Final Reflection of the Semester

     So, it is the end of the semester and I just wanted to do one final reflection. This class was very difficult for me in a sense of balance between classes. I tried to do the best I could, to the best of my ability with the time I was given. That being said I wish I could go bak and fix things if I had the time because the more I have learned the more I want to go back and fix. Which is normal I think.
    I would also like to thank Simon and Miran for there insight on everything and for teaching us the things that we needed to know. I realize now that a lot of learning does come from self exploration. I wish I had more time during the semester to do so but I am going to be working with the programs all summer to really grasp the understanding of all of them.
   Okay well have a great summer everyone! Be safe and I will see you guys all in the fall, we're done!!

Unit 09: Portfolio & Layout with Adobe Indesign

         This was the final project of the class. To create a portfolio that shows your work that you are most proud of so far in your school career using Adobe Indesign. This is software that allows you to deisgn board layouts anyway you would like. So this project is what I chose to show off because I think it is the best hand drawing and rendering i have done so far. I have room to improve a lot but I think this was a pretty good start. 

Reflection of Unit 07: 3D Modeling with SketchUP

      This assignment wasn't very hard to understand just because SketchUP was designed to be so easy that everyone can learn to use it. It was just time consuming like everything is in this program. It was really fun to work with though and be able to bring your drawing to life in a 3D model. It reminded me of the game the Sims. But anyways, I thought this project was the most fun even past making perspectives in Photoshop!

Unit 07: 3D Modeling with SketchUP

     For this assignment we had to take the base plan that we had with the last assignment in AutoCAD and make a 3D model of it in SketchUP. The view below here is just an over all site arial view.

       The view that you see here is a perspective view.

         This is the plan view of the site and you can see the corn crib/shed area, the pool and deck area, and the driveway that leads to the garage.

        This is the section view of the site which is cut through the house and the pool going south to north. This allows you to see the corn crib as well.

Reflection of Unit 06: Precision Drafting with AutoCAD

     This was by far the hardest project in this class. I don't know why I struggled so much considering I have taken an AutoCAD class before but it was difficult. Not to mention I got behind in here but I did receive an enormous amount of help from Kris. If it weren't for him I wouldn't have got this done and turned in.

Unit 06: Precision Drafting with AutoCAD

          These are the final three drawings that we were to create using AutoCAD. The first one you see is the Layout and Dimension plan. The layout plan just shows the layout of all the building on site and the dimension plan shows all the dimensions of the buildings, pool, deck, etc.

       The second one you see here is the Layout plan again and the Section of the site.

         The third one here is the zoomed in layout plan of the pool/ deck area.

Unit 05: Diagramming from Analysis to Concept (C. 100%)

      The left of the two pictures is what you have seen before. The right however is an analysis of what we can determine from the maps on the left. For instance the first on shows where the trees currently are on the left. The one on the right shows where we can plant more trees. So if you read down the line you can see that there are different analysis according to the map on the left.

Perspective Grid (In Class)

      This is my beautiful creation of a two point perspective! All this time we could have just used Illustrator to make perspectives... It's okay though, we are learning how to do it now. Anyways, it just blows my mind how much you can do with just one program. I'm having fun learning this stuff, so I can use it later and so I can discover new things that programs like this can do. But this is basically a picture that we brought in and set up grid lines, created shapes, added text and this is the outcome. I know it looks ugly now but this is just an example of how you can make your own perspectives in Illustrator.

Reflection Unit 05: Diagramming from Analysis to Concept (B. 75%)

       For this assignment we were asked to just play around with the different controls that are in the program, such as color, line weights, stroke, swatches, etc. I just changed the color of the diagrams that I could, increased line weights on some and got rid of some of the outlines around the shapes. I had forgotten how to smash the layers together, if you will, but someone helped me out and it was really simple. But the next assignment we are going to refine this diagram I little bit more!

Unit 05: Diagramming from Analysis to Concept (B. 75%)

      This is just an improved copy of the one before this diagram. These have simple labels on them describing the map that you see and how it can be used in an analysis. I changed the color of most of the maps that I could, played around with the line weights and saved the color forming a swatch.

Reflection on Illustrator Tutorials

      Now that we are getting deeper into what Illustrator can do, it is important to watch the tutorials. Now I admit, I don't always have time to watch them, but when I do make the time, they are a tremendous help. On these sets of tutorials, they showed us more about the tools we can use, how to manipulate shapes, etc. This will help come later in the year and later on in my career. So any kind of learning that I can do outside the class, I will try and do it because there are just so many things that these programs can do.

Reflection Unit 05: Diagramming from Analysis to Concept (A. 50%)

     So in class today, we took the image we prepared for class (11x17 Illustrator document from GIS) and learned how to rotate and smash together to give you a very informational diagram. Turns out the rotation tool I mentioned a couple posts ago that I was looking for, is under objects and rotate. You simply type in the degree of which you want to rotate.
 
     I was confused on how to add an image to illustrator straight from a screen shot. Because you can't crop photos like you can in Photoshop, in Illustrator; I feel like it would be easier to just take the photo in Photoshop, and export it into Illustrator. I'm not sure, just thinking out loud. But anyways, for Tuesday we just have to refine the diagrams, pick swatches, line weights, strokes, etc. Also we have to watch more tutorials on Lynda. Busy weekend for me!

Unit 05: Diagramming from Analysis to Concept (A. 50%)

     Okay, I know this doesn't look like much, but this is about 50% of where we need to be. These layers are from the previous assignment. We did this in class together and learned how to layer everything to make it look like it's sitting on top of each other. Then we worked on making shapes and arrows in class to indicate the winter vs summer winds. For the next assignment

Reflection on Illustrator Tutorials

      Before the first assignment was due, I watched all the Lynda tutorials that were required (Chapters 1 and 2). They proved very helpful and they weren't too confusing because they were just the basics. I liked the fact that you can actually change Illustrator to make it look like Photoshop, InDesign or any of those programs. So that way, you can relate and use the toggles and controls that you are already use to.

     Since I watched the tutorials before class today, I wasn't as confused as normal because of that. They were all short little films but there were a lot so they were tedious. But it is worth it to watch. So all of you that are struggling, I highly recommend watching them! They really do help and answer most questions you have! If you are still confused just go talk to Simon or Miran!

Reflection Unit 05: Diagramming from Analysis to Concept (11x17)

      In this assignment I took the layers I made in GIS and exported them into Illustrator in order to make the layers you see in the post below. It wasn't as hard as I thought one, because I watched tutorials and two, because all the CS6 programs are a lot alike.

     But basically I took all the layers I put in there and moved them away from each other so they weren't stacked on top of one another. Then I moved them around and made my Art Board bigger so I could fit all the layers on there. I added some labels to describe what we were looking at.

      I played around with the rotation and 3D toggles, but they weren't what I was looking for. So I left them as they were for this assignment and took it to class where I learned how to rotate them correctly.

Unit 05: Diagramming from Analysis to Concept (11x17)

     For this assignment, we had to take the GIS file and export it as an AI document and we had to make sure it was exported as a vector document. Anyways when you export it you then create different layers on Illustrator and that way you can move them around. The labels are on the different layers. They are the main ones we always work with, trees, streets, topography, floodplain, etc.

Reflection Unit 04: Analysis & Design Process (Part 4)

In this project we were ask to step outside the 2D spectrum and work with the 3D. For the 3D I worked with ArcScene instead of ArcMap. For the 3D, I went and received help from Angie in the GIS again. She helped me through the process of bringing in the layers from the 2D model and then raising them a little bit above each other so we can get an idea of what it looks like.

I am not use to ArcScene and I need to watch more tutorials on it, but I think I will be able to understand more if I do. This program is still based on layers just like most design programs are. GIS is still hard for me to understand but it is a very useful program for anything you need to find out about your site.

Unit 04: Analysis & Design Process (Part 4)

2D Map North of White River Downtown Muncie, IN

      This map shows the different layers of land use, trees, roads, topography, and floodplain. It was then clipped to only show the site area that we discussed in class.

3D Map North of White River Downtown Muncie, IN

This map shows the 3D view of the site above. It isn't exaggerated too much but it gives you the idea of all these layers that are described above, and how they work together. This was created on ArcScene.