Final Exhibition

Yesterday was the final hanging for our end of year exhibition, it was a really good day with a great atmosphere, even though we were all completely exhausted. A year ago when I visited last years exhibition I couldn't imagine how I would get from where I was to having a wall full of work, but I did it, and am pleased with what I've done. My final presentation is on Thursday morning, so 2 days off now which is a weird feeling.

A few other pictures from the day...

Phil smiling for the camera!

Zanna and Alex

Russell and Lissy, it was great Russell was there for the final pin up,
I missed him these last few months, but hopefully now he's well on
the road to recovery along with Evelyn

Setting Out

Pleased to get this page finalised. Two more construction details to do which shouldn't take too long. Printed most of my A1's today and can now finish them off by hand. Still need to work on my sketches.

I feel slowly but surely that I'm approaching the finishing line, keep making lots of notes as I'm very tired and it is easy to get confused. Four days to go to the final pin-up - is that really possible?

setting out plan for 1:50

Construction details

In the final 2 weeks now and concentrating on making amendments to all work and the construction drawings. Had a workshop yesterday which was very useful, most of my drawings are done in rough but there is some detail missing and also how I describe different elements needs to conform with standard technology. Need to set out the 1:50 plan but I know where I'm going with that now.

So a real push now in the final 2 weeks to finish things and get the printing done. Got the final schedule this morning so it is frighteningly real and very close!

Reflection

I've gone back through my work and my 1:200 sketches were quite a step forward for me and were a good mix of hand drawn and photoshop with some good comments and direction on the crit sheets; I didn't take it on board at the time because it wasn't one of the best crits for me, a strong dose of PG's Tips with no added sugar knocked my confidence on hand drawing so I went a bit overboard with photoshop on the 1:50. I can see it now, sometimes I'm so caught up in the process I don't see the wood for the trees.

I've spent today hand drawing sketches for the 1:50 and I think they look so much better, still more to do on them but I think I'll get there.

Final Crit

Tuesday was the big day, the final crit and I'm still not sure how I feel about it, I guess that's because I feel my presentation didn't sell the concept well enough, the Ocean Floor was about the Crumbles site and how it would have once brimmed with life and wanting to create a design that would bring that life back to the area in a human context not a sea life context. I guess I over complicated a very simple message.

A day off yesterday and a morning of reflection today, working through the crit sheets and coming up with an action plan of how I can take my work forward. Feedback on my A3 document was very positive and I need to remember to keep to the process over the next 2 weeks and work through each area methodically and with an objective hat on.

Overall I'm pleased with where I got to for Tuesday and it was good to see the whole project together.

The final hanging with the models at the front on tables

Standing back from it I can see the sky is too dominant and so are the people, I'll knock the blue back and hand draw the people, I'll do more hand drawn plants and rendering to soften the sketches as well.  The viewports on the sketches all need to be widened. The 1:50 didn't work so I need to soften that and give more of an impression of space and atmosphere. A lot to do! 

Model montage

Inspirational images

1:500

This was the section outline and the images were hand drawn in

Sequential sketches for the 1:500 plan

1:200 plan

1:50 plan

Almost there...

Got the rest of my A1's printed today, I was in a queue of 2 waiting for the studio to open! Then about 5 architects turned up, but they are rendering, a long process in a specific programme so no pressure on the printer, home again by 1.30 and now finishing stuff off by hand. I want to get to bed early tonight as I was quite late last night and up very early this morning, don't want anyone thinking they can borrow the bags under my eyes for the weekly shop.

I'm nervous, anxious and excited about tomorrow, I need to double check the checklist so I don't forget anything. See you all tomorrow and good luck with everything

Thank goodness for back up...

I renamed a file the other day and overwrote an existing file thinking I was updating, only to realise tonight I had overwritten a file I needed. I was so pleased I had set the time machine on a more regular back up - just in case I thought - and it paid off, phew!

I'm sure you all back up regularly anyway, but if not...

Masterplanning Final Session

When I started the course the 30th April seemed a long time away, and now it's been and gone, the last day of formal teaching. The day concentrated on construction detail and the detail on all the technical plans, it was really good. I enjoy the detail and strive to get it right, although I have learnt throughout this whole design process that there is a time for 'the big picture' and a time for detail.

A big day next tuesday, we pin up and present to a panel of 6 in preparation for the final presentation to the external examiners. I'm working through each stage, the next week is planned out by the hour, I must stick to it...

Good luck to everyone this week and for next tuesday.

Web site completed

Last night was the final class for Advanced Representation and we each had to present our websites. All this was new territory for me and I learnt a lot in the process, particularly about how search engines work and the spiders and crawlers out there looking for stuff - a horrible thought really. The link is

http://www.clareparkinsongardendesign.co.uk