Architectural Design Course | VISUAL TECHNOLOGY

Visual Technology or visual arts - Creating a work that is visual. In the architecture course, visual art is one of the basics that you need to develop. This will include your ability to develop freehand drawings, learn the principles of shades and shadow, understand color, use of multi-media presentation and model making. 

For a freshmen, the focus will be on the basics of freehand sketching, use of graphite pencils, different line type artistry, understanding the monochromatic drawings and different tonal values,   still life drawings and outdoor sketching.

WHAT ARE THE MATERIALS NEEDED?

To start with this course, you will be needing a pencil and a sketchbook.

HOW DO YOU GET STARTED?

Getting started with your first training with visual arts will require a lot of time in your drawing exercises. First is to let your mind control your hands and not your hands controlling your mind. There will be exercises to  be accomplished before you will be given an actual visualization work. Be familiar with your tool, even though there are only two materials used here, you still need some time to know how to use the pencil and what are the different types of graphite pencil do you have. There are so many different shades and grade values of each pencil that you will be using, ranging from "F" to "HB" and "B"

LINE EXERCISES

Here are some drawing exercises that you need to start with. These are freehand line exercises.


a. Draw vertical lines without any guide, repeat the whole process until you are able to control your hands and able to draw straight vertical lines. 

b. Draw horizontal lines without any guide, repeat the whole process until you are able to control your hands and able to draw straight horizontal lines. 


c. Draw diagonal lines without any guide, repeat the whole process until you are able to control your hands and able to draw straight diagonal lines.


d. Draw vertical lines (reverse) without any guide, repeat the whole process until you are able to control your hands and able to draw straight diagonal lines on. 


The book Learn how to sketch is a helpful book to explore and master the art of sketching. Click Here!

LANDSCAPE RENDERING - Challenges to 3D Landscape artists

Challenges to Landscape 3D artist

Similar to any 3d rendering - Landscape rendering is engaged with the rendering of landscape. It can be more frustrating at first especially when the 3d renderer/artist is challenged to depict a photorealistic models of plants, trees, shrubs and groundcovers, due to the limited resources of real 3d models, more often the design intentions could not be achieved properly. It is more often supported by the representation of plans and section with the actual photographs of plant species. 3D rendering is just one of the tools and imagery that will be included in the total presentation of the Landscape design.

For the purpose of exploring which method should be used, These 3 rendered images are shown to help us explore the possibilities in achieving our goals to have an effective means of communcating the landscape design in relation to the challenges that a 3dartist should be experiencing.

Blending landscape with  the built environment would be more effective in the presentation though this might be tedious to 3d modellers. It would be wise to decide which camera view you would be rendering and model only that captures in the view. Compare all other renderings below and see the effects of rendering an image with no architectural elements as the background. Will it give a different effect?

3d landscape rendering with structure as background

 

3d landscape rendering without any background structure




3d landscape rendering post edited in photoshop applying hue and saturation adjustments

 3 different images with three different ways of presenting may give 3 different impression. Whichever is acceptable, it would be the discretion of the landscape designer which one should be more suitable in the final presentation of the design to the client.

The major deciding factor to be considered is time. if you have the luxury of time to do all the models and render in a short period of time, then the artist has the freedom to do whatever he wants for as long as he considers the time element in finishing the job without compromising the quality of his work.

There are other factors to be considered in the type of 3d presentation you should consider.
It should be clear to any 3d artist and Landscape designers the type of 3d rendering and the intensity of presentation they should be working.

Here are some list to consider:
1. Using 3D presentation for marketing promotions
    The main goal in marketing is to sell the product. With this in mind, the type and quality of 3D
    renderings should be the best! As there are many competitors, the design and presentations
    should impress the prospective buyers/clients. This is to catch their attention in a short span
    of time where the first impression should always lasts. This type of presentation is shown in a
    high-level marketing tools like brochures, presentation boards, scaled models with multi-
    media presentations and animations.
2. Using 3D to visualize the effect of the Landscape design in coordination with other 
    elements affecting the design.
    This is to coordinate and visualize the effect of landscape design with the utilities
    underneath, existing pavement and level differences. This may not be as high level type of
    presentation but needs to me more accurate in the size, shape, distances as if it is already
    existing. This type of presentation is geared towards the decision making of the concerned
    professionals in resolving technical issues.

3. Design Competitions
    This is similar to marketing promotions, the aim of the presentor is to compete and ultimately
    to win. As you will be dealing with colleagues who are of the same intention, then this type of
    presentation should be as highly competetive as it is but bear in mind also that the criteria
    for judging is not only based on the manner of presentation but a combination of both the
    artistry and the technicality. You may give a very nice impression but you must also take care
    of the deign solutions you are offering. 



                                                 

Learn more about Landscape Design by enriching your knowledge in Landscape Design Ideas here, 

landscape design ideas