It's the difference between working hard and working smart. I learned about these tools near the end of my architecture degree, but they would've helped me most at the beginning when I was doing a lot of things by hand. Hopefully, you can benefit from knowing about these sooner than I did!
[1] The Better X-Acto Knife
Most architecture students use a #1 X-Acto knife, but that's only because they don't know about the bigger and better one that's almost the same price. Its thicker handle and increased weight mean it's easier to hold and control. The longer and stronger blade takes fewer cuts to get through materials, which means less work for you. It's like a dollar more than the annoying one and well worth it considering how often you use these in architecture school.
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[2] Xylene Transfer Markers
These blew my mind when I first tried them. Print off any image you like, place it face down on a surface, rub this xylene-based alcohol maker on the back of the printed image, and Boom! It will transfer the image onto the new surface.
You can be as creative as you want with this new power. I used them to make super precise cuts when making a scale model. I would print off the outline of each piece I designed in my computer model, and then transfer those lines onto my material with these. Then I cut where the lines were. It saved me a lot of time because I never had to measure anything, the print was already to scale.
You can also use these to transfer a rendered photo of your model over a linework sketch you've done and it will give your drawing the appearance of a watercolor without you needing the time, skill, hassle, or mess. Buy one and try it, or commit and buy a six pack, which will get you through a couple semesters of frequent use.
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[3] Engineer Blocks
Very simple, very useful. Engineer blocks are steel blocks that boost your modeling quality. Use them when gluing corners to get a perfect 90 degree angle every time. They have good weight to them so you can put them on top of things to press them together while glue is drying. They're perfectly 1"x 2"x 3" so you have a quick measurement reference whenever you're using them.
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[4] Dot Grid Sketchbook
Carefully designed by 30x40 Design Studio, these sketchbooks were created with Architecture Students in mind. They have a dot grid that helps you sketch out floor plans, elevations, sections, and more. The dot grid is visible enough for easy use if you choose to use them, but subtle enough that if you want to sketch without them, they're not distracting for the drawing. The perfect balance between blank sheet, line ruled, and grid sheets, this sketchbook is perfect for Architecture Students.
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[5] T-Pins for Quick Sketch Models
T-Pins and Foamcore became my favorite combo for quick sketch models. I made the conceptual model above in less than 10 minutes. You can easily assemble and disassemble your model by cutting pieces of foamcore and pinning them together with these long pins. It saves soooo much time. There's no waiting for glue to dry and you can reuse pieces of foamcore you've already cut, which saves you time on cutting too. Not to mention, these models just look like you're a mad genius pinning scraps together and making art!
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Take a look around our website for more about the best Architecture Student Materials!
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