How to Draw a Simple Landscape Plan

• What to Include
• Cartoon Materials
• Reckoner Mural Drawing
• Scaled Cartoon
• Measuring and Mapping
• Copies and Prints

Preparing a mural program tin be an enjoyable and satisfying experience if you do a little homework and follow a few guidelines. A uncomplicated landscape base of operations map can be drawn without a estimator, special software or even expensive drafting supplies, and is the first stride in developing a landscape program. The base map is an accurate representation of the existing mural, scaled to fit the paper, showing information such as house dimensions, distance to street, and the location of trees, forest, driveways and sidewalks, if these are already present in the landscape.

What to Include

Figure ane. Case of base map

A good base map should show all structures, including sidewalks and driveways. The outline or footprint of the business firm should also include the location of doors, windows, heating and air conditioning units, and spigots. Draw the street in front of the house along with the property lines. The base map should also include the locations of meters, utility boxes and poles, equally these are expensive to move and require occasional admission. Some base maps besides show details such as the location of overhead and underground utilities, streams, ditches and any easements or setbacks. Interesting landscape features such as stone outcroppings could likewise be drawn on a landscape base map. The base map is unremarkably fatigued subsequently completing a site analysis. (See UGA Extension Round 1032-4, Drawing a Landscape Programme: Site Assay, for more information on conducting a site assay.)

Drawing Materials

The base of operations map is essentially a birdâ??s-eye view of the landscape. Features of the landscape are drawn with a sharp pencil or rolling ink pen. Most beginners prefer to draw landscape plans using a regular pencil and a good eraser. Special drafting pencils vary based on the hardness of the lead. The typical rating system for drafting pencils goes from 6H to 6B, where 6H is very difficult and light and 6B is very soft and dark. Dissimilar pencil lead weights assist depict the landscape features in different ways. Ink pens make clearer, darker lines, just erasing is almost impossible. Smearing is likewise a potential problem with ink pens. Inexpensive pens with a rolling tip work nearly also every bit the more expensive professional person pens with interchangeable heads.

The type of paper used to describe a landscape program depends on the type of re-create that will be made and how the plan will be used. Landscape architects usually draw on a strong tracing paper called vellum and so re-create onto bail, which is the aforementioned paper used in most computer printers. Graph paper helps beginners make accurate measurements and makes it easier to calculate the expanse of an enclosed space. Each foursquare on the graph paper can exist used to represent a specific dimension. For example, if one foursquare equals a square foot, a square that is four squares past four squares in size would correspond xvi square anxiety. Bluish-lined graph newspaper can exist copied and the graph lines will not show if the copier is at a lighter setting. Large sheets of white paper and graph newspaper are unremarkably available wherever fine art supplies are sold and tin also exist found at pattern supply companies. With a base map complete, tracing paper can be laid overtop to experiment with different landscape ideas. Directly lines and circles are drawn to stand for the elements of the landscape. For example, circles are fatigued to correspond the guess area covered past the tree canopy. A common ruler and circular objects such as coins and jar lids can be used, and cheap templates are available from part supply stores. Everything can besides be fatigued free-hand, depending on your skill and the accuracy required. Drawing boards and drafting tables are used by professionals to provide a clean, shine surface for drawing. Some come up with a sliding direct edge connected. These special boards are expensive for one-fourth dimension users, but may be worth the expense if drawing is a frequent activity. Otherwise, the cartoon paper can be placed on a clean, shine table.

Computer Landscape Drawing

Many people are uncomfortable with mitt drawing and feel computer drafting is easier and more accurate. There are many software programs available, only in full general, those that are easy to use practise not provide very authentic drawings and those that create accurate drawings take a long time to learn. Many of the programs that provide three-D imagery are less authentic and offer a pick of plants non always adapted to Georgia. If you are skilled with computers, the best programs are those that are used by landscape architects and engineers and depict using "vector graphics" and "real" measurements and dimensions. There are cheap versions of vector graphic programs and even some "freeware" programs available that can create accurate drawings. Other than how the cartoon is drafted, the process of cartoon past hand or computer is like.

Scaled Cartoon

The drawing of the landscape should be scaled to accurately to depict the landscape and allow measurements to be taken from the drawing. A scaled drawing means that measurements taken outside will be drawn in a much smaller dimension on the paper, depending on the size of scale used. Most landscape plans are drawn to a calibration of ane:10, which means that 10 feet on the basis equals 1 inch on newspaper. For case, a 100-foot driveway would exist ten inches on paper. Using a ane:iv scale, 100 feet would be 25 inches on newspaper. Other popular landscape scales are ane:four, 1:five, 1:eight, 1:10, 1:16 and one:20. Scales of 1:4, 1:8 or 1:16 match the common increments used on a conventional ruler, but scales of 1:x and ane:20 are used by engineers and mural architects. Scaled rulers, especially for drafting, are available with multiple scale increments marked on them. They are inexpensive and can make drawing easier. The size of the newspaper and the size of area to be represented will determine the scale chosen. The larger the piece of newspaper, the smaller the possible calibration, which makes it easier to read. If the landscape area cannot fit onto the newspaper without scaling down to a size that is difficult to read, several sheets of paper volition be necessary. Ane benefit of estimator drafting is the ability to impress the cartoon at various scales, depending on access to larger printers.

Measuring and Mapping

If the house is fairly new, much of the base information will be establish on a property survey, subdivision plat or act. Current property maps and base information are often available from the local planning part. County taxation offices may likewise be a source of information. In many areas, this information is now available online through county websites, or in some cases, through websites that provide aerial imagery. If none of these are available, it volition be necessary to accept the measurements and create a base map. For this task, a 100-pes measuring record is helpful.

First, locate the property corner markers. If none are establish, estimate their locations. Mensurate from each corner signal and record this on a sketch of the property. Make the sketch approximately the shape of the property boundary line. This process may have several attempts to become authentic dimensions that fit together to class the boundary, merely the time spent at this pace volition make the residue of the drawing easier and more accurate. If the corner markers cannot be found, avoid landscape activity close to the estimated purlieus that will impose on neighbors and mayhap violate local zoning and building codes. If at that place is whatever question almost property line location, the price of a professional surveyor volition pay for itself in the long run. If the property is besides large to measure, consider mapping just the expanse chosen for the landscape projection. Measure the street and sidewalk in relation to the property lines before locating the house. In most situations, there are setbacks and easements from the street that could touch the landscape plans, so check with the local planning office to go this information and describe in these lines also.

Side by side, have measurements of the business firm by starting at a corner that faces the street. Sketch in the approximate outline, or footprint, of the firm. Show all the corners and turns. Then measure from the outset corner of the house to the side by side bespeak the house changes direction and tape this distance on the sketch. Measure from this 2d point on the house to the street. Go along the measuring tape as straight equally possible. Keep along the forepart of the house, measuring to each turning point, and then out to the street. Every point does non need a measurement to the street. When finished measuring along the front of the house, motion to the other three sides. Be sure to mensurate and indicate on the drawing items such every bit porches, ac units, steps and the front door. These, and other like elements, can exist critical to the final pattern. Once the house is measured on all sides, end and depict a scaled version of the entire house or the portions that chronicle to the landscape plan. This will serve as guide for the remaining measurements.

With the house drawn on the base map, movement out into the 1000 and record measurements of existing beds, natural areas, individual trees and whatsoever other mural elements such as gardens or dog pens. The easiest way to mensurate the locations of landscape features is to measure the altitude from the house or known location and a second stock-still location, such as the street or driveway. This will increase the accuracy of the drawing and make information technology easier to draw on the program. For case, to locate a tree in the thousand, measure from two different corners on the house to the tree. The two distances can be matched up on the base map to correctly show the location of the tree.

Copies and Prints

In one case the measuring and drawing of all the features is complete, the base map tin be "cleaned up" with an eraser or liquid paper to remove smudge marks, crooked lines and whatsoever other not-essential lines or notes. This drawing can and then exist copied onto standard white bond paper. Make several copies of the base map to utilize in preparing the terminal program. Whatever landscape pattern plans can be fatigued on these copies or drawn on tracing paper laid over top.

---

Status and Revision History
Published on May fifteen, 2006
Published on February 27, 2009
Published with Minor Revisions on Jun 21, 2013
Published with Total Review on May 31, 2017

oliverthretur.blogspot.com

Source: https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C1032-3&title=Drawing+a+Landscape+Plan%2C+The+Base+Map

Share this post