In this chapter of Aspelund’s The Design Process, it talks about how drawing is a language and how we should use our drawing skills as a way of communication. When a designer has a concept in mind, it needs to be sketched out so that other people can visually the designer is thinking and trying to convey. Drawing is a way of expressing thoughts visually. What may sound impossible, can be made possible if it is drawn out in a sense where it is clear and can be understood. Sketches and illustrations are a very important tool for a designer. It visually communicates what the designer is thinking about so that their clients and collaborators will understand the ideas and where they are leading to. Aspelund talks about a comfort range in sketching and how he is used to creating 12 sketches before choosing at least 2 or 3 to keep. It is a good idea that a designer experiment what their own comfort range is when they sketch out their ideas. Practicing sketching is very important. Sketching freely for 10 minutes a day is a good amount of time to dedicate to practicing sketching. Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is also a useful tool for designers. When using CAD, the designer should be sure to use scales like grids or rulers, as they need to make sure that whatever they are working on is of the right scale. Designers can get carried away when using CAD because of the ease of using it so having a sketch is always a good idea because it brings the size and the idea more into reality than a computer would.
In reading this chapter, I saw that it really helped out with my homework assignment, which is to create nine games. The goal is to visually create these games and sketching my ideas out before finalizing them has been a very big help. Coming up with the ideas is another story but once I had something in mind, I would start sketching it out. I’d have to continue sketching or writing out notes to see how each piece would work together to create my games. My drawing skills aren’t the greatest and I know I need more practice. So as Aspelund mentioned, sketching for about 10 minutes a day sounds like a good idea for me to do. Even though my drawing skills need work, as long as I am able to put lead to paper, I’m able to get out my ideas. As I was sketching, sometimes I didn’t like one idea and threw it aside but then later on went back to it and thought maybe I could use this piece for another game. Or another time I just threw out the idea altogether. There was even one game that I kept to the side for the longest time. I wasn’t quite satisfied with it but kept it and thought that I could go back to it and revise it. But each time went back to it, I didn’t like the outcome of the game so I finally had to toss that idea out for good. Creating games is not as easy as it sounds. This homework assignment was very challenging. But I tried my best and that’s what counts.
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