Graphics is a method of communication that we use to portray our ideas to our audience, and the better we can communicate the more information that they can retain. The easier we make our information read the larger the audience we can ultimately attract, this is important to learn in the process of becoming a landscape architect because we will never know the type of client that we will come across. For example, in our planting design final there were a few students that presented to the dean of the Business college, maintenance and the manager of landscaping; so the fact that the audience had a variety of background some of which had nothing to do with plants. So the graphics of the sections and perspectives really helped communicate what the plan view was trying to convey.
As we continue our path in education we get better and broaden our skills of how to articulate information. Certain things such as learning different programs and collaborating with the graphic artists all attribute to bettering our skills of graphics. Coming from an art background, I have always been interested in experimenting with different techniques such as charcoal, pastel clay and now computer graphics is something that I can now say I am familiar with.
Aqueduct Futures 
Graphics are a vital asset in a presenter’s toolkit. It is true that graphics are a good way to help a certain audience understand what is going on. Learning how to synergize the complexity of a topic with visual simplicity is an extremely difficult process in which we have just begun to learn.
Totally agree about the importance of graphics in our career, the most we practice the better we can get. I suggest that this is one of the directions where we need more attention, and more practice on in order to get better. Clients got impressed when good quality of graphics are presented to them, so lets work….
Graphics is merely a tool landscape architects use to graphically communicate to clients in order for the them to visual the end product. As practicing students, it is important to convey projects visually, as it represents our end products.
Of course, I will also agree with your view on the importance of graphics. I would also slightly agree with your idea that it needs to get taught more, however I would have to say that the graphics education you may be looking for may have to be a ‘learn-by-doing’ situation. I have learned almost everything I know on graphic programs by just doing it, or by getting advice from others. So we just need to practice, and challenge ourselves.
I strongly agree with your statement. The importance of graphic in communication, it helps when get education. Especially, the people who are not English is native, the visual example is really help to understand during in lectures. However, provide a information by to use only graphic is really hard.
The value of graphics in the success of your career cannot be overstated. In deciding which recreation use planner to hire to put together a recreation use plan for the County, we choose MIG, in good part because they were able to show us visual products that were better than other consultants. Not only were they able to use visuals to make their reports more effective, they were also able to use visuals real-time in public meetings to capture comments and ideas–which really stimulated conversation and helped the public follow the progress of the discussion. At the end of these public meetings we had walls full of evolving ideas in the form of drawings that were not only visually compelling, but actually gave stakeholders an idea of what the project could look like. Usually, in public meetings like these you get walls covered with statements and ideas written down in words on flipcharts, which don’t at all convey what a project can actually look like.
If you want to really standout in your field, do whatever you can to master visual communication skills.