Why we sketch

Larry's hand sketches are often praised for their artist skill but he doesn't see them in those terms, he sees them as a tool to communicate an essential idea, as a product of his process of designing, as a way to explore what is possible with or without constraint, as checklist or a way to work through problems but most importantly they are a way to place the project in his mind to be processed both consciously and subconsciously.

The professional golfer does not consistently hit the perfect shot without the 10000 hours of practice, sketching is like that practice, looking for the path to consistency or perfection. Inspiration doesn’t exist without context, sketching is a way of gathering the context, understanding the components of the problem and then allowing inspiration.

Sketches are also an insight into the mind, a communication of an essential idea. The act of sketching is also a way to go "to a room of ones own", a retreat for quiet contemplation. They are used throughout the process, details are solved as sketching is used to work through problems, but very importantly they are evidence of human touch in a mostly digitised process.