Things You'll Need:
- Measuring Tapes
- Graph Papers
- Pencils And Erasers
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Step 1
Be prepared. A sketch pad or graph paper, drawing pencil with eraser, measuring tape and a scale are essential for measuring and recording the critical dimensions of any design feature.
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Step 2
Obtain permission. Public places typically welcome note takers, but if a pergola, fence or brick pattern on a private property strikes your fancy, a polite request to spend some time sketching it is in order.
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Step 3
Make a preliminary diagram that records the overall shape of the element before you start measuring.
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Step 4
Add to the diagram the parts that make up the element ' the posts, pickets and cross braces of a fence, for example. Show each part in the proper relationship to the other parts without worrying about making an accurate image of the element.
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Step 5
Make a separate diagram of each of the parts, making an effort to capture as much detail as you can.
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Step 6
Measure the parts that you have diagrammed and record the measurements on the diagrams of the individual parts.
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Step 7
Measure the space between the elements that you have diagrammed.
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Step 8
Use the diagram and measurements that you've made to redraw the element at a more leisurely pace. If this reconstruction doesn't look like the original, return to the element to record any vital measurements that you missed the first time.
