The Importance of Sketching Webinar Review
Brad Smith, SDG Landscape Architects
LandscapeWebinars.org and SDG Landscape Architect, Brad Smith held a live and recorded session on June 26 on the importance of landscape drawing and its role in the design process.
Titled, "Why We Draw: The Importance of Sketching in Landscape Architecture," Smith explained how drawing reconnects Landscape Architects with the site and reclaims creativeness in the process.
Smith kicked off the webinar with a video that emphasized that professionals really look at what's in front of them at a site to best connect and improve upon the site.
Attendees learned from Smith's own work and how sketching can enhance creativity while also improving communication throughout the process. In an era where digital design tools are the end all be all, it is important to still utilize tried and true techniques that can offer greater insight.
The webinar is available OnDemand now for attendees to earn LA/CES HSW, APLD, and NALP CEUs. Click here to sign up: https://landscapewebinars.org/landscape-webinars/webinar/why-we-draw-the-importance-of-sketching-in-landscape-architecture
Webinar Description:
Sketching is an indispensable tool in landscape architecture, bridging the gap between ideas and tangible designs. Rather than the familiar debate over digital versus hand graphics, this session explores the value of drawing as a process connected to seeing, thinking, and engaging throughout design. It will delve into how drawing enhances creativity, improves communication throughout the design process, and fosters a deeper connection to the landscapes we design.
Takeaways:
A renewed appreciation for the art of sketching.
Practical tips on how to integrate drawing into daily practice, regardless of skill level and confidence.
An understanding of how sketching aligns with emerging challenges in the field, such as sustainability and community engagement.
Click here to hear from Brad about the session: https://landscapewebinars.org/videos/1465.mp4
Learning Objectives:
1. Reclaiming Creativity: Understand how sketching encourages intuitive thinking and unlocks creative problem-solving.
2. Enhancing Design Communication: Learn how drawing serves as a universal language to share ideas with clients, collaborators, and communities.
3. Deepening Site Understanding: Discover how on-site sketching fosters an intimate connection to the landscape, revealing nuances often missed in photos or digital data.
4. Complementing Technology: Recognize how sketching can coexist with digital tools to create a balanced, comprehensive design process.
Brad Smith
At SDG Landscape Architects, Brad is responsible for project planning, firm leadership, culture, and growth. Brad has a passion for design and carries a forward-thinking, enthusiastic energy to every project. An instructor at the University of Guelph School of Landscape Architecture, Brad teaches in the design studios, which provides exercises in urban design and master planning to provide an understanding of the integrative design process in landscape architecture. In 2023, Brad was recognized with the University of Guelph's Alumni Volunteer Award of Excellence. In 2025, Brad was inducted into the College of Fellows of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA).
