The course aims to introduce fundamental concepts related to methods and tools that enable the drawing of the real space through practical applications of various representation techniques.

The general objectives of the Drawing course will be:

• Provide a thorough understanding of fundamental drawing techniques used to represent the real space, including concepts such as perspective, proportions, and three-dimensionality.
• Introduce students to both traditional and digital tools used in observational and technical drawing, offering a comprehensive overview of their functionalities and applications.
• Explore the history of technical drawing and its evolution over time, highlighting the major developments that have contributed to its progression.
• Familiarize students with the narrative aspects of drawing, demonstrating how historical and cultural contexts can influence artistic practice and perception of constructed space.
• Foster students' ability to communicate effectively through technical drawing, both verbally and visually, by acquiring presentation and storytelling skills, which are also valuable from a pedagogical standpoint.
• Stimulate creativity and innovation through practical exercises and projects that encourage students to explore original solutions for representing the built space.

The syllabus of the classes is structured as follows:

• Introduction to the course:
  • Topics covered during the lessons
  • Organization of exams and lectures
• Visual perception and graphic language:
  • The perceptual process
  • Perception of space
  • Laws of perception
  • Perceptual illusions
  • Graphic language and verbal language
  • Primary elements of graphic language: point and line
  • Secondary elements of graphic language: surface, shape, texture, background, depth
  • Representation tools and reproduction techniques
• Freehand drawing:
  • Basic notions of surveying and measurement tools
  • Types of surveying.
  • Methods of rendering surveys.
• Geometric drawing:
  • Euclidean geometry review
  • Graphic resolution of problems related to plane geometric figures
• Digital drawing:
  • Introduction to basic concepts
  • Tools
  • The third dimension and rendering
• Space representation:
  • Historical overview
  • Objectives
  • General aspects
  • Fundamentals of projective geometry
  • Perspective
  • Methods of descriptive geometry representation
• Orthogonal projections:
  • Introduction to descriptive geometry
  • The method of orthogonal projections, representation of point, line, and plane
  • Canonical representation through Monge's method and technical representation, graphic applications.
• Graphic conventions for technical drawing:
  • UNI standards for technical drawing, drawing accompaniments (writing and unified symbology).
  • Systems and conventions for drawing dimensioning:
  • General principles of dimensioning, general and specific criteria for drawing dimensioning.
• Axonometric projection:
  • Historical overview
  • Objectives
  • Spatial genesis and reference elements
  • Orthogonal and oblique axonometry.
• Perspective:
  • Spatial genesis and reference elements
  • Representation of fundamental geometric entities: lines, points, and planes
  • Applicative examples.
• Color theory and its applications:
  • Light and color
  • Color of bodies
  • Characteristics of color
  • Additive and subtractive synthesis
  • Primary, secondary, and complementary colors
  • Color perception
  • Chromatic techniques
  • Color, material, and constructed space
• Concluding session:
  • Question time and course summary

Knowledge and understanding.

• Knowledge of methods and essential tools to address issues in representation through drawing (problems and methods);
• Ability to distinguish and compare fundamental representation techniques (orthogonal projections, perspective views, interactive graphics).

Applying knowledge and understanding.

• Knowledge and understanding of concepts and methods provided by the course;
• Ability to identify the best representation methods for the learning context identified by the course;
• Ability to analyze and exploit the characteristics of tools for drawing and representation.
• Ability to express space through the representation of coded drawing.

Making judgements.

• Ability to identify suitable representation tools for different objects and contexts to be graphically represented;

Communication skills.

• Ability to proactively communicate the fundamentals of manual drawing (particularly according to technical conventions);

Learning skills.

• Ability to use knowledge and concepts that allow reasoning according to the specific logic of the discipline;
• Ability to create freehand graphic works or using characteristic drawing tools.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Innovative teaching methods

The Drawing course follows an innovative teaching approach, pursuing objectives of problem-based learning through real representation projects (Project Based Learning approach). Addressing the topics in the syllabus, participants will encounter representation problems that they will solve during practical sessions where these small projects will be presented. These exercises, which can be adapted with the necessary simplifications in the professional career of teachers, will be tackled together, utilizing the knowledge progressively acquired throughout the course.

This approach is designed to put each participant in the position of a "student-worker," ensuring they learn to collaborate, communicate effectively, and think critically, moving beyond the mere assimilation of concepts from the standard educational path.

Course books

• M. Docci, M. Gaiani, D. Maestri, (2021). Scienza del Disegno. CittàStudi Editore.
• M. Gaiani (a cura di), La rappresentazione riconfigurata, Edizioni POLI design, Milano, 2006.
• L. Cipriani, Esempi di disegno dell'architettura. La didattica del disegno nella Facoltà di Ingegneria di Bologna, CLUEB, Bologna, 2005.
• L. Cipriani, Il disegno del portico di San Luca, CLUEB, Bologna, 2005.
• R.Migliari, Geometria descrittiva, CittàStudi, Novara, 2009.
• S.Bertocci, M.Bini, Manuale di rilievo architettonico e urbano, CittàStudi, Novara, 2012.
• F.D. Ching, Architectural Graphics, 6a Ed. 2015.