I am currently working from the dining room. All my books line the shelves and the oak table is plenty big enough for drawing board and computer, the light is good and it's close to the amenities!!.
Next week I am moving upstairs to the office, however first I need to recover 'the office' from the 'clutter' that lies, in an organised fashion, within but recover it I will. I have a plan, a shredder and determination amongst the small arsenal of clutter clearing tools and will be rid of the unwanted, unused, unloved 'stuff' in no time.
It feels like a good thing to have a room dedicated to the purpose and set up for the purpose. Maybe I won't lose so many things as a bonus into the bargain!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
It's hard to deny
It is indeed hard to deny just how compelling this PGDipl course at Oxford College of Garden Design is and the projects we're completing. I find myself planning books to read on trains, radio programs, TV programs - I watched TV for the first time in 2 weeks yesterday but it was Phillipe Starke doing an 'Apprentice style' TV program for product designers so that feels not too far from the subject of modern design.
The experience of being able to immerse oneself completely in a subject one enjoys, to explore many aspects of it is quite novel for me. A couple of more experienced friends have warned it may lose it's glamour and this is when the determination to succeed must kick in, but frankly I have done jobs in the past that I have loathed and done well at them, somehow I cannot imagine it ever being as hard as that. Call me an optimist.
My laptop is pared down, defragged (twice), almost backedup online and majorly cleansed in preparation for the lectures tomorrow. I have fiddled with Picasa and Flickr, blospot and my .NEF images because I can't wait until tomorrow to get all the info (impatient moi? VERY)
Now I need to dig out my manual for my 'old' D70 and work out another level of detail on getting more saturation in my images
The experience of being able to immerse oneself completely in a subject one enjoys, to explore many aspects of it is quite novel for me. A couple of more experienced friends have warned it may lose it's glamour and this is when the determination to succeed must kick in, but frankly I have done jobs in the past that I have loathed and done well at them, somehow I cannot imagine it ever being as hard as that. Call me an optimist.
My laptop is pared down, defragged (twice), almost backedup online and majorly cleansed in preparation for the lectures tomorrow. I have fiddled with Picasa and Flickr, blospot and my .NEF images because I can't wait until tomorrow to get all the info (impatient moi? VERY)
Now I need to dig out my manual for my 'old' D70 and work out another level of detail on getting more saturation in my images
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Ben Nicholson round II
It's 23:18 on Saturday night and I have spent almost the entire day cutting and sticking last weeks homework again - by request - THIS time in mounting card. PVA is the devils work as you can't move it once it's down without it leaving gross marks on the card AARRGHHH!
3rd time of cutting it all out I used the repositionable spray mount, fabulous stuff!
Of course it looks more like everyone elses now so I suppose that's the aim achieved. It looks ok.
I have managed to lose my gorgeous Rotring compass set, left at OB studio and mislaid my Bar compass which, although I was convinced it was here, it is not. I have now written my name on every item of equipment, per S's suggestion, should have done it last week.
Note to self, be more careful!
Next job, onto this weeks homework. Housework, laundry, family and food shopping will have to wait!
3rd time of cutting it all out I used the repositionable spray mount, fabulous stuff!
Of course it looks more like everyone elses now so I suppose that's the aim achieved. It looks ok.
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| From My Pictmotions |
I have managed to lose my gorgeous Rotring compass set, left at OB studio and mislaid my Bar compass which, although I was convinced it was here, it is not. I have now written my name on every item of equipment, per S's suggestion, should have done it last week.
Note to self, be more careful!
Next job, onto this weeks homework. Housework, laundry, family and food shopping will have to wait!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Week II part 2
Good and Bad design is so wonderfully subjective. Thank heavens we don't all have to like the same things. Today's lecture on Modern art and the influence it had, brought questions about what was good and what not and from the replies it was clear people had different views and sometimes they were opposing. No one is right or wrong it is simply different.
I was struck again by the inherent beauty of the Landscape Movement this time Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water concrete building. Beautiful and yet impractical and yet, well hauntingly beautiful in it's physical space. It shouldn't be, it materials are an aberration in nature and yet it isn't once you see it. Design paradoxes.
The weekend bodes quiet, good for contemplation of other peoples design successes. Gaining much needed inspiration for the homework project, our first garden in total. From squares and rectangles to a 3d space with elements of water, planting, lawn and paving/path.
I was struck again by the inherent beauty of the Landscape Movement this time Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water concrete building. Beautiful and yet impractical and yet, well hauntingly beautiful in it's physical space. It shouldn't be, it materials are an aberration in nature and yet it isn't once you see it. Design paradoxes.
The weekend bodes quiet, good for contemplation of other peoples design successes. Gaining much needed inspiration for the homework project, our first garden in total. From squares and rectangles to a 3d space with elements of water, planting, lawn and paving/path.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Week II - part 1
Travel & Parking = bete noir. That is all I am saying on that front.
Having printed and read notes for GD 103 and 104 we started on GD 101 and 102. Not to worry though, AM wandered through the centuries (6000bc to 1600ad) with engaging enthusiasm and not one of us fell asleep (per his prediction!). The Timeline project launched and the essays giving an intriguing offer to write on a subject of our choosing related to gardens or the 20th Century. Something we're interested in and perhaps will become expert in. The example of 'Concrete and its role in the Modern Garden Design' was perhaps not to my taste but mayhap someone will chose it!
A quick session from D to give clarification on the expectations for our soft landscape portfolios - one the season, one plant/color combination. This is going to be a lot of work and with some work they will be magnificent presentation packs.
Ben Nicholson projects were so varied and interesting to see everyone's interpretation. How I missed the words 'mounting board' I don't know so mine was a tad flatter than the rest. It seemed others finished the in almost no time, if tales are to be believed, making me think I am a more than a tad slow at the cutting and sticking side of projects. Hope not to many more of them in the pipeline!
And a note to any prospective clients, you WON'T be getting these as an optional extra ;)
Downloaded the flickr uploader for XP which apparently can't see .NEF images, GROAN. Maybe its my settings??. So much for being an IT whizz. Today is more like IT Idiot!
Picasa tagging images from yesterday visits. Rousham truly was glorious. Especially those Dahlia....
Having printed and read notes for GD 103 and 104 we started on GD 101 and 102. Not to worry though, AM wandered through the centuries (6000bc to 1600ad) with engaging enthusiasm and not one of us fell asleep (per his prediction!). The Timeline project launched and the essays giving an intriguing offer to write on a subject of our choosing related to gardens or the 20th Century. Something we're interested in and perhaps will become expert in. The example of 'Concrete and its role in the Modern Garden Design' was perhaps not to my taste but mayhap someone will chose it!
A quick session from D to give clarification on the expectations for our soft landscape portfolios - one the season, one plant/color combination. This is going to be a lot of work and with some work they will be magnificent presentation packs.
Ben Nicholson projects were so varied and interesting to see everyone's interpretation. How I missed the words 'mounting board' I don't know so mine was a tad flatter than the rest. It seemed others finished the in almost no time, if tales are to be believed, making me think I am a more than a tad slow at the cutting and sticking side of projects. Hope not to many more of them in the pipeline!
And a note to any prospective clients, you WON'T be getting these as an optional extra ;)
Downloaded the flickr uploader for XP which apparently can't see .NEF images, GROAN. Maybe its my settings??. So much for being an IT whizz. Today is more like IT Idiot!
Picasa tagging images from yesterday visits. Rousham truly was glorious. Especially those Dahlia....
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| From 2009_09_30 |
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