BACK TO BASICS? TECHNICAL DRAWING, SKETCHING AND VISUAL COMMUNICATION IN THE AI ERA
Year: 2024
Editor: Grierson, Hilary; Bohemia, Erik; Buck, Lyndon
Author: Barrie, Jeff
Series: E&PDE
Institution: University of Bristol, United Kingdom
Page(s): 109 - 114
DOI number: 10.35199/EPDE.2024.19
ISBN: 978-1-912254-200
ISSN: 3005-4753
Abstract
This paper focusses on the impact that AI tools may have in the field of technical drawing, sketching and visual communication. It is recognised that creating technical drawings from CAD can be a lengthy, repetitive process, and it is possible for AI tools to automatically generate drawings and cutting lists from 3D CAD data in seconds. The paper explores three key themes; firstly being the potential loss of skills, competency and understanding in producing technical drawings, secondly the ethical and legislative conundrum of producing professional technical drawings for manufacturing, architecture and civil engineering at the push of a button, and thirdly the dichotomy of engineering and design students learning slowly acquired fundamental drawing skills against the needs for industry to reduce the time from design to manufacture and construction, with comparisons to tools used in CAE. The paper concludes that hand drawn exercises, peer review and timed, invigilated assessments may be utilised to individually assess students skills and competency in drawing, as educators enter this new technological paradigm.
Keywords: Sketching, Drawing, Rendering, Technical Communication, architecture, BIM