Digital Recycling

Print One:  The freshman studio space was modeled in SketchUp/LightUp to measure the artificial lighting that currently exists.  As is evident in reality and in the rendering, the lighting is far too dim for a workspace.  The following prints will gradually light up the space and add vibrancy/texture using color pencil techniques and Photoshop.

Print Two:  Lines within the image were extended out onto the blank space to help determine prominent aspects of the rendering.  A grid on the floor is starting to add depth and texture.

Print Three:  Layers of lighter colors were added to the floor and various aspects of the image were brightened such as the mullions, second story walls, and pin-up boards.

Print Four:  Plants were drawn in to add a touch of lively features into the space.  The floors and columns were given a brighter texture with color pencils.

Print Five:  The hue and saturation of the pin-up boards surrounding the perimeter of the space were altered to create a brighter periphery.  More layers of lighter color were added to the floor and desks.

Print Six:  To further add texture and dynamic colors to the floor, color pencil techniques were used.  White, blue, and yellow color pencils were used to give the glass panels a reflective quality.

Print Seven:  Crumpled trace was overlaid on the floor and ceiling as the last layer to provide the brightness and dynamic qualities the space needs.  A marker brush tool in Photoshop was used to enhance the reflection of the glass panels.

Print Eight:  For the final attempt to add an abstract, light, and dynamic characteristic to the space, a screen of vegetation was added to the glass panels in the foreground. 

Was there a point of diminishing returns in your process? If you felt satisfied before 4 iterations, where would you have stopped?

Returns did not diminish until after the seventh print.  Print eight was unnecessary as everything I had done until then successfully portrayed a bright, dynamic space.  The abstract quality that slowly formed allows more to be left to the imagination of the viewer, a positive characteristic for any rendering.

Comment on what you hoped to gain prior to crossing digital threshold, and (a) what actually gained, (b) could not achieve (this becomes the motivator for the next iteration)

Prior to crossing into the digital threshold, I hoped to enhance the abstract and bright qualities that color pencil techniques add to an image.  I was able to meet these goals, however, I depended on Photoshop to brighten certain aspects of the rendering in a smooth fashion and add texture/light qualities that are difficult to capture using traditional means.  Moving on to the digital iteration allowed me to convey a more realistic sense to certain areas of the image, creating a balance between conceptual and actual features within the rendering.