Welcome to the Australian Academy of Interior Design! You're one step closer to starting your learning journey. In this blog post, you will understand what materials you will need to start your course. This aim of this blog post is to help you understand what materials you need to start your course. When looking at the list, keep in mind that most of these items are one-off investments.
The basics
It is worth buying a high-quality portable drawing board because you will use it a lot during the course. A good drawing board will also last you for many years and well into your interior design career. Some students who are already proficient in computer-aided design (CAD) may not use a drawing board; however, if you are not familiar with technical drawing, it is necessary to begin by using a drawing board.
Remember your student discount
Always bring your student card with you when buying materials and if you are shopping online, check to see if there is a student discount. Don't have a student card yet? You can request one from the Online Learning Centre.
List of materials needed to start the course
The list below is a breakdown of what you will need when starting the course. This list isn’t exhaustive but covers the key items - you will receive a more detailed list before you start.
- Black pens with a variety of nib sizes (e.g. Fineliner 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7)
- A3 Portable drawing board
- A3 Plain white drawing paper
- A3 Tracing paper
- Cutting mat
- Triangular architectural scale ruler appropriate to your region
- Colouring pencils (e.g. Polychromos by Faber-Castell)
- Masking tape
- Metal ruler
- Set squares (30/60 degree and 45/45 degree)
- Circles template
- 2H, HB and 2B pencils (or a clutch pencil)
- Furniture template scale 1:50 (multiple scale if possible)
- Scalpel
- Compass or compass app
Learners of the MSF50222 - Diploma of Interior Design (RTO 46046) are required to have access to the following:
- Black pens with a variety of nib sizes (e.g. Fineliner 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7)
- A3 Portable drawing board
- A3 Plain white drawing paper
- A3 Tracing paper
- Cutting mat
- Triangular architectural scale ruler appropriate to your region
- Colouring pencils (e.g. Polychromos by FaberCastell)
- Masking tape
- Metal ruler
- Set squares (30/60 degree and 45/45 degree)
- Circles template
- 2H, HB and 2B pencils (or a clutch pencil)
- Furniture template scale 1:50 (multiple scale if possible)
- Scalpel
- Compass or compass app
- A Computer (PC or Mac) with Internet (a minimum reliable speed of 5mbps is recommended)
- Google Chrome Web Browser
- Webcam or integrated camera and to participate in webinars – Optional
- CAD software such as Sketchup Pro and/or AutoCad (Student versions acceptable)
- A device to record presentations and take photographs
- Samples e.g. fabric, wallcovering, paint, furniture and flooring samples and images
Other materials
As you progress through the course, you may be required to pick up a few extra bits and pieces, but these will all depend on the nature of the design and project that you work on. Again, these are materials that you will use throughout your career in interior design.
Make sure you shop around and try to read as many product reviews as you can - sites like Amazon are great for this.
If you have any recommendations of shops or websites where you have purchased these items, please add a comment below.