When I am developing a design for a client, I will use a range of visual techniques to communicate it.
Sketch Drawings
Sketch drawings, (residential).
Sketch drawings are brilliant for getting initial design thoughts across and showcasing possible recommendations. They also work to illustrate how the end result could look alongside furnishings and accessories. These images demonstrate the use of sketch drawings in a recently completed “Colour Pop” project in Cliftonville, Margate.
Mood Boards and Colour Palettes
Mood Boards are what they say on the tin, a culmination of abstract images that are presented early on in the design process to a client to convey the intended mood and atmosphere of the design.
Moodboards, (commercial).
Normally I will present more specific material and colour boards that include actual samples of paint chips, fabrics and tiles for example, fairly soon after once the concept development stage of the process underway.
Palette for paint colours, (residential).
Materials Board. Samples for fabrics, tiles, wallpaper, paint colours and a flooring option, (residential).
These will tie in directly to the mood board, showing clients how the ideal mood of their design will start to become a reality. They also prove that the concept development of the design is staying on brief.
Physical Models and Model Sketches
3D Model design for a shipping container, (short stay commercial space, conceptual).
Sketch development of 3D model above.
Models aren’t always necessary but if there are particular areas of an interior that really need to be explored in terms of overall layout and traffic flow, or material transitions or partitions for example, then 3D models built to scale can be an extremely valuable tool in working through these sorts of challenges. I then like to produce rendered sketches based on the model to illustrate the possibilities of the finished look.
Finishes and Furnishing Boards
Digital F&F board for shipping container concept.
Digital F&F board, (residential).
I will present digital F&F boards later on in the design process when it’s time to source the finishes and furnishings. They work to nail down what can be ordered once suggestions are approved. There are a number of ways to present them as you can see here in the images above, depending on what sort of project it is for example; commercial or residential, big or small budget projects.
There are a few more methods that designers use to communicate a design to a client. I will be covering these in the next post soon.
In the meantime if you have any questions I’d be delighted to hear from you!
Claire Templer
