Representing your ideas to clients

[Astro_Al]

Hi guys, I was wondering how you commercial smiths represent you ideas to customers graphically?

My drawing skills aren't so great, and I think it lets down the impression I make in the preliminary stages of a project. I find it hard to get onto paper what I have in my head - its always hand drawn sketches, I find it especially hard to show texture or details of shape - such as out-of-plane shaping, joining methods (rivets etc), and generally how it will look when finished.

What do you all use to show what you mean, and how did you get better at it? What works and what did not work in your experience?

Many thanks, Al.

[John B]

Some past pictures of projects completed, and samples to handle work well in illustrating styles and methods that you may use.

Meanwhile practice drawing existing items, or take some drawing/art classes if any are available

[Greenbeast]

Definitely sketch more, you will get better.
When i started smithing earlier in the year one book said to just start drawing projects and ideas all the time.
I did and it helps a lot.

[arftist]

I use my website as a portfolio. Everyone has the internet these days, and often people can access it where ever they are.

Another tool I use is to make a small but full sacle sample. For instance 1 foot of a railing or fence, including a post.

Sometimes I will make just a single predominant element.

This works well, with the added benefit of being much more aware of the time needed to do the job.

Seldom have I made a sample and not won the job.

All that said though, I suggest you learn drafting.

There are some jobs you will not score without good drawings.

I was a draftsman in a previous career. It also helps greatly to understand construction when dealing with builders and architects.

[Ric Furrer]

Small hand held samples are a good idea.
I know some shops that have three foot rail sections hung on a stand like posters at a college town store...so the client can flip through the designs.
One foot bars of texture with a riveted cross piece or six samples of twists or what not go a long way.
If I am making a house call to meet for the first time I bring a camera,a box of samples (twists,scrolls,textures..a bar tied into a knot), paper/pencil,portfolio and a tape measure....and try to find a pair of jeans with the least amount of holes.
The camera has saved me a lot of time..I put the tape against the space and shoot the numbers AND write them down.
I like to get in before the drywall goes up so I can map the studs for attachment points for railings and such...never works, but I try. I have yet to be at a place with actual 16" or 24" on center studs...hint...use a magnet on a string to find the nails...seems to work better than a stud finder.

Something else to consider. What is impressive to you may not be so to the client. Upset square corners may be fun and challenging to you, but they are just a corner to the client.

I get many who want it "simple"..this means "cheap" in their mind, but this is not always so. Had a few jobs in Florida were they wanted aluminum with hard edges..took for ever to get out every ding and dent...from then on we often offered forged "texture" at no extra cost.

When I deal with the:
Homeowner I ask what they want to see..
Architect I ask the budget set for the ironwork
Contractor...what is the deadline and has the owner they been late on a payment (if the contractor is having me a subcontractor I ask the other subs if they have been late on payment)
.....if anything seems odd its often 30 (start)-30 (mid or finished fabrication and they can come see)- final 40...the 40 is due upon install paid with cashiers check or bank transfer when I show up...NOT when I am done with the install.
Most laws state that once the work is affixed to the home it is a crime for me to remove..even if I am not paid for the work.....so the leverage you have BEFORE install is far more than after.
This happened to some in Florida..I have not heard of it elsewhere. Sure you can sue or put a lean or stand there and look mean or whatever, but the fact is that you may never see that money.

Ric

[JeremyP]

Ric pretty much said it all.
I would also suggest, if you have the time, to look into a sketching class at your local college or just get a book on sketching. theres a bunch of easy tricks you can learn, that will help tremendously with making a drawing that ppl can understand.
When i'm visiting a customer I bring my standard samples and a photo album of past projects.
I also encourage customers to look online to find different elements that they like, that we can incorporate into their design. This helps me better understand what they want, especially if they have specific ideas already.

[yves]

You could also download a few copies of the Blacksmith Journal archives where Hoffman has drawn a lot of iron, square, twisted and what not. There are a lot of tricks to be gathered in his work.

[David Einhorn]

As folks have said in past threads, be careful of giving copies of your original designs to the customer as he/she can then shop *your* designs around for the cheapest price. Showing your designs on a laptop or a printed version that you don't lend to the customer might be something to consider.

[ianinsa]

What I often do when surfing the net is to keep my eye open for scetches of details that others have done and make copies of these in your "scetchbook" then you can take this"scetchbook" along to clients to discuss during the brief. You can then draw up "stick" diagrames indicating bubble = detail corner no.4 , hinge detail 6(a bit longer) etc. this gives the client the idea but makes it difficult to shop around as you never hand out your "scetchbook"

Ian