Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
draftinG and repreSentation
The word “drafting” is a carryover from days past. The term “represen-
tation” is becoming more widely used for what was called drawing or
drafting. Graphic communication remains the primary means of com-
municating design and technical information. The words “drafting” and
“drawing” will be used interchangeably here and will refer to either ana-
log or digital graphic communication. When it is necessary to make a
distinction, the word use will be clarified.
Drafting is the art of communicating complex design ideas in two
dimensions. The drawings created by staff in design offices were done
with pencil or ink on a variety of paper products, and later on Mylar film.
Hand-drawn (analog) drafting makes use of a variety of tools, including
a T-square, several types of triangles, French curves, a drawing com-
pass, and variety of templates (such as a circle template). Drafting of the
past is now referred to as analog representation (drawing by hand) and
has been replaced by digital representation done on computers, applying
an array of representation software such as AutoCAD.
The subject of drawing conventions is vitally important in site grad-
ing and justifies further elaboration. The lines, patterns, and symbols
“drawn” by the designer are as necessary for successfully communicat-
ing design intent as the symbols, lines, and notations of a musical score
that communicate a composer's intent. Musical symbols incorrectly
written on a page of sheet music would produce a terrible sound in what
otherwise might be a very pleasing musical composition. Likewise, a
contractor could interpret a misused symbol or incorrectly drawn line in
a site-grading plan with disastrous results.
Those practicing the professions of architecture, engineering, and
landscape architecture communicate their design ideas to others follow-
ing a set of drawing or representation conventions. These conventions
consist of line width, patterns, numbers and text usage, and symbols that
are universal to the extent that all professions involved at different stages
in the life of a design project (from preliminary design through construc-
tion documentation, bidding, contract negotiation, and construction)
