Architectural Design

Answer 1

Many people who are skilled in drawing pursue careers in the fine arts, but their talents can be put to use in other areas as well. One position that may be ideal for a person who has a knack for drawing is that of architectural drafter. Before any house or other building can be built, it must first be planned out, and that is where a drafter comes in.

An architectural drafter must draw detailed designs to scale that will serve as an essential guide for those who are involved in the actual construction of the buildings. These experts incorporate information given to them by architects, the future owners of the building and others involved in the project. They must be extremely attentive to detail as they work, and their designs must be clear so that the construction team can use them as their guide. While drafters traditionally do their work by hand, working with pencils, erasers, rulers and other such tools, it’s become increasingly common for them to use computers to assist them in their work.

Anyone hoping to become an architectural drafter will need to have a high school diploma, and training in drafting from a college or vocational school is likely to give one an advantage. Becoming certified is another way to increase one’s likelihood of receiving a good drafting job. Good eyesight is a must for a drafting job; excellent artistic ability is extremely helpful.

There are several different types of drafters. Checkers and tracers are like the copy editors of the drafting world, making certain that everything in the design is flawless before furnishing the final copy. There are also junior drafters, who work under the senior drafters, who are the ones in charge of developing the plans.

While the salary for drafters depends largely upon what type of work they do, the average earnings are about $39,000 a year, plus benefits like health insurance and paid holidays. Architectural drafters usually spend most of their time in offices, though they may have to go to construction sites. Drafting is expected to become more dependent upon computers, so it is a good field for tech-savvy artists.