Generation of Ideas (Right click and press Print or click File
& Save As)
The hard parts are over by this stage you now only have to produce some ideas. If you are not too good at drawing go back to unit 2 (Presentation) and look for the module on 3D work. Download the backing sheets to aid your drawing and you should be able to make a good job of this part of the project.
I suggest you do at least 4 ideas and 6 if you can manage. Try not to get stuck on one shape and do all your ideas on similar lines. The examiner is looking for a range of ideas not a few ideas which are nearly the same. Look round and use other peoples work to trigger off your thoughts.
Brainstorming is great. Don't try to draw in a fancy way, that can come later. Instead, 'slap' down on paper the first things that come into your head. It doesn't matter how silly or complicated the ideas are you can sort out the good from the bad afterwards. When you have a few pages of brainstorming, (it doesn't all have to be done on the same day, different days bring different ideas), you can start selecting the parts that might work and refining these. Use drawing aids as described in unit 2. Try to communicate your ideas in a variety of ways to show how good you are.
For each of your ideas it is a good plan to put the main measurements and details on, to give yourself a clue as to the final sizes if the work. Do parts of the idea drawings blown up to show special details if necessary. Add colour, pencil crayons are a good all round presentation method to use. Add notes onto each of your drawings to explain things, what the materials are and how you might join things together (see unit 4 modules 5 and 8). You should attempt to keep work on ideas small. There is nothing worse that a whole page being taken up with a 'box shape'. Better still draw one small idea, then variations on that, with different ways of construction, different materials and different views.
Remember, all your ideas have to work, but you don't have to make them all. In other words you can have three complicated and one less complicated ideas and all you have to do is choose the less complicated one.
Asking for help and advice, as long as you are doing the work, is called research. There is nothing wrong with it. Ask other people what they think. You don't have to change anything if you don't want. Take advice from tutors, they usually know what is possible.
Above all keep the presentation good and give yourself a deadline to work to. Five hours work should do the trick, less if you are good at drawing.
Look in the mini project for the way some ideas have been set out.