IMAGE, SYMBOLS

Landscape Designers' Communication Tools

A landscape designer has to sketch ideas, draw plans, and in
some cases create elevated drawings in order to get his or her
ideas across clearly to the audience. The majority of designing
typically occurs in the form of the plan drawing. A plan
drawing is a two-dimensional drawing of the design that
appears like a bird's-eye view looking from directly overhead.
Above all else, the plan drawing serves as a tool to
communicate the designer's ideas.
A copy of the plan drawing will be given to the client and the
installation contractor.
The client is the person(s) paying for the design services; the
landscape contractor is the company implementing the ideas.
The landscape contractor mayor may not be affiliated with
the designer. Therefore, the plan drawing has to be clear and
concise as well as accurate.
Sketches, section drawings, or computer images may
accompany the plan drawing. These are pictures of the
design used to communicate the vertical elements of the
design. Clients will often understand visual aspects with
sketches and elevations better than plan drawings.

Presentation Graphics
In addition to clarity and accuracy, plan drawings are used to
sell the project to the client.
The landscape contractor, on the other hand, just wants a
clearly labeled plan to follow.
A well-organized plan drawing is easier to read and looks
professional. Presentation graphics present a concept with
few words. A professional plan relays the overall design to
the observer quickly and effectively with symbols and
textures. Anyone, regardless of background, can look at a
fully developed plan drawing and get a feel for the type of
plants and the texture of construction materials.
Plan drawings that rely heavily on verbal descriptions take
emore time and effort to understand, and the potential to
convey the overall design concept is compromised. Compare
this statement to advertisements. How do billboards or
magazine inserts communicate?
Graphics that present the message, rather than a lengthy
description, get the message to us quickly and effectively. The
graphically developed plan drawing is efficient in the same
way.

EXAMPLES OF SYMBOLS
Does Every Plan Have to Be Presentation Graphics?

The degree of graphical development is based on the

designer's need. Certainly, presentation graphics take more
time to complete and will not be feasible for every project. For
instance, a small-scale freelance designer may simply sketch
ideas with plan circles and lines on tracing paper for a steady
client or a small job where he or she doesn't need to sell the
project. On the other hand, if the project is intended for
proposal or bid that will be presented to an owner or a board
of directors, the designer will want to leave a professional
impression on the audience and spend the extra time on
graphics and color.

It certainly is up to the discretion of the designer, but the

advantage of learning presentation graphics is having a skill
that makes the designer more marketable. Also, efficiency
will develop over time and even quick drawings will improve
dramatically.

Graphics Only Aid Presentation

Keep in mind that, although presentation graphics are

visually interesting, the ultimate goal is NOT to draw a pretty
picture. As a landscape designer, the goal is to create a design
that addresses the analysis, one that is functional with
properly selected plants, in addition to one that is visually
appealing. Any artist can draw a stunning portrait of a
landscape design.

A good drawing does not necessarily make a good design.

However, presentation graphics can help sell the design and
the designer's reputation.

People are often excited by a great drawing and often

associate a good design with drawing ability. These
presentation graphics look good in a portfolio and appear
professional. They are also more effective at communicating
the overall design.

SIGNAGE
Designing signs is a specialty itself, and many types of signs
are available commercially.
For common signs identifying designated handicapped
parking or restroom facilities, it is best to rely on signs that are
familiar and in common use. The key elements for signs are
readability and effective reading distance. To determine
readability, it is necessary to understand the purpose of the
sign. Signs providing direction or those meant to draw
attention from a distance require larger lettering than signs
describing a display or vista immediately before the viewer. In
many communities sign and lettering sizes are regulated in
the zoning ordinance. In designing and locating signs, it is
important to remember that the farther away the desired
effective reading distance, the larger the letters and the
higher the sign must be located. In general a person is less
likely to look up more than 10 degrees to view a sign; signs
placed above the viewing distance tend not to be seen.
Signs that use symbols to convey information such as
warnings or directions are preferred over those that have
information in only one language. If the information
conveyed on the sign is necessary for access to be provided,
textural signals should be installed with the signs. The
familiar universal symbols have made sign selection for many
purposes much easier. Many standard signs are familiar
shapes and colors, and care should be taken not to duplicate
these combinations unintentionally. It is easier to read light
images on dark colors than the other way around.

Signs directed toward drivers must be visible and readable

from quite a distance.

Common street and traffic signs have been developed with

fairly explicit standards of design and installation; however,
drivers have a very short time in which to read and
comprehend the information on a specific site sign. In most
instances, several signs in a sequence are more effective than
providing too much information on a single sign. Information
should be organized and presented in a hierarchy of
importance from general to more specific rather than a single
unweighted set of data.