Evolution of a Design Development Drawing

Above is a page from a Design Development Presentation booklet. 

I thought it might be interesting to document the process a sketch goes through to get to the above layout. 

BACKGROUND: This limit of work shown on this project includes the courtyard pool... there is an existing pool that takes up the entire yard, and the homeowners wish to gain some patio space along with a new and appealing pool/patio style. The  courtyard is surrounded on three sides by the house, and one side by a 6' property block wall.  The architecture of the house is truly on the fence of (believe it or not) Hacienda and Contemporary stylings.  So together we chose one solid direction... Hacienda. 

Concepts: I go through several pieces of trace paper that I affix to the existing plan view of the house and property lines. This is done at 1/8" scale, and I note any existing "must-stay" like gas lines, electrical outlets, and any roof/surface drains.  Then I just start drawing any and all options that come to mind. I look for circulation routes from doors, views from the windows and desired relationships such as a outdoor kitchen near and outdoor dining area.  I'll block in priority areas/zones with colors. Often I sketch mini elevations or perspectives near the plans that start to "sing" to me.

initial concept plan

Design Development: Once a plan sings to me, I look at the design in the space, in all the corners and all at once.  Though this view is not a realistic vantage point (in that I, nor my client, will never be in the heights of the neighbors' trees), a birds-eye perspective explores the 3 dimensional connections between roof, overhangs, and patio planes.

initial perspective sketch

I'll do a couple rough drawn sketches, first in pencil, then trace in ink, and finally render in color..still on trace. With black ink outlines, I'll color, with markers (a combo of AD brand and Prismacolor), on the back of the trace; and then, still in reverse on the back of the trace, lay in the shadows.  I like the watercolor-esque attributes from the markers on trace paper.

final concept sketch 

Then I'll scan the image, alter the levels digitally to make true white (red, green, blue bell curves are almost equal) and add the necessary call-outs or photos to help describe the scene further.  

This particular plan may not look like there is much planting, so I made a point to have a page in the design development booklet for the client, focusing and introducing the planting opportunities.