They say it is a poor carpenter who blames his tools. But what if he isn’t blaming the tools, but praising them? That is the question Morpholio seems to have been asking itself when designing a technical pen for architects and designers in the modern age. A pen Morpholio hopes will be praised for making the lives of these architects and designers much easier.
As CAD software took over in the 90s and early 2000s, pen sets went the way of the dodo, and the art of hand drafting went along for the ride. But as architecturelab.net reports, a renaissance of architects using hand drawing and sketching as part of their process, thanks to the prevalence of touchscreens and styluses, is currently occurring.
And, as Anne Sullivan (known for being Helen Keller’s instructor) once said, “Every renaissance comes to the world with a cry, the cry to be free.” So, what are these designers and architects crying to be freed from? How about the one-size-fits-all sliders used for controlling line weight or the irksome task of constantly making note of the line weight being used for a given aspect of the drawing?
With the ability to zoom in and out of an image with a simple pinching or spreading motion of one’s fingers, a line that was perfect at one zoom level could become too thick when zoomed in our too thin when zoomed out.
That’s where Morpholio’s new ScalePen comes in. ScalePen works in tandem with Morpholio’s popular “Trace” drawing app and is described as Anna Kenoff, Morpholio Co-creator, as “an entirely new opportunity for architectural drawing.” The key feature associated with ScalePen is that it eliminates the need for the user to keep records of their pen weight. Instead, the software does the tedious pen-related bookkeeping itself.
An old set of technical pens. Photo Credit: Vanjagenije, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Depending on the drawing scale and the zoom level, ScalePen continuously and automatically assigns a calibrated set of technical pens and pen sizes. Zoom in to a specific spot in the drawing and ScalePen will adjust. Zoom out or change the scale, and the pen sizes change too. The result of all of this dynamic change is that it saves time for the designer or architect and creates uniformity among line weight.
For example, a designer can zoom in on a site plan at 1/16-inch scale and draw specific details on one of their designs using a set of ten pen sizes. When finished, the designer can zoom out to, say, ¼-inch scale, and be gifted with a new set of ten pen sizes and add some additional details. Finally, the designer can zoom out to the original scale and be presented with the same ten pens they had at the start and continue on their merry way.
As Morpholio Co-creator Toru Hasegawa told architectmagazine.com, “No matter what zoom level you are in, there is a thinnest line and a thickest line relative to that zoom level.” Ah, the magic of the digital age.
The patent-pending ScalePen works with eight pen types, including pencil, charcoal, and brush, providing even more specificity and possibility for the designer/architect and making the tool even more useful. While it might still be unbecoming to blame the tools for any user-related shortcomings, Morpholio probably wouldn’t mind being praised for the opposite.
Related Stories
Structural Materials | Apr 3, 2017
Best of structural steel construction: 4WTC, Fulton Center, Pterodactyl win AISC IDEAS2 Awards
The annual awards program, sponsored by the American Institute of Steel Construction, honors the best in structural steel design and construction.
Architects | Mar 28, 2017
A restroom for everyone
Restroom access affects everyone: people with medical needs or disabilities, caretakers, transgender people, parents with children of the opposite gender, and really anyone with issues or needs around privacy.
Hotel Facilities | Mar 9, 2017
Robots. 70’s Retro. Biophilia. Co-Living Spaces. Two leading architectural firms single out 18 trends for hospitality this year.
HKS and HBA even see a demand for hotels catering to “agritourism.”
Architects | Feb 16, 2017
16 design trends from Gensler’s 2017 Design Forecast
Gensler examines how design will shape the human experience in the next year and beyond.
Designers | Feb 1, 2017
Netflix design documentary series to feature Bjarke Ingels
Abstract: The Art of Design will delve into the artistic processes of various influential designers.
Designers | Jan 23, 2017
10 trends predicted to pace bathroom design in 2017
Among the NKBA’s top 2017 bathroom trends are ceramic tile flooring, an increase in white fixtures, and more water-saving toilets and faucets.
Designers | Jan 23, 2017
10 trends predicted to pace kitchen design in 2017
Among the NKBA’s top 2017 kitchen trends are two-toned colored kitchens, an increase in technology, and interior barn and pocket doors.
Designers | Jan 13, 2017
The mind’s eye: Five thoughts on cognitive neuroscience and designing spaces
Measuring how the human mind responds to buildings could improve design.
Architects | Jan 4, 2017
The making of visible experts: A path for seller-doers in the AEC industry
Exceptional seller-doers have the ability to ask the right questions, and more importantly, listen.
Building Team | Jan 3, 2017
How does your firm’s hit rate stack up to the AEC competition?
If your firm is not converting at least a third of project proposals when competing for new work, it may be time to reassess your marketing tactics and processes.