1.6 Charles Rennie Mackintosh possessed a unique vision which embraced not only his freehand drawings and watercolours,but also his designs as an architect.This sketch (dated 1901)by him of the castle at Holy Island in Northumberland is similar in spirit to his more adventurous designs,especially in the three-dimensional treatment of gables. (Glasgow University:Mackintosh Collection) board,from an appreciation of townscapes to the design landscape design and town planning,have created of children's furniture. an unprecedented interest in the environment and design. Questions of scale are hardly relevant-we live in a To turn this interest into a better-designed world requires designed environment,whether we as consumers are the development of graphic and visual skills. aware of it or not.Every lamp standard and traffic sign has In a sense we are all designers,even if we do been 'designed',the layout of motorway junctions has not make our living through the medium of design. been shaped by an engineer with an eye to beauty as well As designers we modify our immediate environment as safety.On a smaller scale,our cutlery and crockery are through changing the decor of our houses,or designing designed,as are the disposable wrappings at the fast-our own clothes,to choosing consumer objects on food restaurant. the basis of how they look as well as how they work. The sketchbook allows us to be aware of this reality as We are sold products and services partly by design-you long as students are encouraged to explore through have only to watch television advertising to realise that drawing.The welcome changes to the national curriculum our aesthetic sensibilities are being appealed to even to enhance the status of design and craft teaching,and when the product being promoted is as unglamorous the broadening of appeal of courses in architecture,as double glazing The benefits of drawing 5board, from an appreciation of townscapes to the design of children’s furniture. Questions of scale are hardly relevant – we live in a designed environment, whether we as consumers are aware of it or not. Every lamp standard and traffic sign has been ‘designed’, the layout of motorway junctions has been shaped by an engineer with an eye to beauty as well as safety. On a smaller scale, our cutlery and crockery are designed, as are the disposable wrappings at the fast￾food restaurant. The sketchbook allows us to be aware of this reality as long as students are encouraged to explore through drawing. The welcome changes to the national curriculum to enhance the status of design and craft teaching, and the broadening of appeal of courses in architecture, landscape design and town planning, have created an unprecedented interest in the environment and design. To turn this interest into a better-designed world requires the development of graphic and visual skills. In a sense we are all designers, even if we do not make our living through the medium of design. As designers we modify our immediate environment through changing the decor of our houses, or designing our own clothes, to choosing consumer objects on the basis of how they look as well as how they work. We are sold products and services partly by design – you have only to watch television advertising to realise that our aesthetic sensibilities are being appealed to even when the product being promoted is as unglamorous as double glazing. 1.6 Charles Rennie Mackintosh possessed a unique vision which embraced not only his freehand drawings and watercolours, but also his designs as an architect. This sketch (dated 1901) by him of the castle at Holy Island in Northumberland is similar in spirit to his more adventurous designs, especially in the three-dimensional treatment of gables. (Glasgow University: Mackintosh Collection) The benefits of drawing 5