At the end of each chapter throughout the beautifully illustrated text of Jim Leggitt's new Drawing Shortcuts book, published by John Wiley & Sons, are checklists of "QuickTips" pertaining to particular styles of drawing and drawing tools. Presented here is only one tip from each section. There are many, many more-but you'll have to buy the book if you want them (and you will!).

Thumbnail drawing:
Create the thumbnail at twice the size you want it to be. Reduce the drawing 50% on a copier for a final reproduction.

Concept drawing:
Don't hesitate to add wildlife to your drawing to help animate areas that otherwise would appear lifeless. Flying birds, geese on water, squirrels in grass, and dogs on a leash are good examples.

Perspective drawing:
If you're drawing a bridge-level perspective of a building, try not to establish your horizon line much higher than the parapet line. Any higher and you'll begin to show too much of the parapet roof.

Paraline drawing:
Isometric drawings rely so much on 30-degree angles that it's a good idea to purchase a drafting triangle with a 30- and 60-degree angles. It is much quicker to draw with a preset angle.

Imagination drawing:
Add humor to your drawing. Don't be afraid to exaggerate key elements of the image. The benefit of making drawings from your imagination is that they don't have to be realistically accurate.

Direct observation drawing:
Tilt your drawing board up so that you can work with your face square to the paper. If the board is flat and you're looking at it from a severe angle, the image may strech out of proportion.

Projected image drawing:
It's much easier to draw from a projected image on a horizontal surface (table top) than a vertical surface (wall). Unless you are projecting a very large image, try to project onto a horizontal surface. Drawing on a wall surface can exhaust your arms.

Overlay and tracing:
If you're tracing an image or a photograph, and it's difficult to see all the detail through your drawing paper, work on a light table. The detail will be much easier to see. An easy makeshift light table is a piece of glass propped up on books with a desk lamp place beneath the glass.

Cameras:
If you can vary your camera's exposure settings, it's better to use a higher f-stop (f22), which increases the depth of filed and ensures that a larger area will be in focus.

Copiers:
Research the different types of papers you can use for making copies. Color copiers use a much brighter and higher grade than the duller papers used in standard copiers. You can purchase a ream of high-quality paper and use it for all your copying work.

Computers:
Save all computer wireframes and renderings to use for future reference and presentation.

Drawing tools:
When coloring with markers, always apply your lightest colors first and gradually build the colors to the darkest makers. Reversing the order will cause the dark colors to smear.

Color drawing:
It may not be necessary to color every square inch of your drawing. Be selective and you can save a lot of time by highlighting only the most important information with color.

Copyright 2002 The American Institute of Architects. All rights reserved.