Currently Learning: Sketch-Up

This term we are finally learning to use Google Sketch-Up! I am so in love, even though I'm just a newbie. I would describe it as Sims for adults. Let's be real - even as a child all I ever did on Sims was build and decorate the houses. Anyone else? Basically this has been consuming all of my time this week so I thought I would share my progress with you guys. This term my studio project is retail design, and I'm designing a clothing retail shop including designing all of the branding. I called my line 'Mint' and am bringing it together in 3D! Here are some 'work in progress' shots:

My favourite touch has got to be the mint candy wallpaper that I custom designed for the store.
The 'i' on my logo is dotted with the same candy. So presh!
Do any of you use Google Sketch-Up?
Speaking of mint...don't forget to enter the $50 Minted Giveaway that I have going on right now!
xo

Tiffany & Co. Reception - Completed Project

A couple of weeks ago I shared some sneak peek shots of the Tiffany & Co. reception area that I designed for a school project, but it was all crinkled and the pictures were horrible quality.Today I wanted to show you the completed project, including my presentation boards, floor plan, elevations and perspective drawing! It looks so much smoother now that it is glued down.

I wanted to create a sense of classic luxury and refined style that reflected the company's long history in the jewelry business. It was a fun to render in all the architectural detailing. The design was inspired by the exterior of the Tiffany's in Soho:

via Architectural Digest

And my best friend Laura gifted me this sweet little print, which I think ties in just so perfectly with today's post:

I love it!
Lastly, don't forget to hop on over and check out this weeks nursery at the Baby Blog Party! Have a great weekend xo.

Evolution of a Drawing

I must apologize for neglecting this blog all week. Quite simply I've been busy and uninspired.
Quality over quantity sometimes, you know? But today I'm back with an inside look at the evolution of a drawing to create this finished result:

 This is the reception for Tiffany & Co. head office that I designed for my term 3 rendering class. You can see that the paper is a bit crinkled, but once I mount it to foam board for the presentation you won't see that.
Step 1: Start with a floorplan

Step 2 (to like...1000)
The next part is complicated and not something I could explain here in less than a thousand words. But basically you need to draw a station point (where you would be standing in the room), as well as a picture plane (along the back wall). You start transferring all the items to the picture plane and then down onto your new drawing using the vanishing point. I know that explanation was weak and makes no sense. You can youtube it.

 (You can see all of the lines 'raining' down from the floor plan that is taped above it. you mark the height and location of the objects on the back wall and extend them forward through the vanishing point to get the correct proportion.

Step 3 (or 1001)
Once everything is drawn in, I start to trace over the lines of the objects. At this point there are MANY unnecessary lines on the paper. Rather than carefully erase each one, I just trace over the lines I want to keep in marker and then do a big, fast erase after.

Finally, I make several photocopies just in case I end up messing up on the coloring stage, and then I have at er! First start with shading using French Gray prismacolors, then add the rest.
And voila!

Missed you all!

My First Fully Rendered Perspective

Hi Loves. This term, there hasn't been too much school work to share on the ol blog because most of it has been detailing and/or technical work, which doesn't make for the most exciting post.
But last night, I finished my first fully rendered perspective drawing!
I'm actually really proud of the way it turned out:

Basically for this assignment, I had to take these 2-D plan and elevation views:

and turn them into an accurately spaces and proportioned 2-pt. perspective drawing (a bit of complicated process!), and then render it using the different techniques we've been learning, such as natural lighting, artificial lighting, wood grain, shadows and tile!

Hope you enjoy this little peek into my Interior Design School life!