Wedding Anniversary Monday

Newly wedStill single

Did today go well? I'm not really sure! The judges carved into us and there seemed to be many holes in our presentation. We needed it to be more connected, we'd missed out important bits of information, the presentation wasn't professional, no map, where's the site. So how come I came away from today feeling a sense of achievement? 2 months ago, there's no way I would have stood up in front of 30 people and presented so confidently, but today I wasn't even particularly nervous (maybe a wobbly bit at the beginning). Last week, I was so scared that I was going to tell the team I didn't want to present. Anyway, a good day on a personal level. Plus, today is my wedding anniversary; here's me 2 years ago.

Group work

Demographics slide example

This week's been a struggle but I'll comment on the positives and be constructive. We have collated what we need for tomorrow's presentation and Russell has put together some pretty impressive looking slides. I will be presenting demographics, culture and leisure, climate and flora and fauna. The presenters have formed a strong team and along with team leader and editor, we are really making headway. Wasn't worried at all about the presentation until I woke up in the night after dreaming that I was searching the corridors for the lecture theatre and I couldn't find it. By the time I got there we had failed. Hope is not a premonition...!

Historic Garden Conservation - Restoration in Spirit

Hedges tall and maze like Topsy turvy parterre

Sissinghurst hedges

Messing around with patterns

Wilton Parterre

Lady Anne Clifford lived at Knole unhappily from 1608-1624, she wandered the Wilderness and read at the Duchess seat. After leaving Knole she went on to create one of the most famous European gardens in Europe; Wilton.

The brief: to add a 21c design to Knole. I interpreted this as a restoration in spirit. I took a parterre from Wilton (it was famous for its parterres). Its very symetrical, intricate patterns, would have been low-level planting, 4 compartments. My 21c installation is a topsy turvy version of this parterre. Asymetrical, exploded, tall hedges (inspired by Sissinghurst - link to VSW), wonky, quirky. To be installed where the original parterres were, looking up to the Wilderness

Historic Garden Conservation - restorations

Long borders with focal point

Potential plan, addition of focal points, restored parterre area, Diana sculpture, improved borders

Long border to be redesigned V.S.W style, Wilton inspired focal point

Knole 1719 layer

Knole today

Sketch designs in class this week. I'm adding 3 layers. Layer 1 is adapted from the 1719 Kip and Knyff (the one with the avenues). I want to restore the bowling green with clipped yews, improve the journey around the grade I features by installing focal points at the end of the avenues. Plus there is mention of a statue of Diana half way up the Wilderness, going to bring this back.

Jekyll and Lutyens

Presentation went well today, seems I make quite a convincing Lutyens, apart from my Vita Sackville-West boots, er thanks Tom.. Not sure what that says about me?

Jeykll and Lutyens were the subject. She was definitely the dominant force. I found these cartoons, quite amusing. 'I make obeyance'! Quite right too..

Plan and perspectives

So much to do. Decided to hand draw the whole plan rather than just a section (why did I embark on hand drawing for this - everyone else has done sketch up models). Anyway its done and on the A1 in photoshop alongside 4 perspectives including a new one with a coppiced area. Concept diagram is still, well, conceptual.
And I don't know how to do a contextual plan. Really don't want to just paste my plan into a google earth image, want to keep things sketchy. Oh and text and arrows are a nightmare in Photoshop. Need to find out what other people use - In Design? - urgh that means a trip to school at the weekend with all the hungover weekend computer users in the library ceiling..

Getting to grips with photoshop

A lot of time spent in Photoshop today getting to grips with brush tool and eraser tools. I think I may have mastered sky at least. My plan is rendered, 3 perspectives done but I also have a whole new additional layer to the concept to get in sketchup. Not pinning up as much as I'd like tomorrow. Also not sure about these odd people traced from the Sunday mag..

Concept nailed

I've got my concept nailed down and now I just have to start drawing... I've drawn up the plan and built a model in sketch up and have been playing around with some of the sketchy styles in there. Photoshop rendering over the top using patterns made from water colour and pastels. Still can't get the sky right and struggling with this nighttime thing, can't work out how to 'rub out light' (Jamie's words) when you've just bucket filled it black - anyone??

Boys love dressing up

Tom Turner's lectures are really interesting, lots to learn. One thing I've noticed though, boys just love the dressing up. Worrying!

Photoshop rendering

Made myself some patterns today and got to grips with bucket filling. Tried something a bit new with my Wood Wharf sketch up and some water colours in Photoshop too. Bit more practice needed ahem..

Chiswick House

I loved this house and garden! The restoration project here has been inspirational I think. Lots of community involvement, sensitive restoration and a great new contemporary caff, although a bit pricey but that's London eh..