How to Prepare for NID B.Des Drawing, Syllabus, Books, Practice Sketches, Techniques

Published by Shikha Kumari on Jan 16, 2025

Every year, around over 10 thousand candidates register for the DAT exam. In 2023, for example, 14,075 candidates registered for the NID B.Des application via the DAT exam, out of which 13,467 appeared for the test. Candidates aspiring to pursue a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Design must clear this exam to secure admission into design colleges in their preferred domain, such as web design, leather design, or interior design. Many also opt for NID preparation coaching. In this blog, we have outlined how to prepare for the NID B.Des exam, recommended books for preparation, and other study materials, including a seven-day checklist to finalize your preparation. Additionally, we have included some practice exercises and techniques to help you excel.

How to Prepare for NID B.Des Drawing PDF

The DAT exam is conducted in two parts: the Prelims and the Mains. The drawing section is part of the Mains exam, which is scheduled in April 2025. The detailed syllabus for the Mains exam can be found in the table below:

Additionally, we are providing a checklist to help you assess your preparation during the last fortnight. This checklist will aid in your preparation for the NID DAT. You can also refer to the table for guidance on how to structure your last week of preparation effectively.

Techniques for Practicing Sketches

For candidates preparing for the DAT exam, mastering sketching techniques within a limited timeframe is essential. Below are some practical and efficient methods to increase sketching skills as per the needs of exam aspirants:

Gesture Drawing

Practice quick sketches (30 seconds to 2 minutes) to capture the movement and overall essence of a subject. This builds confidence and helps in generating rough ideas rapidly during exams.

Contour Drawing

Focus on drawing the outlines of objects without lifting your pencil. It will improve observational skills. Don’t forget to make sure you have clean, precise lines. Such lines are crucial for technical and freehand sketches.

Blind Contour Drawing

Draw the subject while looking only at the subject. In this method, try not looking at the paper. This technique increases concentration and hand-eye coordination, helping candidates become more confident in replicating shapes.

Shading Techniques

Practice hatching, cross-hatching, stippling, and blending. It will help candidates get a better grip of depth, contrast, and textures. Exams often require realistic representations, so mastering these can make candidates’ sketches stand out.

Still Life Sketching

Regularly sketch objects like fruits, vases, or books. It may seem easy at first but practicing will improve your understanding of proportions, compositions, and perspectives. This will prepare candidates to handle similar challenges in exams.

Reference-Based Drawing

Use photos or real-life scenes as references to improve detail replication. This is particularly helpful for designing objects or spaces based on given prompts. Drawing has historically been associated with different references, so add such details to stand out.

Negative Space Drawing

This is an interesting way of drawing, instead of focusing on the object itself, candidates sketch the spaces around it. This sharpens the perception of shapes and proportions. The shadows and figures can be skill tested in NID B.Des Exam..

Anatomy Studies

Learn and sketch basic human and animal anatomy. Aside from DAT, other exams have repeatedly asked questions to draw figure drawings. For example, In 2024, candidates were asked to draw a cat in a room. This is beneficial for designing wearable items or depicting interactions in compositions.

Perspective Drawing

Practice 1-point, 2-point, and 3-point perspectives to create depth and spatial relationships. Perspective drawings are often a judged component of design exams. Make sure you are good at drawing from various perspectives.

Time-Bound Sketching

Set timers for 1-minute, 5-minute, and 10-minute sketches to simulate exam conditions. This will help you manage time effectively and prioritize essential elements of your drawing. It is the most important step of the drawing process since you will be working in time constraint.

Recommended NID BDes Preparation Books

While drawing improves with constant practice, a simpler approach can be achieved using specific books and proper guidance. We have listed some recommended books in the table below. Additionally, you can explore various resources available on the internet. Numerous NID preparation book PDFs are accessible online for free download, offering valuable insights and tools to support your preparation.

NID Preparation Material

Here are some previously asked questions from NID exams that follow a similar pattern and can be used as practice for this year as well. These examples of NID drawing questions will help candidates assess their preparation.

Question: Your friend has come to visit you. He is looking at you from the window outside your room as shown in the image given below. Visualize and draw what he is seeing from his point of view:

Question: Modify the below given water tap considering the requirements for different users as mentioned below:

a) A six year old child b) An artist c) A visually impaired person

Draw the modified water tap for each of the users and write 3 points as to why you consider the modified idea of water tap suitable for them. 

Candidates can also review the complete question papers for better insights in given table: