It appears that in the race to embrace new technology, most of the trade schools and universities have swapped the teaching of fundamental hand design and graphic principles for CAD classes. The problem is that the student may know how to get the computer to draw a circle of pavers, plants, decks, patios, etc., but they don't know if that circle of pavers, plants, deck or patio should be there or not. More importantly, without the use of hand skills, the understanding of how to organize each element so the design or graphic rendering composition is cohesive and flows, seems to get lost in a series of clicks.

Once the touch and feel of the page is gone (moving, turning, stepping back, working your lines, pressure of the pencil), it is difficult to retrieve these skills later in life. Learning the appropriate use of space delineation and allocation, along with the proper understanding of positive and negative spaces, as well as techniques, takes time and is better served introduced in the formative learning years.

Here at the PLGDW we teach you how to feel and understand the graphic or design composition and how to utilize lines, forms and textures to develop a balanced and cohesive composition. CAD is only one of the great design tools and those skills are very important to have, but having hand skills for designing and graphics that can express thought, emotion and feeling is a highly sought after and marketable skill for employers. Employers want students and their employees to be able to sell and convey two-dimensional thoughts accurately while conveying the concepts to clients in front of them and in minutes. Just imagine having the university-taught CAD skills combined with the importance of hand graphics to sell projects in minutes. Think of how valuable you will be to your employer.

12-hour rendering by Paul for a $300,000 project

Learn new and innovative hand graphic and design techniques that will increase your speed and confidence. Your life and bank account will change forever…