Architecture and the Lost Art of Drawing

1. Main Ideas
Instead of drawing your plan out, more and more architectural people start to use computer programs to do their planing; However, drawing by hands can never be replace no matter how impressive the technology gets. Drawing is part of thought process of design and also express the interaction with our minds. Michael Graves believes that drawing can be divided into “referential sketch", “preparatory study”, and the “definitive drawing”. Referential sketch serves as visual diary or capturing an ideas. Preparatory study is progression of drawings that elaborate a design, like referential sketch, it may not represent "reality". Definitive drawing is the the most developed of the three. It's universally produced on the computer nowadays, and that is appropriate. Drawing with computer is now more and more common, but in Michael's opinion, drawing by hand stimulates imagination and allows us to speculate about ideas.

2. Interpret the meaning as to how it can apply to you and your work
I agree with the article when it mentions the importance of hand-drawing by telling us that it can help to speculate ideas. Most of the time when I have idea about my 3D artworks, I just get to work and play with the materials without drawing it; However, when I'm out of ideas, I often take a piece of paper and start to plan or jot down my thoughts. Even though I know how to use AutoCAD to do the model, I think hand-drawing can really help me quickly develop idea by sketching it out, which computer can't.

3. Evaluate what your opinion is about the opinion of the article
I think computer programs is very convenient for drawing out the 3D models when you are done planning. I can understand Michael Graves's thought about computer programs have replaced hand-drawing and change design into computed via databases, but I have to say, things draw by computer don't mean they are lack of design and  the reason people use computer programs is because it's easier to use for those who can't draw precisely. For me, I often sketch my plan out so later when I'm using computer programs to draw, I won't have to redraw or redesign the whole thing over and over again.

New York Times- Architecture and the Lost Art of Drawing