SketchUp work

 

Our lecturer gave us the base plan below to make up on SketchUp. Below is what I produced. I also made a cone shaped and spherical tree to replicate his example so I could showcase my abilities. 

Photography in Wales

 I went on a trip to the North of Wales where I took photos throughout the few days we stayed. My favorite is the photo of my mother during our 4 hour hike. I think photography is a key skill that needs to be utilized to make landscapes look more appealing. Also its significant for site survey to assure you have clear and detailed photos to reflect back on.

 A skill I have developed is to convey emotion through my photography which can be useful on sites as you cannot always remember how it felt. This is something that can be felt through the sense of eyes. 

Take off the mask of hair.

 As housemates we each have different coloured hair- this inspired me to do a photoshoot to contrast and compliment one anothers hair. My photos are not included within this post but I assure you, as one can imagine, black against blonde is most appealing to the eye. 

As a Muslim woman I wear a hijab to conceal my hair and therefore beauty. But today with these girls I wanted to show you their beauty, to tell you a story with their hair.

note: I also edited these for extra effect. 

CANVA SKILLS

 

I am a part of the UoG Refugee Society, in which I volunteered to re create a poster to advertise a scholarship for refugees, the funding goes towards school resources such as trips/ books/ broken laptops/ equipment etc. 

This was my first template which I did not like but I kept working on it. In the end I decided it was too clinical, busy, not professional nor clear. 

This was the final template that got produced, I believe it is much more focused on the message, clear and effective. I dislike the mass of text on the back of the poster however I was assigned with designing the poster and had no say on this, as well as the colours. They HAD to be blue. 

Overall I did not mind as I thought of it as having a client and brief. I did my part, satisfied the client whilst also following a given brief which I think interpreted to create my own poster style.

Photography

I am proud of these photos. I believe the effect of the camera and lighting on each photo tell a completely different story which I admire greatly. 

 

Creativity and favorites list REFLECTION

I think the high score in boldness is reflected in my drawings, they are expressed quite loudly even if they don't fit in with others (ironically I secretly want them to) and I am always quite curious when looking, I want to know the process and how someone made what they are revealing to me so that I can mimic this. My connection (connect those that don't initially have an apparent connection) is possibly because I am quite logical, I sometimes see things in black and white. I acknowledge that I fail to see the larger picture until it is shown to me at times.  

the favorites list made me realize I need to explore more designers but also that I am quite flexible and open in minded in regards to what I like as a designer. For instance, I have many favorite books and writers because I like their different styles, I appreciate the diversity. This is much like my favorite design style/ period. This is something I wish to keep about myself as I grow into a designer. 

Drawing what's in front of you.

This is my first real practise at sketching a landscape in front of me. It is severely out of proportion, wonky and not to scale at all. However I completed this in 10minutes which I believe is not too bad considering the amount of detail I managed to get in.

* Target: practise more.

 

Innovation !!!

Narrow road vegetation

I was walking home from work staring at the pavement when I thought curiously, why don't we have vertical vegetation beds on pavements? I believe we can do more within the industry which includes disturbing public works such as paths and roads. Why can't it become a standard to have a narrow upright vegetation bed made out of corten steel about 15cm wide on pavements?

This is how I see it

Advantages

• Increasing vegetation in densely populated areas
• Possibly could plant carbon sequestrating plants 
• A physcial barrier between pedestrians and vehicles- road safety 
• Could assist in draiange, reducing surface run off

Disadvantages 

• Carbon cost of manufacturing
• Creating it as a standard would need LOTS of approval, including health and safety
• Would only be fitted in areas where pavements are wide enough to fit wheelchairs and buggys 
• Could attract pests/ insects which would disturb pedestrians DEPENDING on the planting 

Autistic- friendly paving 

Walking home from work, once again. I was stood on textured paving at the lights, waiting to cross the road. The tile that I was stood on was wobbly so I began shuffling my weight side to side essentially bouncing from one end of the tile to another. Across the road stood a child, greatly intrigued by my childish behaviour which sparked my mind. 

Having worked with young autistic people before I first-hand acknowledge the struggle of road safety, some struggle to stand still. And with such danger on roads with oncoming vehicles, why should'nt we install wobbly textured pavings? There could be mechanisms beneath such as springs that are activated through kinesthetic energy such as a jump to enable the paving to wobble side to side when a child wanted it to. This way wheelchair users would not be interrupted at pedestrian crossings as well as buggys etc. 

 

 

Playing with ink and water

I conducted my own little science experiment to compare the differences with the effects of water on ink. Overall I was slightly underwhelmed with the outcome to be honest, I thought the effect would be significantly more dramatic. 

However, optimistically speaking the subtle effect could make the drawings seem more authentic and genuine. The effect reminds me of a misty cottage for some peculiar reason, this could possibly indicate that this effect would be good to showcase a landscape in the autumnal season. 

 

Landscape doodle 4

 I discovered a new technique with lines which I think in the correct context, can be quite profound. The soft, feathery texture could lure clients into the aesthetic of a "dreamy" garden. I may find this useful one day in my hand drawings.

Experimenting with black and white

 I love using my fingers with charcoal. However this is not charcoal. 

This is ash from paper which I burnt. I dipped my fingers in and let my fingers glide against the surface to trace patterns of intricate Chinese symbols that create such a powerful meaning. I then moved from East Asia to the far Middle East where I delicately crafted the Arabic alphabet into a subsidizing word.

I have a strong liking towards a monochromatic contrast between black and white- mainly using white as a void to frame black letters. Not bold black letters, but smokey ones which strike you because they seem suppressed. Blended within the background. 

Landscape doodles 3

 The development of my doodles:

* evidently a style is prominent

* detailing is slowly building up

X  scale and proportion is still an issue

X  a lack of imagination is present

= Next time I want to create a wonderous landscape with layers and textures that are realistic even if I use examples to assist me. 

Fajita.

 Planting is like food. 

Without texture, without that crunch its unappetizing. It gives unfortunate flashbacks to slobby school food. Choosing where the textures of the food come from takes time, patience and knowledge. The textures also need to add an essence of flavor to wrap up the overall meal. 

These textures are layered.

Much like a fajita. 

tortilla wrap                           EMERGENT LAYER 

sauce

lettuce          

pepper                                 CANOPY LAYER 

onion

sauce     

chicken                             UNDERSTORY LAYER 

pepper    

sauce

wrap                                    FOREST FLOOR 

I see this now as designing planting, yea sure you can use the same species more than once but where is your texture?  your flavour?  THIS is what makes up the essence of a good planting design, these different textures need to layer and form one wholesome meal for the eye. 

Hong Kong Spark project 2021.

My first step onto the big climb. 

This was an amazing opportunity, working internationally, experiencing first hand the pros and cons of such projects, collaborating, working independently, identifying others not as students but as designers. 

It feels like a huge stepping stone into the world of professionalism albeit I acknowledge it is only small in reality, it has given me a huge boost of confidence knowing that I am capable to commit to such a project like this.

In this project we had to come up with a concept for a space next to the Technological and Higher Educational Institute of Hong Kong. After developing a concept this is the accurate vizualisation students in Hong Kong produced within this 24 hour time frame:

During this process, these are some visualizations I created. I am very proud of the rockery through the clarity and aesthetic it presents. Here you can identify a certain style to the drawing too. 

 

Brutalism? Constructionism?

 Here I was playing around with photos shown in lectures. I stared at them for a little bit then closed my eyes and drew- this is what I came up with. 

It is

Bold

Dramatic

Angry

Raw

Structured

Geometric

Messy

Expressionistic 

This style would be of use for initial ideas, to just lay them onto paper so I can critically pick out the best ideas.

Landscape doodle 2

 This is a basic scenic park but I feel the scale, proportion and detail is much more refined than my previous drawing. The main difference between this and my last drawing is that with this I did not try, I was sat during my lecture letting my pen float on my paper. 

This is an important aspect I must keep in mind- to let my mind naturally connect to my hand rather than force a drawing. One day I will force what I need to draw- within practise. But for now it is baby steps. 

Note: I love the contrast between land and aquatic, the whale looks so fitting and creative but is evidently odd too. 

Work in Progress

Let's raise the ground up 

Plan 

Here is a drawing of the concept and plan. Topiary has long inspired me since first year and I have a dream in mind. To create a space that is almost like a maze, claustrophobic, imaginative, much like Alice in Wonderland but also inviting to those who are adventurous. 

My next step is to play around with drawing it out on sketchup as I struggle to draw 3D whole spaces. 

IDEAS:

• A space for people to spend hours contemplating their inner thoughts? Designed to provoke feelings/thoughts that they hid?

• "Blind garden" where it is so hectic you cannot rely on your visual senses but instead need to use smell to escape, "a taste of blindness" 

Next stage: photoshop 

Landscape doodle

 

Creating my own contemporary landscape