Just a small post today,
Met up with internet friend Ook of Today Rose at Welwyn for a brief coffee and impromptu chat session while she was visiting The Cat Survival Trust, a protected sanctuary for big cats in England where you can go visit and take photos of wonderful creatures.
Ook is for lack of a better term a fantastic Anthro artist, thus a creative type and good in my books and we have often discussed ideas crossing over many genre which prove to be interesting or unique which goes to show no matter what discipline you are in sometimes its good to step back and ask someone from a different walk of life, they could improve something a hundredfold.
Something that made my day all that sweeter is that she drives a white Morris minor called Rose, This little mog is a beautiful piece of machinery with a wonderful smell and roaring engine was a pleasure to ride in.
On the ride home I did notice something strange, Knebworth now has a dinosaur trail. It could warrant a look just for laughs
We will just have to see.
Oh! and I ordered an iced tea today, Felt like a proper grownup.
B.
Tuesday, 5 July 2011
Monday, 4 July 2011
College. re:
My sister has recently not done so well in the educational waterfall known as school so she had decided to up and leave to attempt a course in an adult learning college,
Specifically the College I also spent four years at before going off to university.
Now normally this would prove no Issue as obviously, being younger and living int he same area my sister has followed me from school to school but she is a bit of a nervous coward when it comes to new things so I was roped into taking her to the college. This is where it got weird.
It was kind of nostalgic to be back on the grounds and see what changes had been implemented in the years since I've set foot there, I knew where to go and what to sort out having had prior experience but something I didn't count on was the fact that several members of staff would actually remember me. Let alone in some kind of fond way.
While waiting, I managed to bump into three, count it, Three tutors who for four years where most influential over me and my grades and my wants. It was kind of humbling. However rather than ex student to tutor they spoke to me as a person and enquired about things I wouldn't have imagined to be important to them, while still providing me with advice for the future, all of this while smiling.
Just goes to show, Sometimes you don't know just how much someone invests into their students, intellectually and emotionally and sometimes you just totally read people the wrong way.
B.
Specifically the College I also spent four years at before going off to university.
Now normally this would prove no Issue as obviously, being younger and living int he same area my sister has followed me from school to school but she is a bit of a nervous coward when it comes to new things so I was roped into taking her to the college. This is where it got weird.
It was kind of nostalgic to be back on the grounds and see what changes had been implemented in the years since I've set foot there, I knew where to go and what to sort out having had prior experience but something I didn't count on was the fact that several members of staff would actually remember me. Let alone in some kind of fond way.
While waiting, I managed to bump into three, count it, Three tutors who for four years where most influential over me and my grades and my wants. It was kind of humbling. However rather than ex student to tutor they spoke to me as a person and enquired about things I wouldn't have imagined to be important to them, while still providing me with advice for the future, all of this while smiling.
Just goes to show, Sometimes you don't know just how much someone invests into their students, intellectually and emotionally and sometimes you just totally read people the wrong way.
B.
Thursday, 19 May 2011
[ tokyo:ocean ]
OKAY!
Finally, I'm done with project and I can present you all with my work.
I have spent many a night laboring over this design so hopefully it looks good.
This is the client visuals and concept statement - Vary noice
My god! a second presentation board! This time containing photos and graphic treatment.
Speaking of photos, lets get a closer look,
I attempted some interesting lightplay.
Enjoy!
B.
Finally, I'm done with project and I can present you all with my work.
I have spent many a night laboring over this design so hopefully it looks good.
This is the client visuals and concept statement - Vary noice
Speaking of photos, lets get a closer look,
Enjoy!
B.
Monday, 16 May 2011
Alice in wonderland Shadow puppet theater
A while back we had to make either a shadow puppet theater or a 3 dimension pop up book based off three scenes from a version (or more than one) of the Alice in wonderland story by Lewis Carol. I chose to do a puppet theater but made the actual film on a light box and some thick paper in the background. I love the effect but If i was to do it again I would use a tripod... Oh and its stop motion.
Enjoy.
B.
Enjoy.
B.
University work Hiatus and Warhammer.
Now not much has really happened that I am aware is blog worthy but I did think I could make something up about a rather nerdy hobby...
I'm sure most.... gentleman who at some point in their lives have crossed into the boundary of tabletop games, its almost a right of passage for 12 years olds to spend parental money on metal and plastic miniatures where they labour over for days trying to paint all the little details and eventually fight imaginary wars.
For those not initiated into this... I hesitate to call it 'Cult' I will try and give a brief summary:
Warhammer is one of many 'popular' tabletop game franchises that branches off from the main company 'Citadel' which then splits into two separate Sects, Warhammer and Warhammer 40,000. The idea of this game is to use miniature models that represents units of an army to wage war against another army, These cover a variety of Unit styles and races, in a way its very closely linked to Dungeons and Dragons.
This is of course a simplified version missing out all the rules and restrictions in place to make the gameplay fair and structured.
Now I did 'Play' this game when I was about 12, I use inverted commas and I cant say I really understood the game at the time. I bought Eldar; Glorified space elves from the 40K universe, Got frustrated with painting them so they ended up solid gold and entered a fight with a friend where neither of us really had a clue what was going on. Needless to say it wasn't really that fun so off into the distant memories it went.... Skipping forward to midway through the Easter holidays where I was sitting around said friends house, watching him play Crysis 2 with a few others when what should come up but the topic of Warhammer 40K.
It turns out that several of my little group and I do stress little have begun to collect the different armies again just for a laugh as we never really understood it as children but now the rules and tactics of warfare sounded much more interesting.
Several of them had already collected sizable armies by spending 20 pound or so a month and seemed to want to expand further.
I wasn't particularly sold on the idea as it costs alot of money, you have to buy the units and then buy paint and glue to make and decorate your army and even then you need to understand the rules, however a seed was implanted in my head when someone mentioned about the new army just released. The Grey Knights.
A specialist army of superhuman men whose sole reason to live is to destroy the armies of chaos, demons and other things threatening mankind.. I liked that. So after much umming and erring I bought an unit. Specifically a mech called the dreadknight. Now I have a weakness for Mechs in general but when you have a thing that looks like the power loader from Aliens (an all time fav) whats not to like? and then I bought a small army, mainly due to financial cost but also because as fun as spending time painting these infuriatingly small models is I wish to keep a level of maturity and distance from the subject.
The reason for this as a person i know often remarked, is have you seen people who play warhammer?
Not that I am judgmental, I am sure that these people live perfectly normal lives but god it seems surreal as an outsider. Those who take the hobby a little to seriously, whom take it past just a way to waste time or a childish endeavor, Those who literally allow it take take over every waking moment of their day scare me. They seem ill at sorts in their bodies or out in the real world, preferring the games workshop or personal spaces, Ill kempt hair, Loose ill-fitting clothing, Man bags containing models and rule books... I can see why any girlfriend would worry if a young adult or even anyone over the age of thirteen decided to play.
Of course as a designer I give props to these people, they 'Mod' their units to make fantastical creatures or dramatic poses, they work their craft to such a high point its even masterful or perhaps works of art. But it is a little sad/geeky/ take your pick for a descriptive word.
I love Sci fi and I find it to be an interesting way to pass time that isn't staring at a computer screen or sketchbook (physical exercise is always preferred) but I do not wish to ever be so caught up in something that isn't real. Escapism isn't a good trait to have. equally perhaps we shouldn't be so judging of those who do play it if they are happy knowing that I/we will never go there.
Needless to say it provokes alot of thought on the subject.
B.
Sunday, 17 April 2011
Oxygen bar
Well I thought id show some previous design projects that dont nessicarily link to D.E.M.
This was a project to design an oxygen bar that would sit in a small area of land next to a level crossing in the center of lincoln.
The client visual showing the full height of my design and rather early attempts at CAD.
And finally an interior visual to describe the materials and sensation.
Enjoy!
B.
This was a project to design an oxygen bar that would sit in a small area of land next to a level crossing in the center of lincoln.
And finally an interior visual to describe the materials and sensation.
Enjoy!
B.
Saturday, 16 April 2011
Bad Design
Today I met my neighbor, A well aged and experienced builder who built most of the loft extensions in the surrounding houses. Upon finding out I was a designer and my father being fairly well experienced in DIY he told us a tale of woe where a design sometimes doesnt work.
He was working on a nearby Loft conversion for a client whom had hired an Architect he had previously worked with. The technical drawings where in 1:50 scale Plan and bulding sectional showing the new room, Three section stairs and new shower room the builder had been constructed to build. Well seasoned in the field he followed the plans to the letter including the use of steel beams and the exact number of treads needed, much of which was prepared offsite. However by this point several issue became prominent.
For a start the shower room was too shallow by 500 mil so the client eventually had to loose bedroom space to compensate but the architect blamed the builders in making the mistake.. Uh oh. However the architect when contacted simply claimed 'Follow the plans and it wont go wrong'
Secondly and most importantly, The three section stair way which crossed over the stairs and main bedroom joists was too low, you had to almost crawl to get up the main stairwell. Upon measuring he found that the stair tread should have been 2000 mil. The architect alarmed by this information came down to the site and inspected it before long she raged at my neighbor that the entire build was 400 mil lower than the plans designated. Quickly 'John' for we shall call him John poured over the plans and saw no measurements for the space apart from a line. the architect then decalred they should have scaled the line spacing up. Oh very dear...
Six thousand pounds later and an independant architect whom pointed out the issues and helped fix them later and the original architect still claims she did nothing wrong. the client also didnt get compensation from the architects company for the mistake made.
Now the moral of this story is two fold. A: Its always good practise to pay more money for well experienced, confident builders who know how building works, can control a site, and offer solutions when the design just doesnt work.
B: Is to sometimes accept that we are not always right and that line weights only make sense to designers.
Co-incidently the architect who designed the plans also had poor eyesight but refused to wear glasses....
B.
He was working on a nearby Loft conversion for a client whom had hired an Architect he had previously worked with. The technical drawings where in 1:50 scale Plan and bulding sectional showing the new room, Three section stairs and new shower room the builder had been constructed to build. Well seasoned in the field he followed the plans to the letter including the use of steel beams and the exact number of treads needed, much of which was prepared offsite. However by this point several issue became prominent.
For a start the shower room was too shallow by 500 mil so the client eventually had to loose bedroom space to compensate but the architect blamed the builders in making the mistake.. Uh oh. However the architect when contacted simply claimed 'Follow the plans and it wont go wrong'
Secondly and most importantly, The three section stair way which crossed over the stairs and main bedroom joists was too low, you had to almost crawl to get up the main stairwell. Upon measuring he found that the stair tread should have been 2000 mil. The architect alarmed by this information came down to the site and inspected it before long she raged at my neighbor that the entire build was 400 mil lower than the plans designated. Quickly 'John' for we shall call him John poured over the plans and saw no measurements for the space apart from a line. the architect then decalred they should have scaled the line spacing up. Oh very dear...
Six thousand pounds later and an independant architect whom pointed out the issues and helped fix them later and the original architect still claims she did nothing wrong. the client also didnt get compensation from the architects company for the mistake made.
Now the moral of this story is two fold. A: Its always good practise to pay more money for well experienced, confident builders who know how building works, can control a site, and offer solutions when the design just doesnt work.
B: Is to sometimes accept that we are not always right and that line weights only make sense to designers.
Co-incidently the architect who designed the plans also had poor eyesight but refused to wear glasses....
B.
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