The emergence of sophisticated digital systems that support the generation of complex graphical models has changed how people use freehand sketching as a tool in designing and problem solving. While digital technologies offer exciting alternatives for expressing design ideas and communicating visually, the ability to create visual images using freehand interactions remains a fundamental skill that has central importance in design and technology classrooms. The value in a sketch is much more than the generated visual image. Sketching is a tool that supports the tacit, complex cognitive processes involved in sense-making, creative discovery, and problem solving.
Through an analysis of contemporary literature, this chapter examines the nature of sketching through both visual cognition and skills building lenses. Firstly, a foundation is outlined in relation to the nature of visual mental images and how these are generated and externalized during drawing and sketching. Secondly, drawing and sketching are defined and the pedagogical considerations for developing these skills are described using a theoretical model for developing expertise.