Aerial sketch of 1:200 area

I wasn't able to finish my sketch model this week, which is a disappointment. But I have finished a draft plan of my structural planting and hopefully resolved the hardworks plan - including the materials I want to use.

For me, this week was all about resolving the materials - hard and soft - and having courage of my convictions. Rightly or wrongly at this stage I put these drawing in ink... I know things will probably change, but ink on paper helps me feel I'm making progress.

Here is an aerial sketch of my 1:200 area. I first modelled the basic structure in Sketch-up and have used this as a guide for the sketch.

The overall sketch of the park was completed at the masterplanning stage - I coloured this in with photoshop.

Experiments with lighting effects in photoshop

Here are my attempts to add lighting in photoshop.

After several attempts I worked out how to get a spotlight effect. Use the rubber in brush mode and setting it on a small pixel size - say 7 and having the opacity up 100%. Then click a few times on the same spot - so you get a nice white 'dot'. Then set it at a larger pixel size and change opacity to about 60%. Then apply this brush over the first 'dot' you made - thus creating a light bleed effect.

Lille 2011

I can't believe it's over a week ago that we came back from Lille - in any case enough time to reflect on my experience there.

It was indeed a challenging week, but we got through it. Although by mid-week I was beginning to wonder if it was all a bit insane - stuck in an airless room awash with the creative energy of 30 people - furiously cutting and glueing, drawing, talking, crying, etc.... I'm glad I did it.

I was astonished at the amount of work we finally pulled together for the presentations, and very much enjoyed working in the two groups that I was placed. Our French students were brilliant - it's just a shame I wasn't able to communicate with them better than my level of O'level French.

It was also great to work on a collaborative design project with my fellow Greenwich students - we've not done that before - only a hand-full of assignments, but nothing on this scale. Indeed, nothing on this scale ever for us Garden Designers.

It would be great to reciprocate the experience for the French school, back at Greenwich - and also give those who couldn't make the trip the chance to take part. I guess that's not possible since we have to fit so much in the 3rd year.

Here are some photos that I took of the trip and some of the work we produced, for a more indepth analysis of our team's performance - please see FelixFatFunkster or Amelie's blogs...

Site visit - industrial wasteland

Degredations

Caption competition...

Concept drawing for Group 2

Group 2 - Edith, Lucas, Elise and Amelie

Group 2 - Masterplan - before we merged to form the Supergroup C

My first mood sketch of the final Group C Masterplan. Beautifully coloured in Photoshop by Paula.

Another mood image in pen and ink - using Baptiste's original sketch as a guide.

Mid-week madness sketch - the chicken was mocking me..,

The final model of the masterplan - beautifully orchestrated by the beautiful Lucas and his beautiful assistants.

...and here we all are. Team C. Well done Simon and Edith for a magnificent presentation and...

...everyone who took part in Lille 2011

SKETCH CLUB

CALLING ALL SKETCHERS...

Do you want to:
improve your hand-eye coordination?
hone your perspective making muscles?
bulk-up your sketch books or simply hang out with some really cool Garden Design/Landscape Architect students...?

...then you need SKETCH CLUB.

When? This monday - 28th February at 1.30pm
Where? Avery Hill, by the fish pond outside the cafeteria...
Aim: 15 mins, 3 sketches...

All you need is your sketch book and drawing implement of choice.

and remember what goes on in Sketch Club...stays in your sketch books...

Masterplan - final pin-up for assessment, 24.01.11

Here is the revised version - taking into consideration as much as I could the comments from last week.
Monday's feedback still reveals plenty of issues to resolve - notably my section trees are still too stylised, plan annotation too bold and too much of it. Repeating things in the key graphics again on the plan, line hierarchy - design issues in the southern section... more colour variation in trees on the plan...and yet less colour on the plan! Julia still doesn't think much of my pool and beach....

I was pleased with my mark - but had better get on with the masterplan document, otherwise....

Masterplan - first pass 17.01.11- Sterile and lurid

Here is my first attempt at my masterplan, sections and perspectives for Calverley Grounds.
I thought originally that we were being assessed on this pin-up - but we were given a crit instead.

Feedback received from tutors - plan - too lurid, trees too stylised, over-designed, crowded composition, sections - promising, perspectives sterile and poor composition on page... need I go any further....

my people look like pigeons with feet dipped in acid and Julia doesn't think much of my natural swimming pool and beach...


ouch!

I'm too busy...

these are the words most on my lips these days... my husband tells everyone I'm busier than David Cameron, no Obama even. My friends have given up on me, the dog opens its own tin of food and my poor old Dad is still confused as to why I gave up a reasonably good job to do gardening....

I must admit at various stages over the past few weeks I have looked up from my crayoning, whilst most sane people are tucked up in bed and wondered why I embarked upon this in the first place. It's a reasonable thought... most people I spoke to on Monday after our assessment said much the same thing.
But of course I know why I want to do this, and that keeps me going and hopefully will keep my going long after the final final crit.

But I must find quicker ways to get things done - before I develop pencil elbow. Anyway, I am already getting more efficient, because last night I was dreaming about different paint effects I should try for my trees.

So what are the next steps on the masterplan? We're zooming in to 1:200 scale - oh and the small task of the survey document to attend to. Plus some other assignments and a trip to Lille... best stop blathering on here then and get on with it....

And for some visual interest here is my masterplan for Calverley Grounds...or should I say Park Creative.... helps if you say it in a French accent...by the way the frame is not part of the design, but indicates the area chosen for the 1:200 treatment.

I'll post a scan of the whole design, sans frame, tomorrow - when I get them back from the printers....

the 1:200 area I chose...

...and what Jamie chose