Preparing a commission brief

A drawing legend for separating site facts from proposal marks

A drawing legend prevents site facts and proposed ideas from blending together.

Clear upright floral block with red and cream roses on a dark plinth — Design visualization — a reference for this discussion, not a completed project or a rendering of the proposed brief.

By RivyaLivingArt · 2 minute read

The question behind the worksheet

A drawing legend prevents site facts and proposed ideas from blending together. This matters when several people add marks to the same image.

Work through the observation

Choose simple symbols for measured facts, approximate observations, proposed outlines and unanswered questions. Put the legend on every page. Include a date and author for new annotations. Avoid relying only on colour because printed or shared copies may lose it.

A worked example to compare

A solid line can mark an existing wall while a dashed line marks a proposed footprint. The legend makes the distinction explicit even in a monochrome copy.

Questions to put in your notes

Use these prompts to produce a short record you can revisit. Date the sheet, identify the reference you used and leave unknowns explicitly unanswered. Keep site facts, personal preferences and requests for confirmation separate.

Can every mark be interpreted?
Are proposals visibly distinct?
Who supplied the site information?

What this exercise cannot establish

Graphic clarity does not verify the underlying measurements or approve the proposal. Record those statuses separately.

Choose the next question

Keep the resulting note with your current brief. Before sending it, check that it explains one decision clearly and does not turn a preference into an agreed detail. Use the current linked page for the relevant website guidance, and bring any piece-specific uncertainty to the atelier.

Read the related guidance ↗

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