what is presentation drawings

Presentation Drawing

The importance of presentation drawing.

Presentation drawing, also known as a rendering, is a crucial aspect of the design process. It's a means of visually communicating ideas to clients, colleagues, and contractors. Presentation drawings can take many forms, from quick sketches to highly detailed, realistic illustrations. Regardless of the format, the goal of presentation drawing is to convey the essence of a design in a visually compelling way.

The Types of Presentation Drawing

There are several types of presentation drawing, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Here are four of the most common types of presentation drawing:

Sketches are quick, informal drawings that are used to explore ideas and communicate concepts. They are typically done by hand using pencil or pen and paper. Sketches are valuable because they allow designers to express their ideas quickly and without the need for expensive tools or software. That said, sketches are generally less polished than other forms of presentation drawing, so they may not be suitable for more formal presentations.

Concept Drawings

Concept drawings are more detailed than sketches and are intended to convey a more developed idea. They are still relatively informal, but they often incorporate color and shading to give the drawing depth and texture. Concept drawings can be done by hand or using digital tools like Photoshop or SketchUp.

Renderings are highly detailed, realistic illustrations of a design. They are typically created using 3D modeling software and are intended to give clients and colleagues a sense of what a finished project will look like. Renderings are often used in marketing materials and presentations because they are visually impressive and highly detailed.

Construction Documents

Construction documents are highly technical drawings that are used to communicate specific details about a project to contractors and builders. They include things like floor plans, elevations, and sections, and they are typically created using a combination of hand drawing and computer software.

Tips for Effective Presentation Drawing

Regardless of the type of presentation drawing you are creating, there are a few tips that can help ensure that your drawing is effective and communicates your ideas clearly.

Focus on Legibility

One of the most important aspects of presentation drawing is legibility. Your drawing should be easy to read and understand, even when viewed from a distance. Make sure that you use a font size and style that is easy to read, and avoid cluttering your drawing with unnecessary details that can distract from the main ideas you are trying to convey.

Choose the Right Format

Different types of presentation drawing are better suited to different formats. Sketches, for example, are best presented on paper or on a whiteboard. Renderings, on the other hand, are best viewed on a large screen or printed out at a high resolution. Make sure that you choose the right format for your drawing to ensure that it is presented in the most effective way possible.

Use Color Wisely

Color can be a powerful tool in presentation drawing, but it must be used wisely. Too much color can be distracting, while too little color can make your drawing look flat and lifeless. Use color to highlight important details and to create depth and texture in your drawing, but be sure to use it sparingly.

Be Consistent

Consistency is key in presentation drawing. Make sure that your drawing is consistent in terms of scale, proportion, and style. This will ensure that it is easy to read and that your ideas are communicated clearly.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Finally, the best way to improve your presentation drawing skills is to practice. Take the time to practice drawing different types of illustrations, and experiment with different tools and techniques to find what works best for you. The more you practice, the better you will become at conveying your ideas visually.

The Bottom Line

Presentation drawing is an essential aspect of the design process. It allows designers to communicate their ideas in a clear and compelling way and is crucial for getting buy-in from clients, colleagues, and contractors. Whether you're creating quick sketches or detailed renderings, there are a few key principles to keep in mind that can help ensure that your presentation drawing is effective and communicates your ideas clearly.

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Types of Construction Drawings

by Editorial Staff October 5, 2018, 5:07 am

In the construction field, drawings generally use as idea generation, design & presentation medium, and a guide for the construction process. Architectural and engineering drawings are the two main types used. Construction drawings (often called working drawings) visually communicate the design and the information required to bring it into reality to everyone who is involved in the building process.

Designers use many different types of drawings to generate and bring to reality their creative ideas. Drawings serve as the prime means of communication for constructing buildings, interior spaces, cabinets, furniture, and other objects. Construction drawings are scaled, detailed, and accurate representations of how an object looks and how it is constructed, as well as the materials used.

Construction drawings are generally categorized according to their intended purpose. Types commonly used in construction may be divided into five main categories based on function they intend to serve.

• Preliminary drawings
• Presentation drawings

Working drawings

• Shop/assembly drawing
• Specialized and Miscellaneous drawings

Preliminary – Design and Concept Drawings

The architect or designer often prepares preliminary sketches, which are essential schematic design/concept-development drawings at the initial stages of a project. These provide a convenient and practical basis for communication between the designer and the owner in the idea formulation stage. During the design phase, these drawings go through many alterations, helping the client to determine the most aesthetically attractive and function design. These drawings are not meant for construction but rather for exploratory purposes, providing an overall concept that reflects the client’s needs, as well as functional studies, materials to be used, preliminary cost estimates and budget, preliminary construction approvals, etc. preliminary drawings are also typically used to explore with other consultants concepts relating to the mechanical, plumbing, and electrical systems to be provided. These are followed by formal design-devlopment drawings prior to the working-drawing or construction-document stage.

Presentation Drawings

The purpose of presentation drawings is to present the proposed building or facility in an attractive setting at the proposed site for promotional purposes. They usually consist of perspective views complete with colors and shading, although they may also contain nicely drawn elevation views with shadows and landscaping. Presentation drawings are therefore essentially selling tools, a means to sell the building or project before it reaches the working-drawing stage, and sre used in brochures and other outlets. This phase is also where the schematic design us developed, finalized, and approved by the client.

Also called project and constructions drawings, working drawings include all the drawings required by the various trades to complete a project. These drawings are technical and are intended to furnish all the necessary information required by a contractor to erect a structure. Working drawings show the size, quantity, location, and relationship of the building components. They are typically prepared in considerable detail by the architect or engineer, and the amount of time and effort expended on them comprises a major portion of the consultant’s design services.

Shop and Assembly Drawings

Shop and assembly drawings are technical drawings prepared by various contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers participating in the construction process to show how their product is to be made. Since many products contain more than one components, shop and assembly drawings (also called fabrication drawings) identify each component and show how they all fit together. Those drawing should contain all the necessary information the size, shape, material, and provisions for connections and attachments for each member, including details, schedules, diagrams, and other related data to illustrate a material, product, or system for some portion of the work prepared by the construction contractor, subcontractor, manufacture, distributor, or supplier. Product data includes items such a brochures, illustrations, performance charts, and other information by which the work can be evaluated. The information provided must be in sufficient detail to permit ordering the material for the product concerned and its fabrication in the shop in the shop or yard. In practice the consultant often has to rely on these specialists to furnish precise information about their components.

Specialized and Miscellaneous Drawing Types

There are numerous other types of drawings used by architects and engineers in the construction industry. Freehand sketches are drawings made without the aid of any type of drawing instruments. Sketches can be an extremely valuable tool for architects, designers, builders, and contractors.

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Architectural Drawings

What are architectural drawings.

Architectural drawings are the blueprints of a home renovation project. They provide homeowners with a detailed plan of the proposed changes, including the dimensions of each new room or area. The drawings can also show the location of windows, doors, and other features. Homeowners use architectural drawings to get an idea of how the finished project will look and to make sure that all of the necessary changes are included. In some cases, the drawings may also be used to obtain building permits from the local authorities. Whether you’re planning a small bathroom remodel, basement renovation or a complete home addition, architectural drawings are required and will be a valuable tool in the planning , budgeting and building.

Why Ottawa Homeowners Need Architectural Drawings

Homeowners renovating their property may be unfamiliar with architectural drawings and how to use them. Here is a brief overview of architectural drawings and how they can be used in home renovations.  There are different types of architectural drawings, including floor plans, elevations, sections, and details. Floor plans show the layout of a space, elevations show the exterior of a building, sections show how a space would be cut through horizontally, and details highlight specific features. Homeowners renovating their home need to consult with an architect or designer to determine what architectural drawings are required to build your project. Architectural drawings can be used throughout the renovation process, from initial planning to construction to completion. They are an essential tool for both homeowners, inspectors, municipalities and contractors.

What Kind Of Architectural Drawings Are Required For Custom Renovations In Ottawa?

What are the different kinds of architectural drawings? There are hundreds of various drawings but for the average custom renovation in Ottawa these are the most common drawings for getting permits to renovate your home.

Site Plan Drawings

Site plan drawings are created by architects that show details about a property, such as the dimensions of the land, the location of buildings and features, and the grade. They also include information about roads, walkways, and other elements of the landscape. When used in conjunction with a site analysis, site plan drawings can help to create a comprehensive picture of a property and its potential. They are required when obtain zoning approval from a municipality.

Floor Plan Drawings

Floor plan drawings are architectural drawings that show a view from above of the relationships between rooms, spaces and other features at one level of a structure. They are use to help design buildings and sometimes used by builders during construction. Floor plans may include notes for construction to indicate finishes, construction methods, or symbols for electrical items. Floor plan drawings are also a valuable marketing tool when selling/visualizing a house or commercial space as they give a good understanding of the layout and size of rooms and how they relate to each other.

Elevation Drawings

Elevation drawings are created by architects that show details about a proposed or existing building. These drawings provide specific details about the exterior of the structure, including the dimensions of each wall and the location of doors and windows. Elevation drawings also include information about the materials that will be used for the external walls and roof. This is important information for contractors, who use the elevation drawings to create a cost estimate for the project. Elevation drawings are also used by city planners to determine whether a proposed building meets zoning requirements.

Engineering Drawings

Engineering drawings are an essential tool for architects, providing detailed information about the construction of a building or structure. The drawings show the dimensions of each element, as well as the location of supports and load-bearing walls. They also indicate the type of materials to be used in construction. Engineering drawings are usually created using computer-aided design (CAD) software, which allows for precise measurements and detailing. In some cases, hand-drawn plans may also be used. Regardless of the method used, engineering drawings are a vital part of the architectural process, helping to ensure that a project is built to specifications.

HVAC Drawing

HVAC drawings are created by architects that show details about the location and size of heating, ventilating, and air conditioning equipment. This type of drawing is essential for ensuring that the HVAC system is installed correctly and that it is appropriately sized for the size of the project. With heating and cooling equipment, bigger isn’t better, efficiency is.

MEP Drawing

MEP drawings are specialized technical drawings that show important details about the location of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in a building. Created by architects & engineers they help engineers plan and contractors install these systems. MEP drawings can be extremely complex, and they often include a wide range of information such as dimensions, piping schedules, and equipment specifications. Because of their importance, MEP drawings must be highly accurate and must conform to all relevant building codes.

Foundation Plan

Foundation plans are created by architects that show small details about the construction of a building’s foundation. These plans is to provide builders with a clear guide for laying the foundation that supports the structure. Foundation plans include the dimensions of the foundation, the location of footers, beams, windows and doors, and any other structural details. A solid foundation is the best way to ensure your construction project is built to last.

Framing Plan

Framing plans are created by architects to provide detailed information about the structural design of a building. Once the framing plan is complete, it can be used by contractors to build the actual frame of the structure. The framing plan includes information such as the dimensions of the lumber, the spacing of the studs, and the location of door and window openings. In addition, the framing plan may also specify the type of foundation that should be used. Framing plans and building plans are crucial part to getting and renovation or construction projects permitted.

Presentation Drawings

Architectural presentation drawings are a type of drawing that is used to communicate an architect’s design concept to a client. Presentation drawings are typically more detailed and polished than working drawings, and they often include elements such as colour, shading, and perspective in order to help visualize the final project. In many cases, an architect will create several different versions of a presentation drawing, each with its own unique twist, in order to gauge which design is most popular with the client. Ultimately, presentation drawings serve as an important tool for architects, helping them to land new clients and bring their vision to life.

Example of work, drawings.

How much do architectural drawings cost when planning a renovation? 

The cost of architectural drawings will vary depending on the extent of the renovation, the size of the property, and the complexity. Clients hire us for all kinds of projects from small decks to custom home building. Prices are based on the scope of the project, complexity of the drawings and the number of drawings required to get the building permits approved. We offer a free consultation so a project manager can meet with you and discuss the entire process and provide an estimate on the cost to plan and design your renovation. Good architectural plans will pay for themselves when it comes to obtaining permits, inspections and during construction!

Four Choices in Architectural Presentation Drawings

Winning a project bid requires architectural presentation drawings that demonstrate to the potential client the merits of the structure’s design concept and is a direct indication of an architectural firm’s skill in creativity and technical ability. Poorly drafted presentation drawings can result in losing great projects to other firms. We offer four different avenues to presenting your architectural concept which are highly illustrative and demonstrate professionalism to your clients:

2D Elevations and Sections Simple projects such as warehouses and small office complexes may only require 2D elevations of the building facade and cross-sections that illustrate interior area functions. Overall dimensions and floor heights of the building are detailed along with the proper tones and hatching applied to the exterior surfaces to emphasize different materials can supply ample information and clearly illustrate simpler structures. These drawings are best printed in high resolution color on heavy board surfaces to enhance the presentation.

Isometric and Perspectives Drawings A better visual solution for non-technical clients is given with an isometric or perspective view of the structure which emulates a three-dimensional view and shows the relationship between multiple sides of the building. Color and texture rendering of these drawings along with landscaping features will offer clients a greater representation of the proposed structure. The ability to alter view orientation in real-time can help create an exciting presentation as the building is tilted and rotated to different angles.

3D Wire Frame Models As the pre-cursor to rendered models, wire frame 3D models are often employed to allow simultaneous viewing of underlying facets of the structure, such as beams, floors and walls. When the structural solution to a project outweighs the building appearance, wire frame models are the perfect solution. With the application of automatic hidden line removal, the model easily converts to a vector line exterior view of the structure.

3D Rendered Models Fully rendered 3D models of the proposed structure is an optimum solution and well worth the investment for projects that are high-end or have great public interest. Surface textures can nearly replicate real world materials and give your clients a glimpse of what the new building will look like in the real world. The ability to simulate an actual building walk-through is an added benefit to solids models.

Contact us to learn more details on the process and pricing of each of these architectural presentation drawing options.

Related links: Creative 3D Interior Modeling Design, Plan and Construct Using Building Information Modeling Give Clients a Virtual Tour Using Architectural Walkthroughs Curtain Wall Shop Drawings – Add Creativity, Beauty, and Function to Any Building Design Improve Your Presentations with Photorealistic Architectural Rendering BIM Advantages for HVAC Drafting Businesses Advanced Technology for 3D Architectural Design Three Business Development Strategies with Architectural CAD Drafting Services Choosing the Right Architectural Rendering Firm Can Make All the Difference BIM for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing services

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10 Benefits Of Live Drawing For Presentations- No Artistic Skills Required

Hrideep barot.

• Presentation

Drawing for presentations is more than just doodles on a page—it’s the art of transforming ideas into visuals that captivate and communicate. As Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist; the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.” So, let’s unleash our inner Picasso and master the art of presentation drawing!

What Is Live Drawing for Presentations?

Live drawing in presentations, also known as real-time or interactive drawing, is a dynamic and engaging technique where an artist or presenter creates visuals on a digital or physical canvas during a live event. 

This approach adds an element of excitement and interactivity to presentations, making them more memorable and impactful. It can involve sketching, diagramming, or illustrating ideas on the spot, helping to clarify complex concepts and capture the audience’s attention in real-time.

 Live drawing can be a powerful tool for educators, speakers, and businesses looking to enhance their communication and storytelling abilities.

What Is The Art Of Presentation Skills? 

The art of presentation skills is a multifaceted craft that involves the ability to communicate, captivate, and persuade an audience effectively. It’s not just about conveying information; it’s about creating an experience that leaves a lasting impact. Effective presenters master the art of connecting with their audience, conveying their message clearly, and engaging their listeners on both intellectual and emotional levels.

Presentations, whether they’re in a business, educational, or public speaking context, require a delicate balance of several key elements. These elements include content organization, body language, vocal tone, and the use of visual aids. Presentation skills encompass the art of storytelling, the power of persuasion, and the ability to adapt to the needs and preferences of your audience.

Now, let’s introduce Drawing as one of the essential skills within the Art of Presentation:

Drawing, as an integral part of presentation skills , brings a unique dimension to the craft. It allows presenters to visually illustrate their ideas, clarify complex concepts, and create a stronger connection with the audience. Whether it’s through live drawing during the presentation or integrating pre-made visuals, drawing adds a creative and engaging element that can leave a lasting impression.

Drawing can be used to create diagrams, charts, and illustrations that simplify complex data, making it more accessible and relatable to the audience. Visual metaphors, sketches, and illustrations can be powerful tools to reinforce your message, evoke emotions, and enhance the overall storytelling experience.

Moreover, drawing doesn’t require advanced artistic skills. Even simple sketches can effectively convey ideas and make your presentation more engaging. Whether you’re presenting in a boardroom, classroom, or on a stage, the ability to incorporate drawing into your presentation skills toolkit can set you apart as a more dynamic and compelling communicator.

In the art of presentation skills, drawing is a creative tool that transforms presentations into Visual stories , making them more memorable and impactful. It’s a skill that, when mastered, can take your presentations to a whole new level, making your messages not only heard but also seen and felt by your audience.

10 Benefits Of Live Drawing For Presentations

Live drawing in presentations is not just about putting pen to paper; it’s a dynamic and captivating technique that can transform your communication. Let us explore ten compelling benefits of incorporating live drawing into your presentations: 

1. Drawing Improves Memory and Recall

 Drawing engages both the visual and motor cortex of the brain, which enhances memory retention. When you draw during a presentation, you create a visual memory for yourself and your audience, making the information more memorable.

 A study published in the “Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology” found that drawing information led to significantly better recall compared to writing or visualizing alone.

2. Greater Understanding and Clarity:

 Live drawing helps in breaking down complex concepts into simple, visually digestible elements. Visual representations can make abstract or intricate ideas more accessible, reducing cognitive load for the audience and increasing comprehension and clarity. This simplification aids in greater understanding and clarity, making it easier for the audience to grasp the content.

  “When information is presented pictorially, it is often easier to understand and recall than when it is presented verbally.” – Barbara Tversky, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University.

3. Picturization of Content:

By translating information into visual form, live drawing allows you to represent data and ideas as images, making them more relatable. It allows you to transform abstract ideas and data into tangible images. This approach aligns with the brain’s preference for processing information visually, with up to 90% of the information transmitted to the brain being visual. This makes the content more relatable and accessible for the audience, as they can connect with the visuals on a deeper level.

The brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text, and 90 percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual.

4. Enhanced Engagement and Interactivity:

Live drawing is inherently engaging as the audience witnesses the creation of visuals in real-time. It adds an element of interactivity, as viewers can ask questions or provide input, fostering a more dynamic and participative environment.

 A study in “The Journal of Educational Psychology” showed that interactive learning methods, like live drawing, can lead to significantly improved learning outcomes and engagement.

5. Storytelling Amplification:

Visuals created through live drawing enhance storytelling by adding depth and emotional resonance to the narrative. Visual metaphors and illustrations can convey complex emotions and ideas more effectively. This is supported by research indicating that stories are far more memorable than facts alone, and visuals enhance the emotional impact of a narrative.

 “Stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone.” – Jennifer Aaker, Professor of Marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

6. Customization for Specific Audiences:

Live drawing enables presenters to adapt their visuals in real-time, catering to the specific needs and preferences of the audience. This customization fosters a more personalized and impactful presentation.

“Audience engagement increases by 18% when content is personalized.” – Demand Metric Research Corporation.

7. Improved Information Processing:

The combination of spoken words and live visuals creates dual coding, reinforcing the message in the audience’s memory. This leads to higher information processing rates.

The Cognitive Load Theory suggests that the use of visual aids, such as live drawing, can significantly reduce cognitive load, making it easier for the brain to process and retain information.

8. Overcoming Language Barriers:

Live drawing transcends language barriers, making it an effective tool for international or diverse audiences. Visuals can convey universal concepts, ensuring a broader reach and understanding.

“Visual language is a global medium for communication.” – Keith Williams, Professor of Visual Communication at Yale University.

9. Demonstration of Creative Thinking:

Live drawing showcases creativity and problem-solving skills, which can enhance the presenter’s credibility and engage the audience on a deeper level.

Studies have shown that creative demonstrations can lead to increased trust and positive perception of the presenter.

10. Enhanced Emotional Connection:

Visuals created through live drawing have the power to evoke emotions and create a stronger connection between the audience and the content, leaving a lasting impact.

“The more emotional the content, the more likely it is to be shared and remembered.” – Jonah Berger, Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Incorporating live drawing into presentations can yield numerous cognitive, emotional, and practical benefits, enhancing the overall impact and effectiveness of your communication.

How Drawing Helps You To Think Better?

Drawing is a powerful tool that can enhance your thinking processes, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and communication. This TEDxTalk offers valuable insights into how drawing can contribute to improved thinking. Let’s explore each of the five points that are mentioned:

1. Intuition

 Drawing can help tap into your intuition by allowing you to express ideas, feelings, and concepts that might be difficult to articulate with words alone. Through the act of drawing, you can access your inner thoughts and emotions, enabling a more intuitive understanding of complex issues.

In the video, the speaker discusses how drawing can help individuals connect with their inner selves and harness their intuition as a valuable source of insight.

Drawing, whether it’s creating art or diagrams, can elevate the aesthetics of your thoughts and ideas. Visualizing concepts in a visually appealing way can make them more attractive and engaging, enhancing the overall quality of your thinking.

The video emphasizes the importance of incorporating aesthetics into your work and how visual beauty can be a driving force in creative thinking.

3. Reflection:

Drawing provides an opportunity for reflection. When you put your thoughts on paper or canvas, it becomes easier to evaluate, analyze, and refine your ideas. You can step back and critically assess your work, facilitating deeper thinking and self-reflection.

The video highlights the role of drawing as a tool for self-reflection, helping individuals gain clarity and insight into their thoughts and emotions.

4. Imagination:

Drawing is a medium that encourages imagination and creativity. It allows you to explore possibilities, experiment with ideas, and push the boundaries of your thinking. By sketching and visualizing your imagination, you can discover new perspectives and solutions.

The video underscores the role of drawing in unlocking one’s imagination, enabling a free flow of creative ideas and solutions to problems.

5. Communication:

Drawing is a universal language that transcends barriers. It enables effective communication by simplifying complex concepts and making them accessible to a wide audience. Whether you’re explaining a complex scientific theory or a new product design, visuals created through drawing can convey your message with clarity.

The video emphasizes the role of drawing as a means of communication, highlighting its power in connecting with and compellingly engaging others.

In summary, drawing can be a transformative tool for thinking. It engages intuition, enhances beauty, promotes reflection, fuels imagination, and facilitates effective communication. The video offers further insights and inspiration on how drawing can be harnessed to improve your thinking processes.

What Are The Requirements Of Presentation Drawing?

Creating effective presentation drawings requires a combination of skills, tools, and considerations to ensure that your visuals are engaging and communicate your message effectively. Here are the 7 key requirements for presentation drawing:

1. Clear Message and Objective:

The foundation of a successful presentation drawing is a well-defined message and objective. Your drawing should align with the core message you want to convey. Before you begin drawing, clarify what you want your audience to take away from your visual.

2. Understanding Your Audience:

Understanding your audience is crucial to creating effective presentation drawings. Consider their knowledge level, interests, and preferences. Tailor your visuals to resonate with your specific audience, making the content more relatable and engaging for them.

3. Storyboard or Plan:

Planning your drawing in advance is essential. Create a rough outline or storyboard to map out the structure and sequence of your drawing. This helps ensure a logical flow and consistency in your visuals, allowing for a smooth and coherent narrative.

4. Basic Drawing Skills:

While you don’t need to be an expert artist, having basic drawing skills is important. This includes the ability to create simple shapes, lines, and symbols that effectively convey your ideas. Practice and hone your skills to become more confident in your drawing abilities.

5. Visual Hierarchy and Consistency:

Establish a visual hierarchy to emphasize key points in your drawing. This can be achieved through the size, color, or positioning of elements. Consistency in style and formatting across all your drawings within a presentation is crucial for creating a cohesive look and maintaining audience engagement.

6. Simplicity and Relevance:

Keep your drawings simple and relevant. Avoid clutter and unnecessary details that could distract from your message. Each element in your drawing should directly relate to the content you’re presenting. Simplicity enhances clarity and helps the audience focus on what’s important.

7. Choice of Medium:

Your choice of drawing medium, whether traditional or digital, depends on your comfort and available resources. Traditional tools, like markers and paper, offer a tactile experience, while digital tools provide flexibility and ease of editing. Choose the medium that suits your style and resources. 

A. Drawing In PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint allows for in-slide drawing, which is particularly useful for digital presentations. It offers basic drawing tools, shapes, and the ability to annotate slides directly. It’s an excellent option for enhancing visuals during virtual or in-person presentations.

Drawing in PowerPoint is effective for real-time, digital presentations. You can highlight key points, underline text, add arrows, or create simple illustrations on your slides. It’s a versatile tool that integrates seamlessly with your presentation, making it interactive and engaging.

Basic Guide:

     – Open your PowerPoint presentation.

     – Select the slide where you want to add a drawing.

     – Go to the “Insert” tab and choose “Shapes” or “Scribble” from the “Illustrations” group.

     – Use the drawing tools to create your visual elements.

     – Customize colors, line thickness, and style.

     – Annotate your slides as needed.

B. Drawing In Canva

Canva is a graphic design tool known for its user-friendly interface and extensive library of templates and elements. It offers a wide range of drawing and illustration options, making it ideal for creating visually stunning graphics, infographics, and presentations.

Canva’s design features are highly effective for creating professional and aesthetically pleasing visuals. You can choose from a wide variety of templates, graphics, and drawing tools to make your presentations visually compelling. Canva’s collaborative features also make it a great choice for team projects.

   Basic Guide:

     – Sign in to your Canva account or create one.

     – Start a new presentation project or select an existing one.

     – Use the “Elements” tab to access various drawing tools and shapes.

     – Drag and drop elements onto your canvas.

     – Customize colors, size, and position.

     – Save your work and download it for use in your presentation.

C. Live Drawing On Board

Live drawing on a board, whether physical or digital, provides a dynamic and engaging experience during presentations. It allows presenters to illustrate concepts in real time, fostering a direct connection with the audience.

 Live drawing on a board is highly effective for face-to-face presentations or virtual events with a shared whiteboard. It enables real-time interaction, allowing presenters to respond to audience questions and ideas immediately. This technique adds a personal touch and can make complex concepts more accessible.

D. White Chart Paper

Using white chart paper is a traditional, low-tech method for drawing and presenting. It’s often used in classrooms and brainstorming sessions. It’s unique for its simplicity and accessibility.

 White chart paper is effective for interactive group discussions and brainstorming sessions. It allows participants to collaborate and visualize their ideas collectively. It’s particularly useful in settings where technology is limited or when a tactile, hands-on approach is desired.

In summary, the choice of drawing tools and methods depends on the context and your specific presentation needs. PowerPoint and Canva offer digital options with various features and templates, while live drawing on a board and using white chart paper provide a more hands-on, interactive approach. Choose the method that best suits your presentation style and objectives.

Do I Need To Be Good At Drawing To Add It To My Presentations?

No, you don’t need to be exceptionally skilled at drawing to incorporate it into your presentations effectively. While having advanced drawing skills can be an asset, there are various ways to add drawing elements to your presentations, even if you consider yourself a novice artist. 

Let me give you an example, I very well remember some memories of my dad drawing funny figures on paper as he narrated captivating tales. It was all about the sheer joy of the moment, not the perfection of the artwork. I mean, the dog hardly ever resembled a real dog, and the human figure was nothing more than a basic stick figure, but those drawings added a touch of whimsy that made the stories unforgettable and incredibly engaging.

Drawing in presentations can be a lot like that. You don’t need to be a professional artist. Here’s why:

1. Expression over Perfection:

Presentations are about conveying ideas and engaging your audience, not showcasing your artistic skills. Simple drawings or sketches can effectively express your message, and sometimes, the authenticity of a less-than-perfect drawing can be endearing and relatable.

2. Digital Tools:

With modern presentation software and graphic design tools, you can leverage pre-made shapes, icons, and templates. These tools make it easy to create professional-looking visuals without needing advanced drawing skills.

3. Concept Clarity:

The primary goal of adding drawings to your presentation is to enhance conceptual clarity. Even basic illustrations can serve this purpose by simplifying complex ideas, making them more understandable to your audience.

4. Audience Engagement: 

Drawing can enhance audience engagement. It adds a personal touch to your presentation and can spark curiosity. When your audience sees that you’ve put effort into creating visuals, it can leave a positive impression.

5. Practice and Improvement: 

If you’re interested in enhancing your drawing skills, presentations are a perfect platform to practice. As you use drawing more frequently, you’ll likely see improvement over time.

6. Uniqueness: 

Hand-drawn visuals can set your presentations apart. They give your content a distinct, human touch that can make it more memorable and relatable.

In a nutshell, the key is not your artistic prowess but the effectiveness of your visuals in conveying your message. Simple drawings and graphics can work wonders in making your presentations engaging and memorable. So, go ahead and have some fun with your drawings in your presentations. Who knows, just like those funny stories stuck in my head that my dad used to tell, your presentation drawings might become unforgettable for your audience!

In conclusion, drawing for presentations is a versatile and powerful tool that doesn’t require advanced artistic skills. Whether you’re using basic shapes, templates, or digital tools, the goal is to enhance the clarity and impact of your message. The authenticity and simplicity of drawings often resonate with audiences, making your content more engaging and memorable. 

With a bit of practice and the right tools, you can unleash the creative potential of drawing and take your presentations to a whole new level. So, don’t hesitate to add a personal touch to your presentations through the art of drawing!

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Michelangelo (1475—1564)

Lorenzo Monaco (c. 1370—1425)

Leonardo da Vinci (1452—1519)

Giorgio Vasari (1511—1574) Italian painter, architect, and biographer

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presentation drawing

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A term coined in the 20th century by the Hungarian art historian Johannes Wilde to describe certain drawings made by Michelangelo, for example those he gave as presents to various aristocratic young men. Presentation drawings were finished, non-utilitarian works of art, as opposed to preparatory drawings for a work in another medium. The earliest known presentation drawings dating from the Italian Renaissance are two drawings of the 1420s by Lorenzo Monaco.

From:   presentation drawing   in  The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms »

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Chapter 41 Presentation Drawings

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Michelangelo and the mastery of drawing

O ne of the most common complaints made about today's artists is their apparent inability to draw. In matters of art, no question is more decisive, more majestically final, than: "But can he/she draw?" In a melodramatic hatchet job on Francis Bacon, Picasso biographer John Richardson recently claimed that Bacon's "graphic ineptitude" was his Achilles heel: "Tragically, he failed to teach himself to draw."

The pro-life-drawing movement is one of the most lasting legacies of the artistic Renaissance in Florence, for it was here that disegno (design or drawing) was enshrined as the source of all visual competence. The first art academy, founded in Florence in 1563 on the urging of Giorgio Vasari, was called the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno, and the curriculum centred on drawing of the live (and dead) model, and of approved artworks that would enable the aspiring artist to "correct" nature.

Michelangelo, a compulsive drawer whose most exquisite creations are the subject of a major exhibition at the Courtauld Institute Galleries, was being typically Florentine when he asserted that "Design, which by another name is called drawing . . . is the fount and body of painting and sculpture and architecture and of every other kind of painting and the root of all sciences." The preliminary drawings of artists are here seen as essential to the advancement of learning as the technical drawings made or commissioned by mathematicians, engineers, doctors and scientists.

The technical similarities between drawing and writing also added hugely to the former's allure and status. Florence had the highest literacy rates in Europe, and was justifiably proud that Dante, Petrarch and Boccaccio had established Tuscan as the pre-eminent Italian tongue. Artists wanted to share in that prestige, and establish the visual arts as a major liberal art. The two pre-eminent Tuscan draftsmen, Leonardo and Michelangelo, were also the most literate, and their sketches are interspersed with texts written in an elegant, calligraphic script. Michelangelo's drawings are interspersed with his own poems, and extracts from the Tuscan greats. Later collectors of drawings concurred: they bound them into books and kept them in their libraries. It is no accident that literature-loving England has the greatest collections of old master drawings, including those by Michelangelo.

Michelangelo furnishes us with the first and most famous "but can he draw?" anecdote. Vasari reports how they both visited Titian's temporary studio in Rome, and were confronted by a steamy nude painting of Danaë being inseminated by Jupiter in the guise of a shower of gold. Her pose derives from Michelangelo's sculpture Night in the Medici Chapel. Michelangelo, having praised Titian's colour and style, regretted that in Venice painters did not learn how to draw methodically from the start of their careers – what a great artist Titian would have been if only he knew how to draw!

Vasari smugly adds that if the artist "has not drawn a great deal and studied carefully selected ancient and modern works, he cannot by himself work well from memory or enhance what he copies from life". Here, priority is given to "intelligently" drawn line over "instinctively" painted colour, and this became an article of faith for all future art academies: the first director of the French Académie Royale, founded in 1648, asserted that, without drawing, painters would not rank any higher than colour grinders, the lackeys who prepared pigment.

Yet Michelangelo's attack on Venetian painting points to a serious flaw in the argument. One can compile an extremely impressive list of great (and mostly unliterary) artists who got by nicely without bothering unduly with drawing. They displayed not so much graphic ineptitude as indifference. Giorgione, Titian, Caravaggio, Hals, Velázquez and Vermeer seem to have painted directly on to the canvas, just incising or brushing in a few outlines. Indeed, drawing as a major artform has been in spasmodic but continuous decline since the 17th century: most drawings by great artists after about 1850, including Manet, Cézanne, Picasso and Matisse, are barely worth exhibiting and are of interest only to specialist scholars. Bacon represents the rule rather than the exception.

The aesthetic and intellectual highpoints of academic drawing are Michelangelo's so-called "presentation drawings", created in the early 1530s as pedagogic gifts for the young Roman aristocrat Tommaso de' Cavalieri, who was learning to draw. Using largely pagan subject matter, and made using red or black chalk, they tell moralising tales, mostly about men and love. They are Michelangelo's most highly finished and elaborate drawings, and as technical and imaginative feats have never been surpassed. The Courtauld exhibition, expertly curated by Stephanie Buck and with a substantial catalogue, is the most important ever devoted to them.

The "divine" artist, then in his late 50s, had fallen in love with the teenage Cavalieri, who was famously beautiful, refined and (for his age) cultured. Michelangelo's feelings were reciprocated, and so he sent rapturous love letters and poems (several manuscripts are included), and drawings which his young protégé copied and commented on. It is the greatest correspondence course ever conducted. Drawing had become a respectable pastime for Italian aristocrats. In Castiglione's famous conduct book The Courtier (1528), drawing lessons are recommended – drawing enables us to appreciate the beauty and proportions of living bodies and the whole of the natural world, as well as to make maps for warfare.

Although Michelangelo was evidently homosexual, it seems unlikely his relationship with Cavalieri was ever consummated. The evidence suggests he was for the most part celibate, and in 1529 he had held high rank in the short-lived republican government of Florence, which was ardently anti-sodomite. The affair was conducted openly, with the drawings and poems being shown immediately to friends and to members of the papal court, and to artists who copied the drawings. Indeed, it was not uncommon for an aristocratic youth to have an older man as a mentor and even "platonic lover" – a term that had been coined by the Florentine philosopher Marsilio Ficino. In Ficino's  Commentary on Plato's Symposium on Love (1474), written for Michelangelo's first patron, Lorenzo de' Medici, the relationship between an older man and a boy had been given the most exalted status:

"Among lovers beauty is exchanged for beauty. A man enjoys the beauty of a beloved youth with his eyes. The youth enjoys the beauty of the man with his Intellect. And he who is beautiful in body only, by this association becomes beautiful also in soul. He who is only beautiful in soul fills his bodily eyes with the beauty of the boy's body. Truly this is a wonderful exchange. Virtuous, useful, and pleasant to both."

The man receives supreme sight-food; the boy, supreme soul-food.

Ficino, a famous teacher, believed that the teacher-pupil relationship should always be based on mutual love. Turning to the visual arts, he insisted that whoever loves works of art and the people for whom they are made "executes [them] diligently and completes them exactly". This is the formal framework within which Michelangelo and Cavalieri's relationship is conducted. Ficino insisted that such relationships should not have a physical component (look and listen but don't touch or lust). Yet Michelangelo's poems, letters and drawings leave us in no doubt that he was often straining at the leash. In one poem, Michelangelo dreams of a day when he can hold Cavalieri for ever in his "unworthy yet ready" arms; then, more masochistically, he wishes his own skin could be flayed and made into a gown and shoes to be worn by his beloved. He wouldn't be allowed to teach this way today.

At the Courtauld, we can see all three versions of The Fall of Phaeton , a story highlighting the dangers of youthful hubris. The first drawing carries a note along the bottom whose modesty is amazing when we consider Michelangelo was at the height of his powers and prestige: "Messer Tommaso, if this sketch does not please you, say so to Urbino [Michelangelo's servant] in time for me to do another tomorrow evening, as I promised you; and if it pleases you and you wish me to finish it, send it back to me."

It seems the first version didn't get Cavalieri's complete approval (and Michelangelo was probably already dissatisfied), because the final version is more tightly structured and elongated. Phaeton was granted a single wish by his father Apollo, and chose to drive the chariot of the sun. When Phaeton lost control, Jupiter struck him with a thunderbolt to save the earth from incineration. Michelangelo made a vertical triptych shaped like an isosceles triangle, with Jupiter astride an eagle at the top, Phaeton tumbling spectacularly from his horse-drawn chariot in the middle, and his weeping sisters being transformed into trees at the bottom. All the figures are nude, and the whole intricate mise en scène presages Christ's casting down of the damned in the Last Judgment (1534-41).

The Courtauld is staging this exhibition both because the British Museum bizarrely excluded the Cavalieri drawings from its Michelangelo exhibition in 2006, and because the Courtauld owns one of the most compelling, known as The Dream . Its focal point is a lithe male nude perched on an open-fronted box. He leans back against a large sphere, signifying the world, which he clasps. Inside the box are a selection of different theatrical masks, suggesting deceptive and illusory pleasures. In the hazily sketched background is a heaving semi-circle of interlocking figures representing six of the seven deadly sins – Gluttony, Lechery, Avarice, Wrath, Envy and Sloth. The central male nude must signify Pride, yet he is being awoken from his deluded state by a trumpet-blast from an angelic winged boy, who has swooped down from the sky.

It's ostensibly a picture concerned with spiritual rebirth, but this reading is qualified by the explicitness and ingenuity with which Michelangelo has depicted the sinners – above all the Lustful, who spring up from the curve made by the dreamer's torso and thigh. There are two heterosexual couples, one nude and in flagrante, with the man's penis exposed; the other semi-clad and kissing (with the woman dominant). Michelangelo also depicted a huge erect phallus held by a hand emerging from clouds, and a graffiti-style penis. A naked man seen from behind, beneath the unattached members, may allude to homosexuality.

The penises were mostly erased by a subsequent owner of the drawing, and we know about them from a print made after the drawing, which is shown nearby. Here, too, Michelangelo seems to be straining at the leash, revelling in the power of the penis just as he denounces it. Like St Augustine in the Confessions , he may have muttered to himself: "Grant me chastity and continence, Oh Lord, but please, not yet."

The term "presentation drawing" – a finished drawing made as a gift – was devised by the great Michelangelo scholar Johannes Wilde (1891-1970), who taught at the Courtauld and was directly responsible for its acquisition of the Seilern collection, which included The Dream . There have since been many contrived attempts to trace a lineage for Michelangelo's presentation drawings in earlier Renaissance art, but beyond a few portrait heads or modest figure studies, there are no directly comparable drawings, and certainly not enough to suggest the existence of a genre.

I believe the only real precursors and indeed the inspiration for Michelangelo's drawings for Cavalieri were the enigmatic mythological prints made by artists such as Mantegna, Marcantonio Raimondi and especially Dürer, which were often given away as gifts. In terms of their range of mark-making and finesse, Michelangelo's presentation drawings for Cavalieri are the first drawings to surpass Dürer's prints, which were widely admired in Italy. In the past, many scholars claimed that Michelangelo despised this "minor" reproductive artform, but he must have been thinking a great deal about prints because he planned to publish a (never-completed) illustrated treatise on movements and gestures. The exhibition runs with this idea, and gives a starring role to Dürer and print-making.

The most risqué section of The Dream must have been informed by a very different kind of print, because in the 1520s the first illustrated pornography books were published – Marcantonio's I Modi ( The Positions ) with each of the 16 images accompanied by an obscene sonnet by Pietro Aretino, and Perino del Vaga's less explicit Loves of the Gods . The pope banned I Modi "since some of these sheets were found in places where they were least expected" (Vasari), and it seems inconceivable that Cavalieri (who collected prints) had not seen them, because otherwise Michelangelo's mini- Modi would have been too shocking.

The painstaking mark-making of the Cavalieri drawings is also found in a series of images of Christ made for the devout aristocrat Vittoria Colonna in the late 1530s, which she studied with a magnifying glass. But after that, Michelangelo turns his back on precision, perfection, beauty, control. In a parallel display, the Courtauld is showing its black chalk drawing Christ on the Cross (c1555-60), made when Michelangelo was in his 80s. It is defiantly anti-academic. Each line is drawn and then redrawn, so that Christ's slumped body becomes a quivering, boneless mirage, flayed and frayed, a crumpled cloak that a tramp might wear. Fra Angelico supposedly wept every time he painted a crucifixion, and Michelangelo's tremulous technique implies that he drew with and through tears. Michelangelo's younger self would surely have said: if only he had learned how to draw!

Michelangelo's Dream is at the Courtauld Gallery, London WC2 (020 7848 2526) until 16 May.

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.css-1qrtm5m{display:block;margin-bottom:8px;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:14px;line-height:1.5714285714285714;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.35px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.35px;letter-spacing:-0.35px;font-weight:300;color:#606F7B;}@media (min-width:600px){.css-1qrtm5m{font-size:16px;line-height:1.625;-webkit-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-moz-letter-spacing:-0.5px;-ms-letter-spacing:-0.5px;letter-spacing:-0.5px;}} Best Practices The #1 rule for improving your presentation slides

by Tom Rielly • May 12, 2020

When giving presentations, either on a video conference call or in person, your slides, videos and graphics (or lack of them) can be an important element in helping you tell your story or express your idea. This is the first of a series of blog posts that will give you tips and tricks on how to perfect your visual presentations.

Your job as a presenter is to build your idea -- step-by-step -- in the minds of your audience members. One tool to do that is presentation graphics, such as slides and videos.

Why graphics for your presentation?

A common mistake is using slides or videos as a crutch, even if they don’t actually add anything to your presentation. Not all presentations need graphics. Lots of presentations work wonderfully with just one person standing on a stage telling a story, as demonstrated by many TED Talks.

You should only use slides if they serve a purpose: conveying scientific information, art, and things that are hard to explain without pictures. Once you have decided on using slides, you will have a number of decisions to make. We’ll help you with the basics of making a presentation that is, above all, clear and easy to understand. The most important thing to remember here is: less is more.

Less is so much more

You want to aim for the fewest number of slides, the fewest number of photos, the fewest words per slide, the least cluttered slides and the most white space on your slides. This is the most violated slide rule, but it is the secret to success. Take a look at these examples.

As you can see in the above example, you don’t need fancy backgrounds or extra words to convey a simple concept. If you take “Everything you need to know about Turtles”, and delete “everything you need to know about” leaving just “turtles”, the slide has become much easier for your audience to read, and tells the story with economy.

The above example demonstrates that a single image that fills the entire screen is far more powerful than a slide cluttered with images. A slide with too many images may be detrimental to your presentation. The audience will spend more mental energy trying to sort through the clutter than listening to your presentation. If you need multiple images, then put each one on its own slide. Make each image high-resolution and have it fill the entire screen. If the photos are not the same dimensions as the screen, put them on a black background. Don’t use other colors, especially white.

Your slides will be much more effective if you use the fewest words, characters, and pictures needed to tell your story. Long paragraphs make the audience strain to read them, which means they are not paying attention to you. Your audience may even get stressed if you move on to your next slide before they’ve finished reading your paragraph. The best way to make sure the attention stays on you is to limit word count to no more than 10 words per slide. As presentation expert Nancy Duarte says “any slide with more than 10 words is a document.” If you really do need a longer explanation of something, handouts or follow-up emails are the way to go.

Following a “less is more” approach is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your presentation visuals and the impact of your presentation overall. Make sure your visuals add to your presentation rather than distract from it and get your message across.

Ready to learn more about how to make your presentation even better? Get TED Masterclass and develop your ideas into TED-style talks.

© 2024 TED Conferences, LLC. All rights reserved. Please note that the TED Talks Usage policy does not apply to this content and is not subject to our creative commons license.

Blog – Creative Presentations Ideas

infoDiagram visual slide examples, PowerPoint diagrams & icons , PPT tricks & guides

Using Hand Drawn Graphics in Your presentation: Why and How

Last Updated on October 5, 2023 by Justyna

Kids love drawing at an early age. From doodling with crayons to later learning and utilizing other utensils, we’re innately drawn to art and want to create it.

Unfortunately, as in the case of young children, adults are not all equal in the artistic ability department. That is one of the reasons why our master designer Izabela, started creating these  Hand drawn presentation graphics .

We want to help people who don’t have the time and skills to draw their own graphics. To allow everybody to create presentations with this visually engaging handwritten style . Our own presentation experience proved to us that various sketched-out graphics catch the eye. Beyond the unconscious pull of artistic elements, there are other motives for using hand-drawn, creative styles when building presentations. Adding scribbled or hand-drawn diagrams can make your documents look more interesting, and seem more personalized. You can also check out this TED talk by sketcher Sunni Brown about learning the visual language and doodling as a powerful tool .

The Power of Hand-Drawn Graphics

The goal of creating these handcrafted graphics was to allow presenters to give their projects personality and tap into their creative side . We wanted to form a toolbox based on our expertise and feedback from our community to build something you could use for any presentation.

Whether your presentations need charts, graphs, or filled tables – by using a simple hand-drawn mark  you can emphasize the details and ideas. That is why our sets include a variety of items such as arrows, lines, circles, charts, graphs, word balloons, and even people who can help illustrate whatever concepts you need.

How You Can Make the Most Impact with Presentation

In order to make the most impact, you should follow the path of Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds. In his book, he recommends that  each slide should represent one idea . Even if your slide needs to contain a lot of information to be displayed or a large field of text, you should only focus on one key message to have the most impact. This is true for presentations filled with charts, graphs, tables, or passages of text. When you need to highlight specific, key data hand-drawn elements are perfect!

You can underline information using ovals, point it out using arrows, or utilize speech balloons to accentuate what you need to say. The best part is that design elements are completely customizable so you can make the sketched graphics match your branding or style of presentation.

Four Ways to Use Hand Drawn Graphics in Your Projects

If you are not inspired yet, check out some of the ways we’ve been told people use our handwritten elements and the way we use them every day:

• Underlining Scribbles – ( Arrows, ovals, speech balloons, etc. ) These are used to highlight information the same way you might if you were working on a tangible, paper document.

• Illustrative Icons – ( People, charts, etc. ) They allow you to visualize your theme. Using these, you can enable people who are unfamiliar with your topic to create a mnemonic association to better remember the topic and content on your slide.

• Progress Indicators – ( Timelines ) – These are to indicate plans, and projects, or even share the outline of your presentation in an organic way around the progression of time.

• Diagrams – ( Charts, graphs, pieces of charts & graphs ) – Alternately, you may use the elements to create your very own charts and illustrations to represent your own process, structure, or relationship.

The motive of all of the items in our hand-drawn sets, from lines to pie charts, is to make your presentations more memorable and interesting for viewers.

Using hand-drawn graphics beyond PowerPoint slides

Notice that the title says to use hand-drawn graphics in projects, not just presentations. Although we’ve been talking about how our handwritten icons can be used to embellish presentations, they have also been utilized successfully in eBooks and blog posts.

We use it in many places on our own infoDiagram blog – see scribble illustrations, for example, Seth Godin’s  blogs.

If you’re still not sure how to incorporate graphics into your projects, contact us !

Remember the design rules applies also with freehand drawing

Of course, when you’re using any kind of artistic embellishments you need to remember the importance of design consistency . Learn three design hints to make sure your diagrams are professional-looking and remain readable.

Presentations that combine too many style elements can distract the audience. (The goal is to highlight your message and create mnemonic devices for your content, not to detract from it!).

Therefore we suggest

• using no more than two handwritten styles per presentation. For example: Only use charcoal or ink style elements, but not all together.  The same goes for fonts, stick to 1-2 fonts.
• Have enough white space . Let the slide breathe – leave margins from the slide edge and don’t put elements too close together.
• Keep alignment and equal distribution of elements, e.g. if your icons of the flowchart are in one vertical or horizontal line, they should not jump around by a few pixels.
• And be careful with resizing the elements – keep them proportional, to avoid the “sun to egg” effect. With PowerPoint there’s a simple trick – hold Ctrl when resizing the vector icon.

Source of Hand-Drawn Graphics

If you need to graphically illustrate a concept or idea, try our handwritten PowerPoint icons and shapes collection.  We put there several graphical styles:

• scribble graphics
• chalk or charcoal-style graphics
• pencil style sketchnoting graphics

Our collection of hand-sketched shapes is probably the largest collection of shapes like this available online. We have over 500 handcrafted doodles, and our collection is constantly growing . Browse the bundle collection of hand-drawn PPT graphics here:

Hand Drawn Icons and Diagram Shapes PPT Collection

We created our hand-drawn graphics sets so we could all have a unique method of highlighting, accentuating, and underlining the key data, points, and messages of slides .

To give you the tools to draw (no pun intended!) attention and focus on important information in a fun and clever way. By making our graphical representation interesting, we are making our presentations interesting as well, and we’re also making them more memorable.

With these instruments, we’re able to strike a chord with audiences in a way we cannot with a standard formal look of printed material alone.

PS. If you are still not convinced, get a free sample of our hand drawn shapes to try first.

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Chief Diagram Designer, infoDiagram co-founder View all posts by Peter Z

2 thoughts on “Using Hand Drawn Graphics in Your presentation: Why and How”

I saw someone use visual slides yesterday which made a good presentation.

I would be happy to receive the free slide content mentioned in your pop up message.

David Finlay Transforming Lives

Hi David, thanks for your interest in our graphics. You can download a free sample here: https://www.infodiagram.com/freesample

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Understanding Architecture Section Drawings

• Updated: March 28, 2024

Among the many varieties in a set of architectural drawings, very few come close to a section drawing.

While floor plans , elevations, and perspectives get most of the attention, section drawings play a vital role in communicating a buildings complete story.

Here we cover all the fundamentals of this divers drawing type, as well as provide tips and resources to help improve your presentation.

What is a section drawing?

In short, a section drawing is a view that depicts a vertical plane cut through a portion of the project. These views are usually represented via annotated section lines and labels on the projects floor plans, showing the location of the cutting plane and direction of the view.

We provide a selection of these labels and fully annotated examples in our AutoCAD Template here .

Sections can be orthographic views, where the drawing is shown parallel and two-dimensionally, or perspective views with three-dimensional depth.

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What is its purpose.

Section drawings help provide a better understanding of the internal portions of a building, showing many key items that wouldn’t otherwise be visible in the other views.

They can show intricate details at various scales to enrich drawings with information and additional visual reference.

Clients look at sections to see the relationship and enclosures of the interior spaces. Consultants look at sections to aid in the accurate design of engineering components, and builders refer to sections during construction to make sure everything is built as planned.

Why are they important?

A clear set of section drawings are crucial for stakeholders to understand the inner workings of a building. They play a key role in connecting information from the elevations and exterior views to the floor plans and interior views.

Some of the most sophisticated buildings today are best characterized by their sections, because their true forms are often not seen from the exterior facades . Designs with complex and dynamic levels use creative section drawings to illustrate the ideas for their full appreciation.

What should a section show?

Sections can show the relationship between floors, walls, windows, ceilings, roofs, and other elements intersecting the cutting plane. They can also show how elements such as glass, concrete , and cladding are assembled together with seals, insulation, and termination details.

An effective section is one that illustrates information lacking from other views. For example, it might be difficult to see the floor slab thickness in an elevation, or the void spaces via a floor plan, but a section drawing can show both with ease.

Likewise, contour lines on site are a good indication of sloping land, but it can be strenuous trying to visualize the steepness without a visual guide on a section.

How to read a section

Imagine a slice of cake, showing the layers of frosting and filling from the base all the way up to the decorative elements on top. A section drawing is very similar, with the layers and stories on full display.

Whether it’s a full building section, or a small joinery detail, the principle remains the same.

For a typical building section, you’ll likely see a mixture of ground, structural elements, and architectural features. The first step to reading it is to find the section line on the floor plans. There you’ll be able to orient yourself with the location of the section in the building.

Once you analyze the areas intersected by the section line, you can refer to the elevation views to understand which elements of the exterior are being shown. After that, much of the section should start to make sense, and you’ll have a clear idea of the spaces and features in view.

Types of sections and section styles

Detail – A detail drawing refers to any isolated or enlarged view of a specific part or element, showing an additional level of detail and providing more complete descriptions of the components within it.

A detail section is often used to show how small pieces are put together. These are typically characterized by plenty of call-outs and labels, as well as a wide variety of line styles and hatch patterns to differentiate materials and masses.

Full – Full (or typical) sections have a cutting line that passes all the way through the building or object. They are useful for getting a complete, big picture look through the inside of a structure.

These sections show a full slice of a building from top to bottom to provide an overview of the building envelope and the spaces in between.

Half – A half section, as the name implies, is a view wherein only half of the object has been cut, with the other half being shown as an elevation. This means that only a quarter of the object is being removed, with the rest of it left intact.

When represented on a floor plan, half sections have a section line that typically turns at a 90-degree angle from the midpoint, creating an opening that allows you to see both the interior and exterior in one view.

Site – Site sections are a way to cut the full site along with terrain and land elements to show the macro relationship of all structures in the development. This is most appropriate for complexes involving several buildings grouped together.

You will also see many site sections for projects on steep hillsides or along the beach. These views offer helpful visual guides for topography and land grading, such as cut and fill works and below-ground spaces.

Longitudinal – A longitudinal section is cut along the long axis of a structure. It is a full lengthwise section showing the structure in its entirety from top to bottom. Longitudinal sections are common in architectural plans as one of the main requirements for permits and construction.

Offset – An offset section involves a cutting plane that does not cut in a straight line. Instead, the line has many deviations as it cuts across the structure to include different objects in the same view.

The deviations are generally done at right angles to show different depths in the section while maintaining the same view plane.

Perspective – Perspective sections are used primarily for presentation purposes to illustrate the ideas and communicate the design to the client. These section views depict three-dimensional depth beyond the cutting plane to show things like space, finishes, furniture, people, and light.

Broken – A broken section is a reference view with one or more parts omitted to show only the essential aspects of the drawing. Instead of isolating an area as a whole, broken out sections use break lines to represent continuation and omission.

This technique is ideal for detail views to reduce the overall size without compromising the content and information of the drawing. Walls and floors are commonly divided by break lines due to their length and continuity.

Poche – Poche is a style of section presentation that involves filling, hatching, or shading cut components to differentiate sliced members from projected faces. In a section, poche is most frequently used for floors, walls, and beams.

Various hatch patterns and opacities can be used to make it easier to distinguish different materials, structural members, and finishes.

Shadowing – Shadowing is used as a section style to produce subtle gradients of light and dark on the inner walls of a section. This technique can be applied to more effectively explain how the sources of light, both natural and artificial, illuminate the interior spaces within a building.

Line – A line drawing is made of pure lines, without any color, shade, or shadows. Line sections can make drawings easier to measure on site, as bare lines are more precisely visible than solid colors or gradient shadows.

Technical drawings for construction are often done as line drawings to retain as much information as possible.

Oblique – Oblique sections are made by cutting non-right-angle planes into the building or object. These section lines are drawn diagonally, or not along the horizontal or vertical planes of the project.

Oblique sections are commonly used for round or radial designs to cover areas that weren’t sufficiently shown by the cross and longitudinal sections.

How do you draw a section?

There are different approaches to creating section drawings depending on what materials and programs you’re working with, but the overall process remains consistent.

The below stages highlight the basics for creating a section from scratch, and these steps are applicable for both manual and digital drafting.

Make the section cut – The first step is deciding where to make the cut. This includes the placement of the section line, direction of the view, rooms to be intersected, and other important elements that you want to include in the drawing.

Make sure the section line is consistently placed on all floor plans, as well as elevations if necessary.

Reference all relevant views – Reference the affected views to create the outline of the building, and prepare the drawing with the appropriate measurements and scale.

Draw the inner components – Add the interior walls, windows, doors, ceiling, hardware, and fixtures as needed. It is advisable to regularly cross-reference views to ensure accuracy and correctness.

Add necessary graphics – Once the main components have been drawn, you can add hatch patterns for cut walls, earth, gravel, wood grain, finishes, and insulation.

Add annotations – Annotations are a critical part of architectural sections. This is when you add important information with labels, callouts, tags, and dimensions.

Refine presentation – Whether the section is for construction use or presentation, it’s always important to make it clear and concise to ensure readability. For technical drawings, this can mean cleaning up the linework and adjusting the fonts for optimal legibility. For presentation, this can include adding color and other imagery to make it easier to understand.

Enhance your drafting skills with a course – To learn more about how to make section drawings, here are some helpful classes to guide you with detailed instructions and demonstrations:

• Introduction to Drafting and Annotation in AutoCAD
• Sections for Architectural Sketches
• Architectural Photoshop Section
• Create an Architectural Plan, Section and Elevation Using Aut o desk AutoCAD
• 3 Things that will Improve your Sections in Architecture

How to improve your section drawings

Lineweights.

Lineweights are different thicknesses for line presentation. They can be used to represent distance, foreground and background, significance, and detail.

In a section, major architectural elements can be shown in bold lines, while minor details such as wall patterns and vegetation can be shown with fine lines. Features in between, like doors and windows, can be shown with medium lines.

Lineweights help to add hierarchy and character, and in views such as detail sections, they can provide a clear distinction between different parts and materials.

Textures can provide a touch of realism to section drawings. They can be used for elements such as finishes, skies, roads, grass, and materials to make the view appear more life-like and appealing.

Textured sections are also easier to understand, as they relate directly to the material board without having to read finish tags or material callouts.

Light & shadow

Light and shadows can be added to sections to increase the depth and contrast between spaces. They can also help to convey the different ambiances from room to room.

Especially in designs with unique openings, light and shadow in the section can illustrate how windows, skylights, and voids bounce light into the interiors.

Cutouts can bring sections to life with entourage of people, plants, animals, and cars. These images can be used to populate spaces and make them feel more like the finished product.

They can also be used to illustrate how spaces evolve during certain situations like events, gatherings, and special occasions.

Furniture in a space provides a better idea of size and scale. It can make the section more presentable and more informative, and the users will be able to visualize their own furniture and lifestyles fitting in with the design.

Perspective

Perspective can be included in a section view to show depth and interiors. A perspective section can be drafted, modeled, or rendered.

These kinds of sections are favored for presentations because they pull more lines inward and expose more of the interior walls and ceilings, giving the impression of a truly cut building.

What is sectioning in technical drawing?

Sectioning is the process of drawing an object cut open to show its internal configuration. It is done to look inside of an object, through strategic cutting planes that carry important information for construction or manufacturing.

The imaginary cuts reveal inside features for reference during implementation.

What is the difference between an elevation and a section?

Elevations and sections both show the vertical nature of a project, however the difference lies in that elevations are a view of the exterior facade, while sections are a slice through it showing the interior.

In order for a building to be constructed, both elevations and sections are needed to effectively communicate the design and structure as a whole.

What is the difference between a section and a detail?

A section refers to any drawing that portrays a vertical cut-through view of an object or building, while a detail drawing shows a specific area with additional levels of technicality, call-outs, labels, and information.

A detail drawing can be a plan, elevation, section, or any kind of other view, as long as it shows an enlarged or more descriptive aspect of a certain part or area.

What does Section AA mean?

The terms “section AA” refers to the first cut and view of the section line.

Represented in plan through an annotation (often a circular bubble) at the end of the section line or via a drawing title block, the designation can be AA, A, A1, or other formats depending on your industry and the firm’s standards.

The section names then follow either an alphabetically or numerically formed order (BB, CC, DD and so on), or both, to denote the next section views for the project in question. They are also typically correlated with the sheet number and their order of presentation on the sheet.

What is a cross section in drawing?

A cross section is a view created by cutting through the short side of the building. The section plane lies perpendicular to a longitudinal section, and it’s used to show the inside of a building the same way.

For square buildings, objects, and assemblies, a cross section can mean any section cut horizontally or vertically showing the inside.

Why should I learn section drawing?

You might be wondering why it’s still necessary to learn section drawing when 3D modeling and BIM programs can create section cuts in just a few clicks. Is it still practical to know how to draw sections, and is it an efficient use of your time?

The truth is, knowledge of drawing is a prerequisite to more complicated forms of architectural production.

With a solid foundation of drafting principles, you can improve your overall presentation, recognize what graphic elements are missing, properly annotate and represent elements, and create refined sections in any medium.

Architectural design is a holistic process, and the inside of a building is just as important as its exteriors. Section drawings provide a unique look into the building while supplying essential information about the spaces and structure.

They can be used to make compelling presentations or detailed construction drawings, and they serve as valuable additions for all kinds of projects.

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