Graphic Reflection

 

Starting this poster required me to find many of the previous finished projects that best showed my progress throughout the semester. I tried to include the works that best showed off my abilities and skills. By sketching out quick thumbnails I was able to put together the posters with ease. I wanted to include an aspect within the posters that connected all of them together and would also give an aesthetic appeal. This ended up being the weekly sketches running along the left border. The color behind these drawings was taken from the most common color used within these sketches. When scanning the various layers throughout this project, many appeared dark and slightly tinted gray. I learned a new skill in Photoshop that allowed me to created cleaner looking drawings. I aligned most of the text on one side of the posters as well as keeping them within the same size text box to create a sense of repetition. I structured these posters based upon the assignment required. By making the final layer the largest the audience can focus on how the final details came to be as well as getting the idea of what my process was, through the smaller photos. The border along the bottom area accent strips pulled from the main colors used within that poster. I believed that these were able to enhance the posters not only through the use of color but also through continuation and repetition. I am very pleased on how my assignment turned out and I believe that these three posters prove that my skills have increased and advanced.

Design Firm Visit

Before break I contacted the EHS Design Firm to visit once again. This was the design firm that I job shadowed at previously. Danielle offered me to come back and I believed that she would give  me a great amount of feedback and advice. I prepared by collecting all of my final drawings and made sure they were protected so during the transition of my project nothing got ruined. I also brought all of my materials so I could set them out to explain how I wanted each room to look.

Once I got to the firm, after driving around in Seattle traffic, she met with me and brought me to one of their multiple presenting rooms. She then allowed me to hang up some of the drawings on the board. I started by giving a quick overview of the point of the project was, how I ended up at that point and the process I went through. Next I spoke about the drawings that were on the board. I presented in the order of assignments that we completed. I then brought up what I will be working on for the rest of the week. I really enjoy going to EHS Design and getting feedback and advice from a designer in a company firm. I do feel that I always learn something valuable after visiting this design firm.

As Dani gave me her feedback she focused on the technical aspect of the drawings. Such as the universal representations within the floor plans and perspectives. She then informed me the way she uses for projects. She explained the minimal space needed within doorways, the way to show the elevator and levels of stairs in the floor plan and the benefit of using line weights. At the end she did mention that she liked how my renderings turned out. She then offered to supply me with better materials and fabrics. I was very thankful for her generosity and advice because I have difficulty when picking materials. There is such a large variety of options that it becomes overwhelming at times. During this process she asked how we were going to present and would explain what she was looking for when putting materials together. When leaving she wished me luck and left me feeling much more inspired that when I first arrived there. I hope to visit again soon.

Danielle Nevils LEED GA
EHS Design/EHS Architecture
Exchange Building
821 2nd Ave, Suite 400, Seattle WA 98104
Phone: 206.223.4999
Fax: 206.223.2990
dnevils@ehs-design.com

Habitat for Humanity

On September 28 I went to the Habitat for Humanity site with a few other class mates. The weather was not the nicest and it was slightly raining. Once we got there we got an overview of what Habitat for Humanity does. We met all the workers and the woman who would eventually be living in the house. We went over the safety rules to make sure none of us got hurt, then we got straight to work.

There was a wall that was already started, so we got to assist in finishing it. There are these pieces called "greenies" that are nails with a circle of a rubber substance around the top. This allows a better protection against water and they were only used on the water proofing section of the wall coverings. Once nailed they are completely flat, as long as it was done correctly and they are easier to see. Next we were ready to put up the wall. Before that Bob, the head construction worker, put little pieces underneath the wall so that we could get a grip on it. All of us were spread out which made pushing the wall up much easier. We had to hold up the wall while it was connected to the other walls with nails. When putting up the wall we had to make sure that the floor line was straight against the designated line along the edge of the floor. It was a successful lift.

Next we started on the opposite was, but this time we had to build the whole thing. We had to get the pieces of wood, but before using them we had to make sure that they weren't warped in anyway. To check that, you have to hold up one side and look to the bottom to see if it curves. Each section had windows that needed to be accounted for. There are specific dimensions and wood lengths that need to be used. Hammering is no joke and after a while my arm started to become tired. Thankfully we got a break for lunch. After that we continued the wall and set that one up just as we did the other one. This wall was a little off the line so someone on the had to hammer it from the outside.

Building the wall and putting it up opened my eyes to how a house is constructed. Having to do the physical work really proved to me the construction of a house is very important. I got to see all the aspects to constructing a house and it made me appreciate the structure of buildings.

Sketch Crawl

We met the Seattle Urban Sketchers at the Seattle Center Armory to sketch around the center. The best advice they gave was to never stop sketching and that I can only get better the more I work at it. Their sketches were what I hope mine will someday be. I realize that everyone has their own style but I want to enhance my sketching skills and my familiarity with the markers and other sketching utensils. Through sketching I also wish to increase my ability to draw to scale, because right now I do feel that I have the tendency to draw a little larger than what I am actually looking at. I do feel that my drawings end up looking quite well but I want to not run out of room when trying to draw a space.  I know that I have evolved since the beginning of last year and know that I can only get better. Only an hour a day can create life-long sketching skills.

EHS Design Job Shadow

My job shadow took place at EHS Design with Danielle Nevils. It was great and very eye opening to me. I walked through an incredibly elaborate room where the elevators were located into an open business area. Danielle gave me a tour and a brief history of the building. It was first the Seattle Stock Exchange building and the owner of EHS design decided that they would use as many of the original pieces as they could throughout the space. The building has open spaces for the interior designers, the architects and another company that they shared the space with called PicMonkey. I was able to watch Danielle work on a project using autoCAD and I got the opportunity to ask her some questions about what I needed to learn and to do so that I am prepared to work in the real world. So I wasn't only sitting there watching her finish the project, she had me go into their elaborate library and  gave me the opportunity to help with another project. She told me that there are times that she is working on 3-6 projects at once. I am going to have to perfect my time management. Dani allowed me to assist her in one of the projects for a building where music will be made. She had already started the project but had me help pick out a table. I was able to see the wide collection of books that they had. I found a few different ideas that I believed would fit very well into the space. After that she had a meeting with a product representative, Juila Gütt, who brought in new samples of carpet. Many of these new products were mainly for office spaces and other corporate areas. I was able to see how those pieces could be applied. Being able to see a quick before and after was very enjoyable to me because seeing the small sample and the ending product is inspiring to know that I could be doing that type of work. They then took me to lunch at Boka, a stunning and beautifully designed restaurant. Once we got back she gave me an assignment to work on. She wanted me to figure out a color scheme for a beer website she was working on. I went on the internet to look up the different types of beer and the aspects that related to making beer. We discussed what worked and what should be altered. It was great to get an opinion from another person. I had a fantastic and inspiring time at my job shadow and hope to visit EHS Design again soon.

http://www.ehs-design.com/#/home

Frye Museum

 

We visited the Frye Museum and met the architect, Rick Sundberg. He wanted the museum to be a visitor experience more than just a museum. The design could have been typical with the main entrance in the front but that’s not what they wanted, they desired something better and more extravagant. The water that you walk by is eye-catching and very calming as you walk the ramp up to the entrance. The reflection of the light from the water shimmers against the wall in a constant flowing motion. The purpose of the renovation was to make natural light a main priority. He didn’t want the museum to be lifeless and dull. To help involve daylight, they created navigation through it. The dome in the entrance is a perfect sphere. It is incredibly big and creates a sense of openness. The rooms are very large and have only a handful of pieces in each one. Many of the pieces were extremely unique.

Chapel of St. Ignatius

The Chapel of St. Ignatius was stunning from the outside to the inside. The exterior is made of concrete and has dynamic arches that aren’t typically found in church designs. The water is in a tilt up concrete barrier that was not originally thought of. The structure is breath taking. The large door swivels to open up for a larger entrance. On the doors are oval windows and large, rusted, curved handles. These aspects give more visual interest just to the welcoming space. The church is right in the middle of Seattle University’s walkway, so it’s impossible to miss. The designer believed that it was so special that it should be placed in the center. The white light relates to the collection of students. He believed that faith and knowledge would become the light into our lives. Walking in there are grand arches on the ceilings with a pattern on the walls that can only be seen when light hits it. It is a random, yet organized pattern. The light that reflects into the chapel is affected as the time of day and the position of the sun changes.  The front is lit up with the colors of blue and green that is caused by the natural light shining in through the glass. As the use of color is quite exquisite, I believe that the arches are also a pleasing interior focal point. He made this space unique and grand in many aspects and I am glad that I was able to witness them.