I'm an old designer. When I finished college, sketching, drawing, rendering and working drawings were critical skills. Even our lettering had to be perfected. We could draw exploded views, 1, 2 and 3 point perspective, and render any material.

I usually worked with tissue paper, taping layer after layer on top until I had the form. A dozen or more layers was the norm. Then I transferred to water colour paper, Canson paper, or whatever substrate was right for the rendering technique I was using (markers, coloured pencil, airbrush, chalk, paint etc.).

For the life of me, I can't figure out how designers can see without a piece of paper and pencil. My finest work started on a piece of paper.

Today, I am amazed by designers who can't draw a box, let alone render one or build a working prototype.

There is a lot of really good design work out there, but I can see the limitations imposed by computers on most products, environments, buildings, furniture, even graphics.

I also wonder if designers have enough knowledge of manufacturing materials and processes to do their very best work. Knowing how to make something increases your vocabulary. Likewise, knowing how to draw anything in your mind, is to increase the chances of bringing it into existence.

Enough of this old designer's thoughts.