drawing or still life drawings. It helps you improve with curves and difficult round shapes.

Let me know if it works out for you :smile:

Kay


Thanks a million Kay! I never thought I'd get quality advice like this, you guys rule :smile: .
Original post by Kierensaddlr
Thanks a million Kay! I never thought I'd get quality advice like this, you guys rule :smile: .


Drawings can be computer drawn. Does your school have a CAD programme? There are free ones available ...
Original post by Muttley79
Drawings can be computer drawn. Does your school have a CAD programme? There are free ones available ...


We need drawings AND CAD -_-
Original post by Kierensaddlr
We need drawings AND CAD -_-


Does it actually say you need many hand drawings? From the coursework I've seen there doesn't need to be that many.

Just do your best :smile: I don't think the quality of hand drawing is a big part of the assessment,
Original post by Muttley79
Does it actually say you need many hand drawings? From the coursework I've seen there doesn't need to be that many.

Just do your best :smile: I don't think the quality of hand drawing is a big part of the assessment,


It is mainly not the drawings or anything in particular that troubles me Mr Muttley (points for the name, by the way, Whacky Races), it is the sheer amount. My half term will be mostly product design...
Reply 10
Original post by Kierensaddlr
We need drawings AND CAD -_-


Hey im doing A2 product design too right now. I cant draw my ideas very well, but I am quite good at CAD. What I do is that I make the models on CAD first and then draw them after, this works out better for me then drawing first.😊

Also just out of curiosity where abouts are you at with your project, I feel like my class is behind by a long shot. Have you started making yet, if so how long more have you got of making? Thanks.
Original post by Rexar
Hey I'm doing A2 product design too right now. I can't draw my ideas very well, but I am quite good at CAD. What I do is that I make the models on CAD first and then draw them after, this works out better for me than drawing first.😊

Also just out of curiosity where about are you at with your project, I feel like my class is behind by a long shot. Have you started making yet, if so how long more have you got to making? Thanks.


It is good to finally get replies on this :smile: . No one has started the making, only one or two are even finished or near finishing design development and most are at varying stages of finishing the initial design sheets, what with all the hoops you need to jump through.
Original post by Kierensaddlr
It is mainly not the drawings or anything in particular that troubles me Mr Muttley (points for the name, by the way, Whacky Races), it is the sheer amount. My half term will be mostly product design...


The projects I've seen [I'm a sixth form tutor] include lots of research and questionnaires on target market etc. My impression is that hand drawing is a minor part of a project. Have you looked at the sample ones on exam board websites?

[Glad you like the name]
Original post by Muttley79
The projects I've seen [I'm a sixth form tutor] include lots of research and questionnaires on target market etc. My impression is that hand drawing is a minor part of a project. Have you looked at the sample ones on exam board websites?

[Glad you like the name]


Our design sheets have a lot of detail. A lot. I've done all my research (95% being total bull and pretty much useless to me, but sparsely relevant enough to get me marks). I used to love the subject, but now I loathe it with a passion hot enough to make Satan start sweating.
Reply 14
Original post by Kierensaddlr
It is good to finally get replies on this :smile: . No one has started the making, only one or two are even finished or near finishing design development and most are at varying stages of finishing the initial design sheets, what with all the hoops you need to jump through.


OMG thanks so much, I needed this! 😊 This makes me relieved because our class is in the same position. Noone has started the making and we are just finishing the developmenta and final idea pages.
In fact that is my holiday homework, so I am in the same position as you, most of my holiday will be on product design :frown:. I have recently finished my final exam working CAD model which has taken me like 20+hours.
Anyway I only ask about the making of the product because they day t takes like 2 months which by the time we grt back from half term will be may, and the coursework has to be handed in early may.

May I ask what exam board you are on?

Thanks.
Original post by Rexar
OMG thanks so much, I needed this! 😊 This makes me relieved because our class is in the same position. No one has started the making and we are just finishing the development and final idea pages.
In fact, that is my holiday homework, so I am in the same position as you, most of my holiday will be in product design.:frown: I have recently finished my final exam working CAD model which has taken me like 20+hours.
Anyway, I only ask about the making of the product because they day t takes like 2 months which by the time we get back from half term will be may, and the coursework has to be handed in early may.

May I ask what exam board you are on?

Thanks.


We are going to have zero time for exam prep pretty much. Not sure, doing The F523 Project - 'Design, Make, Evaluate'.

A huge amount of what we need to do is sheer filler and BS. Half of it is totally unnecessary, and that is my teacher speaking, who was a designer in industry for years.
Reply 16
Original post by Kierensaddlr
We are going to have zero time for exam prep pretty much. Not sure, doing The F523 Project - 'Design, Make, Evaluate'.

A huge amount of what we need to do is sheer filler and BS. Half of it is totally unnecessary, and that is my teacher speaking, who was a designer in industry for years.


I get you! Im in the exact same boat :redface:.
I believe you are on OCR exam board as I am also doing the DMA F523.
I need to get an A in this project aswell, cas all my university courses are over AAA. I did quite well at AS in my coursework (I got 114) but I did absolutely crap in the innovation challenge (may I add, the most BS exam in existance :h:)
Yeah we are not even going to be taught the core knowledge for the written exams, we have been told to just learn that in our own time:angry:

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