Inspiration from the arts.

Whilst ordinarily being exclusively inspired through garden and spacial designs of others I am also greatly inspired and affected by other uses of space. Especially within art.


Please see attached work by Rob Gonsalves which I have recently drawn a lot of inspiration and enthusiasm from. I am exited to implement differing spacial layouts to create illusions and trick the mind through landscape form and design. See images below.

The use of space, especially where the where land meets water or sky is very interesting and each artist I study helps me to understand how I wish to manipulate the landscape to create emotion and feeling.

More rendering! Sketchup model sharpening in Photoshop.

Still not happy with how long rendering takes me and how little my rendering style effects the visual experience when viewing my work, I explored the world of different pc generated rendering styles and what they offer. 

Each of these images have been created in Sketchup 8 pro. All detail is from high res 2d 'face me' models and complex 3d models downloaded from model warehouse. Through Photoshop I have sharpened and re-textured many surfaces. This proves faster than rendering everything from scratch and ensures I get a prefect perspective view every time.

Depth and shading were experimented with greatly. 

2d tree rendering in Photoshop

2d tree rendering in Photoshop

Below are trees I have developed through Photoshop layering work using a variety of brushes and opacities. This set of trees was developed to implement within a number of A1 sheets which were produced for an assignment.


I strove to achieve a softer watercolour feel.

Some trees were included with branches and stems but I felt this restricted the versitility and aesthetic of the 2d models so only a limited number were explored.


My next step is to create a more extensive 2d library using a similar style to help my designs retain their own sense of identity and continuity.


I did experiment with trying to complete trees directly in cad and I have attached an example of this on paper. it doesnt capture the magic and thought felt effect of a more 'hand rendered' technique.

 Rendering using coloured lines and hatching in AutoCAD. Slow and inefficient.

 Completed Plan using new rendering technique and trees/shrubs developed for assignment.

 Branches included in trees took ones eye away from the adjacent canopies and did not aid the experience for the viewer.

 A screengrab of a number of trees and shurbs I have been altering and working on.

 Close up of a variety of planting - various brushes and techniques found on-line were experimented with. 

Close up shot of a tree using repetitive layers in a polar array of differing opacities. This represents a evergreen tree.