Success is built on the back of solid fundamentals. You can find proof of this throughout time in any area of life that you care to look at. One of the things I love about teaching is that every year at the start of my beginning AutoCAD class I get to revisit the fundamentals of computer Aided Drafting as I teach them. Over the years I have come to value this as a critical part of building new design skills every year. For those of you already at advanced levels, setting aside some time at the beginning of the year is a great way to set the stage for new skills development.
For those just starting out this is where you want to apply your focus. It is natural to want to dive right into the many alluring areas of CAD such as the world of 3D, but guess what, you will quickly realize that it’s all built on the basics. As someone just starting out you have the opportunity to build a solid foundation that will support you no matter what direction you choose to follow in the design world. The key here is to first identify what the fundamentals are, and then set about a regimen that will develop these concepts ( see the Fundamental skills list on the Beginning AutoCAD page). One of the temptations you should avoid at this stage of the game is the quest for speed. It is true that speed plays a role in success as a CAD draftsmen, but this is a product of efficiency as a result of acquiring a solid skill set, and a good understanding of how to apply these skills. The way that I sum this up in my classes is not to see how fast you can complete an assigned drawing project, but to focus on getting the most out of it in the way of drafting methods and concepts. With this in mind set yourself down the road to a solid foundation, and have fun along the way.
To Learn more about Mastering Your Resources, and many other CAD drafting subjects, sign up for the All Things CAD Newsletter on this page.....See ya in the CAD LAB
Jeffrey Lupp-
Founder/Educator at CAD LAB