Shadow study / 3D model

Using the 3D modelling software I extruded buildings from a base plan used as a layer which i traced through to get the boundaries. The building heights were calculated based on the amount of floors.

Then a series of graphics were exported to show the shadows cast by the Sun, with the comparison between winter and summer showing morning, midday and evening shadows.

This has proved very useful in identifying microclimates and potential problems with wind while also giving a real sense of scale. I was sup prised that the terrace area of my design, by the Thame side, is not as shaded as i thought it would be and even though I was well aware of the tall building which surround the site, it is difficult to imagine the scale until creating a model. 

Master planning to Detail stage

An area was chosen to be refined at 1:200 scale. This reveals a lot more detail than can be shown at 1:500, some areas now look very large and empty. Not always a bad thing if the design requires a large open space but for the most part this can be improved through refinement.

 A trace overlay was made, one to examine the planting, one for the structures and another to identify any elements which either need work or need to go!

Using my sketch up model of the design in context, I produced an eye level image within this part of the park.

I like using this method instead of just freehand drawing as it gives a realistic and accurate placing of all the elements which make up my design.

I then added some people for scale then the image was ready to be printed so I could use it as a base drawing.

 

Once I had traced through the structures in the image I added the planting layers while trying to create it as a picture, adding to the foreground, middle and background.

Next part of this process is to add colour. I have been using my watercolour scans for a while now so have begun to incorporate a little photographic textures in with this. Hopefully I can find a good balance between the two but first I need to get some shadows sorted out. 

Masterplanning Final Pinup!

And here it is!

 I went with photoshop rendering in the end and glad I did…still loads of room for improvement!
Pretty happy with the overall layout of the page…

 Next, two A1 pages for my sequential sketches.
I put emphasis on what I considered to be the better and more informative scenes by enlarging them but there seems to be something missing from the composition...

 Im happy with the line work, its a lot cleaner than it was last year but possibly lacking in some depth and texture...

 And I think its time to find some new colour samples and textures for rendering...

 My precedents list is mostly parks in Paris… Parc de la Villette and Parc Bercy to be precise. Top left is the Thames barrier in London and bottom right is the Millennium park in Chicago.
I was interested in how the green spaces in cities are integrated through the structures in these parks, how open space can contrast with closed in spaces and how the overhead plane can be defined with only a suggestion of structure. Also how structural features could change when moving through a space with perspective and view point.

Week three tasks...

After a studio workshop on dynamic layout the task was to compose our three pictures in a dynamic way…. My response to this can be seen below.

Firstly I chose portrait over landscape because being tall and narrow it reads visually as being heavier and/or unstable. I then rotated the top and bottom pictures alternate ways and set them in front of the middle picture so they overlap. The title and name tag were integrated into the layout and made more interesting by changing the font.
After the pin up I realised/was informed that i could have made it more interesting by somehow changing the shape of the pictures from rectilinear, using the distort function or dissecting the pictures to create a shattered effect.

Week 2 Task

A series of quick paper models were made in response to a 'buzz word' I believe this one was my response to 'flowing' and my chosen one to progress with through the task.

This photo was taken and then opened up in Photoshop, the quick selection tool was used to cut out the paper model from its background and then placed into several photos/pictures where I could explore scale and changes in hue and saturation to help the model blend into the picture.

The first one was reduced to fit into the palm of a hand… and fed to birds!
Part of the paper layer was erased around the fingers to help the model sit back in the image.

Next I wanted the model to look like it could be a stature or some kind of installation. The woman is a separate layer too and both were duplicated and darkened to create shadows, which were then stretched along the ground plane.

The third one was a bit of fun! I had to change the hue of the paper model to help it blend in with the blue picture, the same trick to create the shadow. Then I tried to add some atmosphere by highlighting one side of the model to suggest the low angle of light from the sunset in the background.

Overall not too bad I think… more time would produce better results, as usual..

Weekly Tasks 4

Bit of back dating to do so I'm on top of things again!
Task 4 was a bucket fill exercise in photoshop… textures can also be made into patterns, which can then be filled with the bucket… e.g. paving textures.

Starting off with a base plan supplied to us...

 To a rendered plan making use of photoshop brushes, scanned art and photographic textures from the internet.

A bit of shadow to give the illusion of height and depth was created by duplicating layers and reducing the saturation or brightness, both work, and the reducing the opacity to around 70%.

The same tree was duplicated, and the size altered, to make up all the trees, then by adjusting the colour balance or hue saturation under image - adjustments, the trees can be changed to show autumn hues or deeper greens for conifers etc.

The brown path area was in fact a rubbing i took from a concrete slab then scanned into photoshop and defined as a pattern. 

The paving was taken from the internet and defined in photoshop paying close attention to the joins in the paving so it looks natural when used as a pattern (the repetition of patterns can look 'blocky').

All quite satisfactory apart from the roof, which was another rubbing of a gate panel… seemed to work ok for a tiled effect but not much else.

Historic Garden Conservation - Course Complete!

Final A1 Pin Ups,

which were supported by the body of work presented in an A3 booklet.

Mostly for the perspective images using watercolour to achieve a sense of atmosphere.

The colour can be overlaid in a way which doesn't detract from the line work.

Particularly happy with the tropical images as the colour conveys a feeling of humidity.