The Bench

A Quick Crit


Just a note to say to bring in your design sketches and we will have a 1-2 min 'round the table' crit.


We will then look at drafting tools


And finally at 8;30 you can leave and any one who needs some help I can sit down with you for half an hour.




CAD pc's 


Had a chat with the IT crowd, and yes its a licensing issue. They have 25 licence max, but on 25+ pc's. So if anyone is working on AutoCAD in the library that reduces the available licences. Annoying to say the least.


So I would suggest for the moment that the 'novices have priority' and the experienced to buddy up with novices.


We can chat about it in class.


Grant

Next Week 26th Jan

Hi All,

Just a reminder and a couple of things I forgot that are relevant.

First a Hadlow run down of uploading AutoCAD.

Second.

Please bring (min 2GB)  memory stick for your work to save, as well as work you have completed at home that you may need help with.

Third

A reminder for next week, to bring in you sketched sketch designs, where you intend to place the bench and why. I will go round the class for a quick reference. The reason for the rush is that the sooner you have a design the quicker you can start putting it on AutoCAD and thus the sooner I will know the problems that you are struggling with, and with that knowledge can adapt the lessons to solve them.

With the prize of getting onto Sketch-up and photoshop, sooner rather than later.

Forth

Bench designs, no cubes!!!! The reason this is still a CAD lesson and even though I have introduced a design element to it, I still want to stretch your abilities (the dividends will come later). So be bold, and any issues we can over come.

Apparently (heard this years ago) the literal translation of the word 'problem' from the Greek, means 'push forward.'

Happy play

Grant

If you only watch one Video

How people use space


Its an hour long and the quality is a bit poor at the beginning, but soldier on, it will be worth it.

Why Capability

Memorable


Thats it, just simple, easy to remember and associate with. Either Capability Brown or just a good positive statement. (along the lines of an excellent web design book called 'don't make me think').


Introduction


This is a tough course, but it should also be fun. So use the time to really think out of the box, this will be one of the very rare occasions that you will have the opportunity to do so.




The first post is the sheet I sent round over Christmas, links etc.
If you have questions just put them in the comment box and I will try and help. Though the best way to learn CAD is to wrestle with it until you find the answer through experiment and breakthrough.



Digital Basics

Hi All,

First of all some links for software.

David Watson is a tutor at Greenwich University and has created some extensive web sites for the student community.  A resources for you to use. Loads of tutorials and links.

Cadtutor is a site to help all with Autodesk,  Adobe and other digital products.  A massive resource. Take some time to have a look around.

http://www.cadtutor.net/

Coursestuff is a more specific site for Greenwich and Hadlow students. Again with tutorials and links.

http://www.coursestuff.co.uk/software.php 

This page offers information on downloading Autodesk AutoCAD (student versions), Google Sketch-up and Adobe photoshop (student versions). Just scroll down to the relevant section. Note,  Adobe student programs are not free. If you can afford it I would recommend Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Production Premium as it contains film editing apps that will come useful later in your studies.

Minimum Course Requirements

AutoCAD 2012

Sketch-up 8

Photoshop CS5 or 5.5 (no actual difference). If you bring in and work on stuff done on CS3 it won’t be back compatible from CS5

Power Point

Mac users

I would advise you use bootcamp and set up a partition (100Gb if you can spare the space).

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/boot_camp_install-setup.pdf

Windows 7 (alas XP no longer works on Lion, Snow leopard, but if you have leopard you may be in luck).

Then load as above the relevant programs. In particular AutoCAD, as the layout is completely different on a mac (madness in my opinion).

If you wish to use Photoshop and Sketch-up they are broadly the same (just slightly different short-cuts) and should be no problem.

Keynotes can be exported as a Power point, though you will lose some of the more fancy transitions and fonts. I shall show you some work-arounds. As and when.

Books

Find below two selections of books, some that would be worth purchasing and others at least borrow and make your own mind up.

Books to purchase (in my opinion i might add)

AutoCAD 2012 Essentials

A really good reference book for the course and for the rest of your time grappling with AutoCAD.  Nicely set out with plenty of images.

Digital Drawing for Landscape Architecture

A must for all Garden Designers and LA’s. Some good rendering ideas and techniques.  All three programs covered.  A very specific book to our industry. 

Photoshops most powerful feature Layers

A good book to dip in and out of for specific photoshop techniques.

Terrible cover,  but don’t be put off.

The Universal Principles of Design

This book is not about Cad, but its a brilliant reference book to design principles and is a great help when you get stuck or need reassurance.

Every designer no matter what field should have this book on their shelves, invaluable. ( I am sure Rod has already recommended it to you).

Books to Borrow

Colour Drawing

Its in the Library, very 50’s style, but a good book to look at, if you want to understand light, shadow and atmosphere. This will become relevant when we look at rendering techniques.

As the course progresses i will add some video tutorials for your reference, as when you require them. If you are really nervous about the course, well i won’t lie its not easy, especially if you have an aversion to all things technological.  So we will take it slow in class, but the only way to ‘get it’ is practice. So i will be setting your projects straight away so you can practice and then progress each week as questions arise and get answered.  Don’t panic we have some great tools at our disposal and as any tradesmen will tell you ‘skill comes with practice.’

If you get some time i recommend looking at Davids Basic section on AutoCAD 

http://www.cadtutor.net/tutorials/autocad/index.php?category_id=1

All short videos, but worth looking at to understand some of the terminology.