Drafting is one of many stages a person uses to produce a finished design. A common sequence of such stages, given in the order they occur, is the following:
- Conception of a new product or structure (e.g. house)
- Listing of criteria the product must meet (e.g. conformance with zoning and building codes, size and feature specifications made by the house's occupants)
- Research of prior designs related to the proposed product (e.g. blueprints and photos of existing houses)
- Drafting of a design for the product (e.g. the house's blueprints and schematics for utilities)
- Evaluation of the design by the product's end users and intermediaries (e.g. construction and utility supervisors)
Artists frequently draft and design on the computer. One type of software they often use to draft plans for buildings is called computer aided design (CAD).
Professional CAD software offers designers, engineers and architects several orthographic views for drawing a plan from which a structure (e.g. building, car, bridge) is built. These views are the structure's top, left, right, bottom, back and front. "Orthographic" means that the view will display an object's parallel lines as parallel, where human vision would make such lines appear to converge--a phenomenon called perspective. Designers typically draw the front or other orthographic view of a planned structure, then refine the drawing by adjusting the object in another orthographic view.
Both two dimensional and three dimensional design involve creating a plan to satisfy an aesthetic or other requirement. This general statement reflects the huge variety of forms that design can take. Graphic design involves the creation of original two dimensional artwork. Organizations use graphic design to promote their product or service--or even the organization itself. Advertising (e.g. billboards, magazine and Web ads) provides innumerable examples of graphic design.
Three dimensional design is the application of graphical media and techniques to guide the creation of a tangible object or good, such as cars, homes and product packages.
Sub categories of 3-D design include industrial design, which manufacturers use to produce the aforementioned objects and goods; and stage, set and production design, which movies, plays and other entertainment industries use to create fictional but realistic props and settings.
Jobs in drafting and design usually require at least a certificate, and frequently a degree, from an accredited school. A common exception to this is graphic design, which many practitioners learn from on-the-job training or from hobbies (e.g. painting, drawing, desktop publishing) and intensive, self-directed study.
The variety of forms that drafting and especially design can take is a key reason why artists need such rigorous training. Another reason is the demand for highly polished, refined work. Also, highly specialized information, such as the psychological effect of colors and other design elements on consumer habits, is most accessible in academic settings.