PAU Technical Drawing Applied to Plastic Arts and Design II exam-day guide
PAU Technical Drawing Applied to Plastic Arts and Design II · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Official photo ID
Bring the identity document accepted for university entrance exams in your region (typically DNI, passport, or residence card). The exact document type and validity requirements are set by the administering body - confirm with the provider or your school before the exam day.
Exam admission document / proof of registration
Print or download whatever confirmation the administering body requires (registration receipt, seat assignment, or access code). Whether a printed copy is mandatory varies by region - confirm with the provider.
Graphite pencils in several grades
Carry at least HB, 2B and 4B/6B. Construction lines need a hard lead that erases cleanly; shading and tonal rendering need soft leads. Bring two of your most-used grade in case one breaks.
Technical drawing instruments
Compass with spare leads and a sharpener, set squares (30-60 and 45), a ruler of at least 30 cm, and a protractor if the syllabus includes angular constructions. Check the compass hinge holds its radius before packing.
Eraser and kneaded eraser
A firm plastic eraser for construction lines and a kneaded eraser for lifting graphite without damaging paper. Do not rely on the eraser on the end of a pencil.
Drawing supports and media allowed by the syllabus
Coloured pencils, markers or gouache only if the exam permits colour. Confirm the permitted media and paper format with the provider - some sessions supply paper and restrict materials.
Sharpener and sandpaper block
A sharpener plus a small sandpaper block lets you keep a long, fine point for construction lines and a chisel edge for shading. Sharpen all pencils the night before.
Clear pencil case or transparent bag
Many venues require transparent storage so invigilators can check contents quickly. Confirm the venue's rules on bags and cases with the provider.
Analogue watch
Wear a simple watch to pace the drawing without depending on a wall clock. Smart watches and phones are usually prohibited at the desk - confirm the provider's device policy.
Water and a light snack
Drawing sessions are long and physically tiring. Bring water in a clear bottle if the venue allows it; confirm food and drink rules with the provider.
Rehearsed timing plan
Write down your split of the total time (analysis, construction, rendering, review) on a practice sheet and memorise it. Know the exact duration and structure of the paper - confirm with the provider if the published information is unclear.
Practice sheets in the exam format
In the final days, draw on the same paper size and weight the exam uses so your hand knows the tooth of the surface and how much pressure the graphite needs.
Plan the day
Do one full timed mock under exam conditions: same paper size, same instruments, no pauses. Afterwards, mark your own sheet against the assessment criteria (construction accuracy, line quality, composition, colour or tonal coherence) and list the three errors that cost the most time or marks.
Rehearse your instrument set-up: sharpen every pencil, test the compass radius lock, check that set squares are not warped or chipped, and confirm the eraser does not smear your usual graphite grade.
Review the geometric constructions and standardised drawing conventions that appear most often in the syllabus (tangencies, conic curves, dihedral projections, scales, dimensioning). Redraw each once from memory rather than reading the procedure.
Prepare a one-page personal sheet of formulas, construction steps and colour-mixing or tonal recipes you tend to forget. Use it for revision only; do not plan to bring it into the exam unless the provider explicitly allows reference material.
Do a short, light session only: one quick construction warm-up and one small colour or tonal study. Stop early. Heavy practice the day before tends to degrade line control and confidence.
Pack the pencil case completely and place it by the door with your ID and admission document. Lay out clothes and transport details. Confirm the venue, room and start time from your registration documents.
Sleep a full night. Drawing precision depends on fine motor control, which fatigue damages more than memorisation.
Eat a proper breakfast and arrive at the venue with margin for queues at the entrance and ID checks. Locate your seat and set out instruments in a fixed order so you never search for a tool mid-drawing.
Read the whole paper before drawing. Note the marks and suggested time for each question, and decide the order in which you will answer. Mark the questions that require colour or a specific format.
For each question, spend a short fixed time analysing: identify the given data, the construction required, and the scale or format. Sketch a faint layout on the sheet or on spare paper before committing to the final sheet.
Build the drawing from light construction lines, keeping them thin and erasable. Check tangency points, centres and symmetry before darkening anything. Correct errors while the lines are still light.
Darken final lines with consistent weight: heavier for outlines, lighter for hidden or auxiliary lines. Apply colour or shading in layers from light to dark, keeping the direction of strokes consistent.
Reserve the last portion of the time to erase stray construction lines, check dimensioning and labels, and confirm every question has been attempted. Do not start a new construction with only minutes left.
Rules to check
Bring the identity document required for university entrance exams in your region and keep it on the desk for inspection. The accepted document types and validity rules are set by the administering body - confirm with the provider.
Phones, smart watches and any connected device must be switched off and stored away from the desk unless the provider states otherwise. Confirm the venue's device policy before the exam day.
Use only the drawing media and paper permitted by the syllabus. If the permitted materials are not clearly published, confirm with the provider rather than assuming colour or specific papers are allowed.
Follow the invigilator's instructions on timing, leaving the room and access to materials. Rules on toilet breaks and early departure vary by venue - confirm with the provider.
Work only on the sheets provided or authorised. Do not bring pre-prepared drawings, tracings or reference sheets into the exam unless the provider explicitly permits them.
Scoring is based on the published assessment criteria for the paper - typically construction accuracy, technical conventions, line quality and the coherence of the plastic-arts solution. Read the criteria for your session and confirm their weighting with the provider if it is not published.
If you believe a question is ambiguous or a printed figure is unclear, raise your hand and ask the invigilator rather than guessing silently; the invigilator can request clarification through the official channel.
Academic misconduct, including copying from another candidate or using unauthorised aids, is handled under the administering body's regulations. The specific sanctions are set by that body - confirm with the provider.