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.

Hand/PC rendering of trees and shrubs practice

Hand/PC rendering of trees and shrubs practice

Please see below a selection of pieces I have produced whilst practising my plan trees and woody shrubbery symbols and rendering techniques.

This was produced in AutoCAD - exported and the shadows were added in Photoshop post completion.

Singularly they look great. When used en masse its difficult to differentiate each tree and they can look messy. Great for providing effect and presence, especially on a planting heavy plan with accent plants/ tree avenues etc.

The below image was hand created with different width pens. It took far too long and looks messy and muddled. Too much going on. 

The below image was me trying to create more basic shapes. After I decided that my trees in the hand rendered image were too complicated I wanted to create a simple selection in autocad and Photoshop. a selection that I can now use as many times as suits and will not clutter a drawing. 

 A selection of simple trees. Here I've tried using different rendering techniques. This includes sharpening a pencil onto paper and rubbing filings into the page. overall I was pleased and uploaded them into Photoshop to touch them up and cut them out to re-use.

Below is a final image I drew of a bush. I tried to make the above images more complicated and 3D. It works well but was time consuming and I don't think it suits my style on plans. 

New Skills merging with everyday with project management

New Skills merging with everyday with project management

I am slowly finding that I have a more diverse palate and appetite for learning new skills and utilising them to become more involved at work. 

For instance the below design for a project would have previously been outsourced but now I am able to utilise my honed skill-set to help me get more involved on a base level. 

This hasn't proven to aid my profit margins but it does give me a bigger sense of pride and investment in a project. It also enables me to really steer the company to produce larger and more detailed gardens. In addition to the AutoCAD and Photoshop work I have been completing I have also been completing more and more hand sketch concepts on site which proves to be much quicker and universally beneficial for myself and the clients. 

AutoCAD documents produced and honed by me:

Here are some sketches and hand drawings for  some bespoke railings we are installing in a property in Eltham. I researched the property's period (Victorian) and tried to represent the heritage of the house whilst designing a new and interesting railing for its perimiter. In the end the first image was chosen as a design and we dropped the gate. Its now just iron panels caulked into sandstone capping on a yellow London brick wall. Photo to follow when the project is completed (estimated completion date 20th January) 

Design in everyday work and life.

Design in everyday work and life.

The more time I spend at University working on what makes good design, the more I subconsciously deliberate over objects and scenarios.

I good example of this is the recent collaboration my company and Canterbury Cathedral's blacksmith have been working on. A centre piece for a small tiered Kentish garden. Its based on a Digitalis flower and is mild steel that's been sandblasted, zinc coated and painted.

Its working on these smaller projects when I really begin to micromanage my thinking and work on what is aesthetically correct. Not be chance but by design.


Please see images below.

Chaumont Final Presentation

Chaumont Final Presentation Update;

Last week we finally completed  our group presentation.

The key things that were changed last minute included our change of mind on what wood was going to be used as shuttering for the pathway and as walling within the garden. The pricing structure also changed to bring the cost of the project down. 

Please see below the 6 A3 sheets we presented to the auditors for Chaumont. Main reason for posting is to keep a log of work completed with a view to having a timeline for self reflection and referral at later dates.