All You Wanted To Know About Nata Drawing Test

National Aptitude Test in Architecture – NATA is conducted by Council of Architecture to measure the candidate’s aptitude for admission to first year of 5 year B.Arch degree at all recognized institutions all over India.

Nata test consists of two parts – a drawing test which is paper based & a computer based online test.

In this post, we will be sharing preparation tips for Nata Drawing Test.

This test is a paper based test and consists of 3 questions carrying 25 marks, 25 marks & 30 marks each respectively.

As per Nata Brochure 2024, Drawing Test has been re-introduced in National Aptitude Test in Architecture. 

The course contents for the Drawing Test are provided below:

Drawing and Composition Test

This is one and half hour (90 minutes) - 80 marks test where candidate has to attempt three questions . The content of this Test is as follows:

1. Composition & Color - 25 Marks: Creating suitable compositions for various situations and coloring them appropriately.

Re-arranging various shapes in visually appealing manner and coloring it suitably.

If this question on 2D Composition is understood well, it can be answered in minimum time.

The student should focus on the following parameters to gain expertise to answer such questions:

• Creating 2-Dimensional composition from given geometric or non-geometric shapes.
• Colour Rendering
• Creating Logos
• Colour Schemes

Some blogs that might help with the above type of questions:

How to Attempt 2D Compositions?

2. Sketching and Composition (Black and White) - 25 Marks: Ability to draw, visualize, depict a situation, involving buildings/its components, people, environment, products with an understanding of scale, proportions, textures, shades and shadow etc.

It is very important to understand what exactly the examiner is expecting in this question on Perspectives or Memory Drawing.

To gain good marks in this question, the student should have good practice of the following:

• Perspective drawing – One point, Two point, Three Point, Four Point & Five Point
• Memory drawing
• Correct Proportions
• Pencil Rendering

Presenting list of blogs related to Nata Perspective Drawing Questions:

What is Bird's Eye View?

Perspective Drawings from my portfolio

Looking for Nata Drawing Sketches?

3. 3D Composition - 30 Marks: Creating interesting 3D composition for the given situation using the provided kit.

The following topics are necessary to practice to answer such type of questions

• Creating 3-Dimensional composition from given geometric or non-geometric forms.
• Pencil rendering
• Creating structural forms from 3-D elements.
• Creating the effect of light and shadow

Some blogs that might help with the above type of questions:

How to make 3D Sculptures?

The Drawing Aptitude of the Candidates is judged on the following parameters:

• Ability to sketch a given object proportionately and rendering the same in a visually appealing manner.
• Visualising and drawing the effects of light on the object and shadows cast on surroundings.
• Sense of Perspective Drawing
• Combining & composing given 3D elements to form a building or structural form.
• Creating interesting 2D composition using given shapes and forms.
• Creating visual harmony using colours in given composition
• Understanding of scale and proportions.
• Drawing from memory through pencil sketch on themes from day to day experiences.

Sharing with you links to some solved papers of Nata:

Nata 2017 Answer Key

Nata Exam Drawings: Common Mistakes & Corrections

Have You Solved this Previous Year Question Paper of Nata

Drawing Questions of Nata: Common Mistakes

Nata Entrance Drawings: Common Mistakes

Drawings for Nata Exam: Are you making these Mistakes?

The primary emphasis in scoring in the drawing section is on the candidate's drawing skills, imagination and observation skills.

The candidate's sense of proportion and perspective are also evaluated together with sense of colour and composition.  

About the Author: Anu Handa is an Interior Designer, DIY Artist, Co-Founder and Educator at Mosaic Institute of Design. She has been the lead blogpost writer at www.mosaicdesigns.in since 2009. Her educational background in Interior Design, Urban Planning and the English Language has given her a broad base to cover a range of topics in her articles. Anu has spent 15+ years training Design & B.Arch Aspirants for entrance exams.

Passionate about Design Education, she’s briefly worked with Annamalai University as a paper setter for Design Exams. Likes to write about Design, Architecture and related fields, on online platforms like Quora. Aims at challenging the conventional & age old teaching methodology.