Sketch of the day #1 El Castillo, Chichen Itza

Welcome to a new series of articles in our section Preparation for Architecture! I hope that the previous posts were motivating and hopefully inspired you to redesign your holiday ideas. Now, the time has come for something more practical as far as architecture is concerned: we can now start sketching our way up to the greatest architectural achievements of the world. Your travel ticket will cost you nothing but a piece of paper, some pencils and inspiration - hopefully, you'll find plenty among the Dreams of an Architect! 

 

Sketching is essential while preparing for an architecture university, for multiple reasons:

• Sketching is the main form of artistic expression in architecture. Sticking to a simple representation of the subject, without focusing on details, it saves time and effort.
• Sketching is the best way of getting your architectural ideas on paper. Whenever you feel inspired by a composition or building, but also when you have your own concepts for buildings and objects, sketch them!
• The accent is put on the general outline of the subject, the details are merely suggested, not precisely reproduced as in hyperrealistic drawings.
• A sketch emphasizes the most important aspects in the drawing. Good contrast is essential, so the shadows and the different materials (in an architectural composition, for example) have to be suggestively represented.
• Sketching makes the major part of the exam for entering an architecture university.

Aiming to provide an insight into the world's greatest constructions and the architects behind them, the new series Sketch of the day will also let you know sketching techniques and tips for perfecting your drawing skills!

 

Starting from the very first day of summer holiday, we will start our architectural expedition with a marvelous objective from the Mexican state of Yucatán! Probably the best known sample of Maya architecture, El Castillo, the step-pyramid that dominates the center of the Chichen Itza archaeological site, was built by the pre-Columbian Maya civilization sometime between the 9th and 12th centuries.

1 hour sketch using HB and 4B pencils on A4-size paper.