Planning your Ideas

Planning Your Ideas: An Introduction to Technical Hand-Drawing

A successful project starts with a well-drawn plan. This guided workshop is designed for woodworkers who want to refine their ability to communicate their ideas visually before heading to the workshop. Whether you're designing furniture, cabinetry, or smaller woodworking projects, understanding technical drawing will help you bring your woodworking ideas to life on paper.

Over three full-day sessions, you’ll learn how to create precise 2D and 3D technical drawings, master scale and proportion, and apply shading and texture to better visualise your designs. You’ll also explore ergonomic considerations in woodworking and develop essential skills for turning your drawings into a detailed cutting list, ready for making. The course includes structured exercises drawing three practice objects, as well as the opportunity to bring in your own concept and refine it into a complete set of technical drawings. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have a strong foundation in hand-drawn technical drafting, giving you greater control over communicating and planning out your woodworking projects before you pick up a tool.

No prior drawing experience is required—just bring your woodworking ideas and a willingness to put your ideas to paper!

What You’ll Learn & Take Home:

✔️ 2D and 3D technical drawing techniques specifically for woodworking
✔️ How to translate woodworking ideas into clear, scaled drawings
✔️ Mastering shading, texture, and perspective to visualise your design
✔️ Creating an accurate cutting list from your drawings
✔️ Understanding ergonomics in woodworking design
✔️ Technical drawings for 3 practice objects + your own woodworking project
✔️ The opportunity to bring in your own woodworking idea and turn it into a set of technical drawings
✔️ Hands-on practice with reference drawings to use for future projects

Workshop Breakdown:

Session 1: Foundations of Technical Drawing

•          Layouts, scale, and technical drawing basics for woodworking

•          Plan, elevation, and section views

•          Isometric drawing at 30° and 45°

•          Shading and texturing techniques

Session 2: Perspective & Ergonomics

•          Understanding vanishing points, horizon lines & viewpoints

•          2-point and 3-point perspective drawing

•          Box frame design, standard woodworking dimensions, and ergonomic considerations

Session 3: Developing & Finalising Your Own Woodworking Design

•          Applying planning techniques to your own woodworking concept

•          Refining drawings with grain direction and dimensions

Creating a cutting list from your design, ready for fabrication