Attended college at SVA (School of Visual Arts). Milton Glaser was one of my favorite teachers for two semesters, senior year. He encouraged us to sketch and sketch a lot.

Why would one want to sketch when we have these amazing computers. Computers have all the design software you can imagine and with more fonts than hay in a haystack. Computers, according to Milton, are NOT a tool like a pen or screwdriver but, an entire environment.

“Sketching provides all kinds
of opportunities for
 development and experimentation.”
— Milton Glaser

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He’s 100% right. Scissors Paper and Pens hold a look and voice in the mind’s eye and ear. This vision and voicing are what is happening in a CREATIVE mind. The wheels of creativity are churning and moving in the mind. This inner vision and dialogue is completely interrupted when we use “verbal keystrokes” and “linguistic commands” to have the computer do the things we want it to do. These interruptions replace the inner vision and voice destroying the thought process and potential mental creativity.

When a new advertising, branding, communications or design project comes along, I’d get out my notebook. I sketch. I sketch more. The result is usually dozens of sketches and a handful of viable ideas —most of which the client will never see or hear about. Then there are far fewer hours spent on the computer refining the greater of those ideas.

This ad was a drawing first.

This ad is running this week. We predict that it’ll get 40% penetration for a circulation of 11,000 in LIC (Long Island City (Queens)).

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It is a complete waste of time fleshing out ideas on the computer. Usefulness in sketching rather than using a computer for executing ideas are seen below in these fashion images.

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Why sketching is great:

The first idea is rarely the best.

You have a project idea that looks, sounds and feels right. This is only the beginning. It takes a few seconds to sketch an idea. Now the idea is drawn on a two dimensional plane. This gives it life. You are its creator.

It also gets the ideas out from bouncing around in your head opening up your bandwidth for more possibilities. You won’t know whether your first idea is the best until you explore many others. If you find something you like more, you’ll feel a rush of appreciation. Appreciation for the fact that you didn’t waste 5 hours on the computer only to find out that you are working on a bad ad, logo, layout or other design.

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Sketching is quick, down and dirty.

Learn to vent out even the bad ideas with pen and paper. No one has to see it. The time you’ve saved allows for better ideas at an accelerated pace. The freedom in sketching all of your rough ideas brings you to creative places you may never have imagined.

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You save a ton of time.

BinkNyc often involves our clients in all of the phases of a strategy. There’s no grand opening like the unfurling of a monument or pulling back the theater curtains with our work. We show clients many sketches to show our intent. The clients also knows that sketches are NOT finished pieces. This differs from looking at computer renderings which do look finished.

Should there be a course correction, now is the time to do it. We spend only a few seconds sketching a revision, rather than taking hours to move pieces around on the computer in Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign.

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It separates concepts from details.

It’s natural for people to focus on the wrong details when you first present a concept rendered on a computer. If you take your idea straight to a design program, clients tend to zero in on that particular blue color, or the first style of typography presented. This creates road blocks for communication when all you want is to know is, “Are we heading in the right direction?”

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Sketching is for everyone.

Basic shapes (circles, squares, rectangles), lines, arrows, and stick figures are enough to get your ideas conveyed to others. Sketching with your team or client is helpful because you can talk about your ideas as you sketch, allowing you to control the focus and intent of the group effort.

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An idea which resulted through sketching.

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A very successful business process developed through sketching. 

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Here’s my challenge to you: The next time you’re needing to address a communication task, a logo or layout design, a brand concept, advertisement or even a map with directions to Starbucks, try your hand at sketching. By incorporating sketching into your daily tasks, you’ll find it makes an appearance in your professional and social life as well.

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An AGENCY AD DEVELOPED THROUGH SKETCHING. 

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A Piece that was sold to MoMA.

Well, that’s it. Save time and money using sketches to get to better ideas, that are stronger in a shorter amount of time. Do it yourself or call us to save even more time and money. This is what we actually do for you.

Have a great day.

Breuk Iversen

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BinkNyc transforms a company into a culture,
grows businesses into movements,
improving peoples’ lives.

[ SEE: BINKNYC NEUROCHEMICAL INFOGRAPHIC PDF ]

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