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FODR PORTFOLIO SHARON ZHOU | 996349

SEMESTER ONE 2018 KATHERINE PETROS | STUDIO 29

CONTENTS MODULE 1 | 03 MODULE 2 | 06 MODULE 3 | 11 MODULE 4 | 16

MODULE 1 | HOW TO DRAW A CROISSANT? This module required students to construct and project the physical aspects and details of a croissant through technical drawings.

Throughout this assignment, I have discovered various techniques in lighting in photos, digital softwares and shading/ hatching in drawings. I found this journey very interesting as I have come to understand the complexity and structure of a common, seemingly basic pastry. This was an insight to see how architects view the world on paper but projected onto an object that is irrelevant to the overall subject.

We were required to create plan, front/side elevation, section views along with a axonometric drawing of the croissant. The print-out versions were true to size with 1:1 ratio presented on A3 paper. The croissant is expected to be purchased with photographs taken behind a white background. The plan and section elevations were photocopied and lighting was later adjusted in photoshop. Colour for the background was reduced and the saturation and contrast of the croissant increased.

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The photographs were traced and scanned before being structured and cleaned up in Adobe Illustrator. This process developed and strengthened the key skills of different shading and hatching methods. The variety of techniques explored provided an understanding of texture and depth of each surface and crease of the croissant.

I have drawn two versions; one with shading only using 2H, H, 2B and 5B pencils. Another I have used a combination between pencil and ink pen. I found that by outlining the croissant, the background is immediately seperated from the object itself, allowing the viewer to draw better focus on the subject. Ink can also bring out darker shades, allowing the viewer to easily differentiate depth between the lighter and darker sides of the croissant.

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The section views were drawn again with gridlines in order to construct the axonometric drawing of the croissant (seen on the right). Labels were measured in the unit of millimeters pencils were later outlined in ink pen for a more defined and distinct lines.

A 45 degree set triangle was used to draw the axonometric and the plan view of the croissant. While the overall axometric is outlined, the plan view was kept in pencil so it did not detract the attention of the final product.

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MODULE 2 | FLATNESS VS PROJECTION Module 2 involved the concept of projecting 2D faces/images into a 3D axonometric world. We were allocated a world consisted of two views. The aim was to combine them into a 3D world presented in an axonometric view with a square plan.

This allowed students to explore the idea of space and the connection and difference between flat surfaces and objects with volume.

Here are my given Mario worlds on the right. Characters with faces will not be included in my final design.

Empty spaces between my blocks and trees will contain hidden designs such as bridges and lakes. The objective is to be able to view the world from either side and only see the view that is allocated in the 2D views.

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Two worlds are laid out with the base of the world in between at 45 degree angles (seen in image above).

Rulers and T-square are then used to project all the basic, visible shapes onto the new axonometric world. After adding block, bushes and trees, hidden details were then added to complement the overall style of the world. I figured that clouds were a significant aspect to this world, so my original plan was to add curves and additional clouds around the world.

Blocks are adjusted to allow ponds and bridges to fit and connect with other blocks. Water trickles down the world in areas possible and spaces are chipped off, distorting the square-image to give more of a cloud shape. The base is extended with curved edges.

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Scanned drawings, still yet to be outlined on Adobe Illustrator. Clouds were drawn seperately to the world, later will be combined to form the final world.

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Exploring and adjusting colour pallet 09

Final World 10

MODULE 3 | PATTERN VS SURFACES The third module required the skills and knowledge for software programs and physical model-making. Students were allocated a piece of panel, with slopes and sides from different angles. They had to create shapes that would complement the slope and angle of the panel as they were to combine the shapes together to create a terrain of sorts.

For my module, the terrain given was extremely steep, with a relatively flat plain, seen on the right. Triangles and squares were predominantly explored because they were simple in form and able to create a powerful effect on panels with a high angle. The main theme was contrast; having a physical appeal that the triangles were intersecting each other but in reality not touching. In the end 5 models were made, all have a similar shape but with different heights and pointed towards different angles to increase diversity when the plain slopes.

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Plan view of final design

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Isometric view of final design

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UNFOLDING & CREATING After designing the terrain on Rhinoceros, each individual shape (100) were unfolded to be printed and folded on paper. This was done on Illustrator. The shapes are then glued individually with PV glue and lastly combined together.

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MODULE 4 | FRAME VS FIELD The final assignment encouraged students to explore their creative sides and challenge their ability to use digital softwares such as Rhino and Adobe Photoshop. The aim of this module is to portray and depict a given story from the book “Invisible Cities”, done through a set of images and visual notations. The journey is taken in the perspective of Marco Polo, but students were required to design Polo’s journey through their own interpretations of the given city. A model of the Old Quad, situated in the University of Melbourne is used as a platform for students to oragnize and construct a part of the city.

The story given for my module was the Hidden City - Theodora. Marco Polo describes this city with “recurrent invasions” throughout “centuries of its histories”, where creatures such as “rodents”, “snakes/serpants” and “termites” flooded the city with people desperately fighting them off. The description ends with the people at victory, with the modern Theodora at peace.

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Lineart of the Perspectives and Isometric view of the city

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Isometric view of the Old Quad, finished with notations showing Marco Polo’s journey throughout Theodora

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Perspective 1 As can be seen, skulls have been placed in the foreground as a focus of death and war. There are skulls curled within the snake at the front as well as in other places under the columns. Mossy, broken concrete and cracked floor textures were used to add to the chaos, as if no one had time to repair them. Dried branches are protruding into the frame, indicating a sense of fire and lifelessness within the scene. There are rats on ceilings and characters fighting in the background to add to the overall sense of war. The fog is placed as an attempt to provoke tension and suspension as well as physically separating the foreground characters with the background.

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Perspective 2 In this scene, nature is posed to be calming and protective, as the background consists of a lake, trees and mountains surrounding the growing life of Theodora.

This is to imply that life is regrowing within the city. Rather than branches, there are leaves and grass growing out and along the concrete. Fog is present to add consistency to the transition from past to the present, but it is not as intense as perspective one. I used a texture with text to decorate the ceiling. This is to reference back to Marco Polo’s description of a library existing in the present time to show the gruesome history of Theodora. Except rather than a library, there was an attempt to make the text look like scriptures drawn to illustrate the history and values of the city.Â

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REFLECTION This subject has allowed me to develop both my skills and understanding on the conceptual ideas of design, space and planning.

The four modules have covered a wide range of ideas that tested my artistic abilities and taught me the importance of organisation and time management.

The first two modules went relatively smoothly, not to mention they were the most enjoyable for me. Meanwhile the last two pushed me to challenge myself both mentally and physically, which I found encouraging in its own way. By the end of each module I had developed a clear understanding of my own errors and improvements that could be made to create better and more innovative designs. However, that did not meant that I was not happy with what I have achieved. Modules with a large engagement with Rhino were the most difficult for me. I have not used the software before and I had to learn while working on the assignment itself at the same time. This became somewhat troublesome and very time consuming, resulting in long hours of constant work and late nights. However, this subject has been very insightful and overally enjoyable for me and I willing to further persue this line of education.

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