REDISCOVER THE BENEFITS OF DESIGNING AND DRAWING IN THE DIGITAL ERA
Even in the digital age, drawing remains one of the most direct ways to think and design. The hand-drawn line carries ambiguity, personality, and warmth — qualities that keep ideas alive instead of locking them down. Clients respond to this instinctively, because sketching invites them into the process and communicates on both a rational and emotional level.
That’s why I created iPad for Architects — a complete ecosystem of courses and workshops that bring the timeless strengths of hand drawing into the 21st century.
The individual courses teach specific tools: Procreate, SketchUp for iPad, Morpholio Trace, and rendering workflows.
The Concept Design Workshop (CDW) weaves them into a single, end-to-end process — from first sketch to final rendering.
The Live Draw-Along Workshop (LDW) takes it further, giving you live practice, feedback, and accountability in a studio-like setting.
Whether you want to sharpen one skill, master the whole concept design pipeline, or join a live cohort, there’s a clear path forward.
👉 Explore the course library or join the next Live Draw-Along Workshop.
MY STORY
I’m James Akers — a registered architect, renderer, and educator who has spent over 25 years at the intersection of design and drawing. For much of my career I supported leading NYC firms by creating hand renderings that made complex ideas clear to clients, consultants, and the public. Pencil and watercolor were my daily tools — until the pace of modern practice made them unsustainable.
When the iPad and Apple Pencil arrived, I realized something profound: the qualities that made hand drawing irreplaceable could now live inside a digital workflow. Warmth, ambiguity, and personality could coexist with speed, precision, and portability. That discovery became the foundation of iPad for Architects.
Today, my work centers on teaching architects and designers how to combine these worlds. Through:
Autonomous courses (Procreate, SketchUp for iPad, Morpholio Trace, Rendering) — you learn individual tools.
The Concept Design Workshop — you experience the full workflow, from image boards to final renderings.
The Live Draw-Along Workshop — you join a live studio environment where skills become habits and ideas become projects.
This progression reflects my own journey: from hand rendering, to adaptation, to integration. It’s a path I built for myself and now share with others who want to design more fluidly, confidently, and creatively in the digital age.
This website is dedicated to Spencer James Akers, who would have loved the fact that his dad is still using both the Squarespace website and the gmail address he helped him set up. I love you, Spence.