MICHELLE WONG 2021 Design Portfolio
ABOUT Hello! My name is Michelle, and I am a City Planner and Urban Designer. This portfolio highlights the projects that I completed, both in academics and within the work place. I am a graduate from the School of Planning at the University of Waterloo, where I studied planning theories and issues based in Canada. I advocate for urban revitalization, sustainability and complete communities. To me, design stems upon finding identity, providing narrative experiences and deconstructing the abstract concept of ‘sense of place’ in a more tangible context within the urban form. Through this journey, a grounded understanding of the intersectionality of the human experience, as it relates to built form is a rewarding pursuit.
INDEX WATERLOO, ONTARIO University of Waterloo Projects TORONTO, ONTARIO City of Toronto Projects MARKHAM, ONTARIO City of Markham Projects
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Harvard University GSD Projects
CITY OF MARKHAM
CITY OF TORONTO
HESPELER
RIVERSIDE COMMONS
SEOUL MUSEUM
THE PAVILION
page 1-8
page 9-12
page 13-16
page 17-19
page 20-22
page 23-26
(selected work)
(selected work)
professional projects
academic projects
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA Ewha University Seoul Museum
BALLOON EFFECT
URBAN CUBED
TERRA PARK
EASTMOUNT PASSEGGIATA
BALANCE
page 27-28
page 29-30
page 31-32
page 33-34
page 35-38
DETAILED SKETCHES
page 39-40 (selected work)
personal projects
01 CITY OF MARKHAM
PROJECT 1: MARKHAM CENTRE Role: Planner I, Urban Design at the City of Markham, Urban Design Group *shown are selected work I completed on my own as part of a larger team.
Professional • Group Project • 01 2020 to Present
My role as a Planner I involves creating detailed illustrations to analyze current constraints and future developments in Markham’s downtown area, also known as Markham Centre or the Markham Centre Secondary Plan update.
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF MARKHAM
residential 2,018,273 m2 6,449 existing units 28,189 proposed units
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF MARKHAM
open space 200 acres of open space 83 acres of parkland
amenities 1,145,804 m2 retail space 2,957,142 m2 office space 1,234,770 m2 civic space
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FSI STUDY
MASSING STUDY
LAND USE STUDY
DEVELOPMENT BLOCKS STUDY
ROAD STRUCTURE STUDY
PARKLAND STUDY
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF MARKHAM
MOBILITY HUB CROSS SECTIONS There are various constraints with the transportation proposals for our City’s downtown core, mobility hub area. In order to understand these constraints, I have drafted several cross sections using Adobe Illustrator to illustrate the three levels of transit (which includes: Metrolinx, MTO 407 and VIVA) in order to help internal staff to better understand these underlying issues.
01 ENTERPRISE BOULEVARD (WEST TO EAST)
04 “D” STREET (SOUTH TO NORTH)
02 YMCA BOULEVARD (WEST TO EAST)
05 GO-LINE (SOUTH TO NORTH) 03 FRONTAGE STREET (WEST TO EAST)
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF MARKHAM
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PROJECT 2: PARKLAND STUDIES I have completed several parkland reconciliation exercises to better understand the current status of how much parkland is conveyed to the city, which has been extracted from development agreements. As shown, the top diagram is part of the Times Group lands, whereas the bottom diagram is part of the Remington lands.
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF MARKHAM
ANGUS GLEN PARKLAND RECONCILIATION
The Angus Glen parkland reconciliation was another exercise I have done in the past for my team to better understand how much parkland was required as per the development agreement verses how much was provided.
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF MARKHAM
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PROJECT 3: URBAN DESIGN GUIDELINES
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I was also responsible in making graphics for the City’s Urban Design Guidelines. Below are examples of a few that I have done using Google 3D Sketch-up and Adobe Illustrator.
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF MARKHAM
PROJECT 4: GARAGE WIDTH STUDIES
Trialing through several garage width scenarios to better understand the appropriate width of a hallway, driveway and room in order to provide a feasible living space.
PROJECT 5: DAP MANUALS AND CHECKLIST
As shown on the right, I have designed a checklist that is used to keep track of the current stage of a development application. This document will be useful for those who are new to the team.
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF MARKHAM
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Role: Technical Trainee at the City of Toronto, Infrastructure Planning Department *although this was a group project, shown are selected work I completed on my own as part of a larger team.
02 CITY OF TORONTO Professional • Group Project • Semester-Long (05-08.2018)
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PROJECT 1: BROADVIEW UNDERPASS Broadview Underpass is an active transportation-related infrastructure project taken by the City of Toronto. The project potentially widens the current road to reduce traffic congestion in the area, which makes room for the future LRT trackbed. My role was to create several cross-sections to illustrate this expansion used for both internal and external use. MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF TORONTO
YONGE TOMORROW PHASE 1
BROADVIEW EXTENSION
PROJECT 2: RELIEF LINE The Relief Line will be the next “big move” in Toronto’s regional transportation plan. It proposes to expand the current subway line in the downtown core. However, various active projects would potentially conflict with this development. My role was to dictate the currently active projects taken by the City and complete a case study on how these on-going projects may be affected by the Relief Line. In this case, the Broadview Extension & Yonge Tomorrow Phase 1 Project Area were the potential affected projects. MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF TORONTO
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PROJECT 3: PORT LANDS REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT The purpose of this project is to prioritize road network identified in the Port Lands Transportation and Servicing Master Plan (TSMP) Environmental Assessment (EA) and undertake a Phase Three and Phase Four Schedule “C” Municipal Class. My role was to prepare and design maps (shown below) to illustrate this configuration, and see whether the TSMP fulfills Phases 1 and 2 of the Municipal Class EA process in the RFP for client and staff use. PREFERRED STREET NETWORK COVERED UNDER THE ASSIGNMENT
SITE PLAN & TRAFFIC MODEL
ROAD CLASSIFICATION MAP
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF TORONTO
I have designed and manipulated maps requested by Infrastructure Planning (IP) project managers for various active infrastructure projects in the Toronto region. Listed below are a few examples of my work. PORT UNION SITE PLAN
LAWRENCE-ALLEN PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES
PROJECT 4: MAPS MANIPULATION
FINCH GOODS MOVEMENT REAN TO KENASTON ROAD
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: CITY OF TORONTO
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03 HESPELER
Role: Urban Design Student at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario *although this was a group project, shown are selected work I completed on my own as part of a 5-person team.
Academic • Group Project • Semester-Long (01-04.2018)
Hespeler is a proposed redevelopment project to revitalize and intensify the existing neighboring area of the Cambridge Centre Station. The project promotes greater job opportunities, economic growth, and employment for people.
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: HESPELER
LAND USE
OPEN SPACE
BUILT FORM
STREET NETWORK
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: HESPELER
CIRCULATION
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PROGRAMMATIC DISTRIBUTION: Hespeler will cater to the implementation of different activity hubs for young adults looking to live, play, and work in the same area. Other factors that were considered include affordable housing geared towards a lower-income population, schools that will invite more families to the area, and newly built seniors’ recreational facilities.
residential 554,143 m2 9638 total # units
total commercial area: 790,326 m2 # of jobs created: 12,374
amenities 567,381 m2 retail space 128,913 m2 office space 94,032 m2 education space employment 80 m2/1 retail job, 7,092 jobs 30 m2/1 office job, 4,297 jobs 65 m2/1 edu. job, 985 jobs
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: HESPELER
OPTIMIZATION
PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY Promote pedestrian-only access way to local entertainment and retail and direct connections to transitways.
Optimize the environment by promoting easy access between precincts. This will pedestrianize the streets and create a convenient experience for users.
AMENITIES AS CITY OASIS Providing a variety of open spaces and a wide range of recreational activities for all users to enjoy.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING Promote a livable and healthy community with affordable mixeduse developments and townhouses in proximity to transitways.
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: HESPELER
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Scale: 1:2000
Role: Urban Design Student at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario *although this was a group project, shown are selected work I completed on my own as part of a 5-person team.
04 RIVERSIDE COMMONS Academic • Group Project • Semester-Long (05-08.2017)
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Riverside Common seeks to complement the character of Elora’s existing community through the preservation of its architectural, cultural, and significant heritage features. The intent of the project has three primary objectives: (1) To improve the connectivity of the community across multiple modes by establishing active street and trail linkage; (2) To make the community more accessible and pedestrianfriendly by encouraging built form and streetscaping that is oriented towards the pedestrian realm; and, (3) To increase its economic vitality with intensified mixed-use and commercial space. MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: RIVERSIDE COMMONS
LAND USE
OPEN SPACE
STREET HIERARCHY
STREET NETWORK
BUILT FORM
MASSING MODEL
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: RIVERSIDE COMMONS
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THE MARKETPLACE The Elora Market will be a new addition to the community, providing fresh and healthy produce for users living in Elora.
THE MODEL street sections wellington road 7 street view
metcalfe street view
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: RIVERSIDE COMMONS
05 SEOUL MUSEUM Academic • Individual Project • Semester-Long (09-12.2017)
Seoul Museum seeks in bringing locals and foreigners together to share and develop a better knowledge of diverse cultures and foods from across the world. The implementation of this project comes in different forms—from implementing a social space to engage the audience to share cultural experiences with the use of cafe hubs and various foods, along with enhancing connectivity along the staircase to provide continuation from the main floor level to the rooftop patio. Seoul Museum is eco-friendly in terms of the materials used for both the interior and exterior of the building to provide solar panel usages and natural lighting and aims for future design strategies as a standard for sustainable and innovative communities.
Role: Exchange Student at the Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea *as this was an individual project, shown are selected work I completed on my own.
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: SEOUL MUSEUM
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continuous circulation* The purpose of this museum is to incorporate a “continuous” circulation flow from the main lobby to the patio, and down to the basement with three available entrances. This will optimize user experience from café / shop crawls to temporary and permanent art and understanding the history and origin of the museum on the education floor.
patio 2nd floor main floor
START
basement END
the detailed section cut
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: SEOUL MUSEUM
3F FLOOR LEVEL (PATIO) is an outdoor patio that contains a coffee shop, museum shop and a public garden for users to enjoy.
AA’ BB’
2F FLOOR LEVEL contains the director’s office, curators’ office, and both permanent and temporary exhibition space.
PROGRAMMATIC DISTRIBUTIONS section AA’
1F FLOOR LEVEL contains the main lobby, small storage space, restrooms, a coffee shop, museum shop, and a temporary exhibition space.
section BB’
B1 FLOOR LEVEL contains a library, two seminar rooms, a lecture hall, storage room, mechanical & electrical room, and additional temporary exhibition space. Users can access the parking lot through this floor.
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: SEOUL MUSEUM
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06 THE PAVILION Academic • Individual Project • 2-Week Long (07.2019)
Role: Architecture Student at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in Cambridge, Massachusetts *as this was an individual project, shown are selected work I completed on my own.
PHASE I: STRUCTURAL BAY Quoting Farshid Moussavi in The Function of Form, “form and function are co-constituted and deeply co-dependent”. By this, one cannot proceed the other; nor can we conceive of one without the other. In order to depict this mutual dependency of form and function, I aggregated two selfsimilar structural bays elements to construct a single, yet complex public food market, known as the Pavilion.
PHASE II: THE CONCEPT the “courtyard”
PROGRAMMATIC DISTRIBUTIONS The public food market comprises a large
multi-purpose hall with permanent and temporary vendor stalls that are located both indoors and outdoors.
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: THE PAVILION
the “indoor - outdoor garden”
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: THE PAVILION
main entrance view
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THE MASTER PLAN Illustrated is the structural system of the module on site. The plan accommodates factors such as spatial sequence, site strategy, and adjacencies.
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: THE PAVILION
PHASE III: DETAILED DESIGN THE FOOD HALL Uses
the technique of cutting structural arches in half, providing full arch entrances and leveling grounds to allow more room for users to engage with the surrounding programs in the food hall.
THE INDOOR “OUTDOOR” GARDEN Incorporates an intimate outdoor
garden space for users in an indoor environment.
MASSING
MASSING MODEL categorized into 4 different groups, ranging from light blue as commerce, purple as shared amenities, green as shared services and orange as education. MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: THE PAVILION
CIRCULATION
THE CONNECTION There will be continuous circulation throughout each side of the site. In total, there are 6 public entrances, whereas the main entrance is located at the south end, which directs visitors to the main food hall from the courtyard. There are 3 private entrances aka “restricted areas” to access the shared services such as loading dock, maintenance and waste facility.
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07 BALLOON EFFECT June 2019 • Harvard University, USA • Academic Project
Role: Architecture Student at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in Cambridge, Massachusetts *as this was an individual project, shown are selected work I completed on my own.
PHASE I & II “Through an endless rotation, the path breaks into two distinctive dimensions.” The purpose is to incorporate the theme of rotation and contraction versus compression. In Phase 1, the idea of the shapes transforming from an irregular shape to a circle derives from the incorporation of specific elements and forms using spatial techniques. There is a connection of shapes through the usage of wooden sticks and topography. The shapes and wooden sticks play an active role in illustrating distinctive themes set for the next phase. In order to showcase two different living spaces within one environment, a mix of foam, clear plastic wrap and cotton were used to illustrate the theme of contraction versus compression for the balloon in response to the materials used for the stairs.
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: BALLOON EFFECT
PHASE III In Phase 3, the iteration is to incorporate two living dimensions in one environment. The rotational stairs and balloon element is inspired by the wooden sticks used in the previous stage, which integrates the act of compression versus contraction. Users can optimize their experience in two types of living spaces within the same environment.
section AA’ (straight cut)
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: BALLOON EFFECT
floor plans
1F
2F
3F
4F
section BB’ (diagonal cut)
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Role: Urban Design Student at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario *although this was a group project, shown are selected work I completed on my own as part of a 6-person team.
08 URBAN [C]UBED Academic • Group Project • Semester-Long (09-12.2016)
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Urban Cubed is a proposed redevelopment project for the old Blackberry Campus located in Waterloo, Ontario. The purpose of the design is to connect office workers to a digital space. Urban Cubed is a technology hub that engages social development, provides seasonal entertainment, and builds an easy connection of bridges to expand the public realm for people to shop, eat, and relax. The project will introduce the use of solar panels to operate smart devices such as luminescent street lights and adult playscapes.
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: URBAN CUBED
ASC 2
BUBBLE DIAGRAM Urban Cubed is designed to be a vibrant technology hub with office, retail, and recreational spaces that inspires creativity and innovation.
AR 1 LL 2
TC 1
GT 3
FA 4
CO 2
Woonerf Street
CF 2
GT 1
LL 1 AS 2
AP 1
Office Building
Symbol LL TC CO AS FG FA PP LT BP GB ASC CF QR AP GT AR
QR 1
FG 2
Bridge
LEGEND
FA 2
Quantity 4 19 2 4 2 16 2 4 3 3 4 4 1 3 4 1
Botanical Name Larix laricina Tsuga canadensis Carya ovata Acer saccharum Fagus grandifolia Fraxinus americana Prunus pensylvanica Liriodendron tulipifera Betula papyrifera Ginkgo biloba Acer saccharinum Cornus florida Quercus rubra Acer Platanoides Gleditsia triacanthos Acer rubrum
Common Name Tamarack Eastern Hemlock Shagbark Hickory Sugar Maple American Beech White Ash Pin Cherry Tulip Tree White Birch Ginkgo Silver Maple Flowering Dogwood Red Oak Norway Maple Honey Locust Red Maple
Existed trees
CF 2
Proposed coniferous
AS 1
Pedestrian Dr op-Off
AP 2
Railway
Proposed deciduous
PP 2
Proposed tree-seat LT 4
Stage
Water Feature
FA 1
FA 4
N
1:1250m
AS 1 ASC 2
Tech Hub BP 3
FA 2
Underground Parking
Retail
LL 1
TC 18 GB 3
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: URBAN CUBED
FA 3
PLANTING PLAN Eastern Hemlocks and White Ash will be commonly planted throughout the site.
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09 TERRA PARK
Role: Urban Design Student at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario *although this was a group project, shown are selected work I completed on my own as part of a 5-person team.
Terra Park is a proposed park design located in Northdale, Waterloo. The design intent is to incorporate an outdoor platform for undergraduate students from the adjacent universities. The park is structured to provide a variety of seating, pathways, and playscapes while preserving existing vegetation.
Academic • Group Project • Semester-Long (09-12.2015)
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: TERRA PARK
VISION: The purpose is to provide a multi-purpose, year-round urban green space within the community. Terra Park aims to implement a sense of place into the neighborhood through an organic identity, promoting a natural and welcoming environment. OBJECTIVE & DESIGN: The primary design objectives is to provide an eco-friendly community by preserving existing trees along the back of the leveled seating area and by planting cherry blossoms near the quiet zone to create an intimate environment for users. The stacked leveled seating area will be the main attraction of the park. Ramps will be built along this area for convenient access, while families and students can use the space to relax by the water feature or study for exams.
CIRCULATION
TOPOGRAPHY
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: TERRA PARK
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10 EASTMOUNT PASSEGGIATA
Role: Urban Design Student at the University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario *as this was an individual project, shown are selected work I completed on my own.
Academic • Individual Project • Semester-Long 09-12.2015
Eastmount Passeggiata is a three-story mixed-use commercial building that revitalizes a small commercialized area in Waterloo, Ontario. The design was influenced by architectural structures from Venice, Italy, with a blend of modernity. The building consists of a ground-level with 17 condominium units (size of 93m2); along with a second and third floor level of 6 condominium units (size of 112 m2 each). In total, 47 parking spots surround the entire southeast of the site.
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: EASTMOUNT PASSEGGIATA
DESIGN: This design was driven by the use of cool colors, richness, and modernity. The purpose of the design was to use a blend of different blues for people to catch a sense of relaxation and comfort. Wide windows were added to attract direct contact to sunlight and the materials used include dark grey stones and marbles for the wall and bright colored glass for the entrance of the building to mark its center of focus.
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: EASTMOUNT PASSEGGIATA
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11 BALANCE Academic • Individual Project • 1-Week Long (06.2019) Role: Architecture Student at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in Cambridge, Massachusetts *as this was an individual project, shown are selected work I completed on my own.
The purpose of this project was to illustrate a site plan, section and elevation cut for an object, which in this case a “lipstick” at three different scales of 10”x10”, 5”x5” and 1”x1”. I incorporated the theme of “balance” to showcase how the lipstick could sit on an angle of a stacked cardboard box cover. Through this project, I have incorporated different line weights to differentiate the cardboard boxes being stacked on top of another. I have also played with cutting specific sections to showcase that the lipstick is balancing at an angle, which will be shown in the 5”x5” elevation cut and the 1”x1” section cut diagram on the next page
PICTURE TAKEN: Exterior Entrance to Gund Hall, Harvard University, Graduate School of Design Building, Cambridge Massachusetts
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MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: BALANCE
PHASE I: 10X10 SCALE
SECTION PLAN
ELEVATION PLAN
SITE PLAN
SECTION PLAN
ELEVATION PLAN
SITE PLAN
SECTION PLAN
ELEVATION PLAN
PHASE II: 5x5 SCALE
SITE PLAN
PHASE III: 1x1 SCALE
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: BALANCE
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PHASE IV: OVERLAPPING DRAWINGS The last part of the project was to overlay three diagrams from the previous phase to create something new. In particular, I have incorporated the 10”x10” site plan, 5”x5” section plan, and the 1”x1” site plan into this phase because of the available geometry that I could play with. The first abstract drawing illustrates an interior plan of a museum with different sections and dividers, whereas, the other two demonstrates a layout of buildings in an exterior setting.
ABSTRACT 1
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ABSTRACT 2
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: BALANCE
ABSTRACT 3
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: BALANCE
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12 DETAILED SKETCHES Personal • Individual Project • 1-Year (2012-2013)
THE CYCLIST March 2013 • Mediums Used: Led Pencil
HERBAL DRINK January 2012 • Mediums Used: Led Pencil
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MILESTONES January 2012 • Mediums Used: Led Pencil
VIOLETON February 2012 • Mediums Used: HB & 4B Pencil
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: DETAILED SKETCHES
IRIDESCENT LION March 2012 • Mediums Used: Watercolours & Rock Salt Role: Freelance, personal work completed in 2013 *as this was a personal project, shown are selected work I completed during my free time. I have played with different shading and contouring techniques with the use of varied mediums and have taken inspiration from others to craft a model of my own.
LA TOUR EIFFEL February 2012 • Mediums Used: HB & 4B Pencil
MICHELLE WONG | PROJECT: DETAILED SKETCHES
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THANK YOU
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