Finally, something to post

This semester has been very challenging for me. I just couldn't seem to get it together after the Christmas break. Anyway, spring break was wonderful. All mid-term projects were turned in before the break, so I could enjoy the time off without worries, knowing that I had done my best and what will be will be.

We went skiing at Alyeska, Alaska. It was awesome. Beautiful, sunny, super slopes and so relaxing. One of the best vacations ever.

This second half is going so much better. Here is the concept board for Residental Project 2.

The image of the shallow bowl and the key are my illustrations. I did them with prismacolor markers. The key also has some prismacolor pencils. Both were done on vellum.

Not much to show

Residential is great

First class in Residential Design was great. I just know I am going to love this class.

A new year and a new semester

Classes start tomorrow, Jan. 10, 2011. I am expanding this blog to cover all of my classes. This semester, I am taking Residential Studio, 3D Drawing and Rendering, and Auto CAD. I am looking forward to these classes. The schedule this semester is also more condusive to working out on a regular basis.
Winter break was great. I got to spend a week in Texas with family. My son, William, came in a couple days after I arrived, so it was fun getting to spend time with him. I made it back to Virginia in time to spend Christmas with my wonderful husband, Keith. Then we went skiing in Utah. I got back yesterday and Keith comes home today. It was a relaxing, fun, and energizing vacation. The ski conditions were awesome. We skied at Alta, Snow Basin, and Snow Bird. Most days were sunny and beautiful. I took a lot of photos, but also did some sketching and practiced my lettering. Happy 2011!

Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.

Well, we're at the end of the semester. I think I just might continue this blog. I've had so much fun this semester. I can't remember when I have felt so alive and happy. Skiing a double black run in Utah comes close but that's only for a few days. :-)

I hate to see this semester end. I've made some really great friends and have just had so much fun!

Here's the final project. It was supposed to be a tiny, no-stress assignment. It took me 12 hours, not counting going to school to take more photos, but it was a good time. I think this is a keeper. A cool suprise when I was mounting them is that while I designed them to fit together horizontally (11 x 34) they also look good stacked (17 x 22).

Enjoy the holidays. Stay safe, be kind, and live happy.

The presentation

Group "A" gave their presentations and the projects were excellent. They had to move them to the front of the room where the judges were. The judges (professors) were critical. I was thinking, "I hope our models don't fall apart when we have to move them to the front."

Next came the group "B" presentations (our group). I think we went first. Our Kiosk was a wrapping paper boutique in a high-end mall. The concept was that every gift, if it is beautifully wrapped, creates excitement, anticipation, and wonder. It doesn't matter if the actual gift isn't any good, the wrapping can elevate its level of value based on the wrappings. So to display our beautiful papers and give them value, our boutique was quite glitzy and glamorous. Everything was gold and black lacquer. Fitting in with the glitzy glamorous theme, I wore a black skirt suit with gold trim, gold jewelry (extra to add to the effect), black stockings, and high-heel sexy black satin shoes with bows. I curled my hair and took extra care with my make-up to look the part.

Adding to the humor of the glitz and glam, I got Veera to offer the judges a silver platter of ginger cookies and caramels. While it was an absurd overt attempt to soften up the judges, it also calmed a few growling stomachs of the other students who I knew had missed breakfast.

My group voted me as the spokesperson. Having had a good night sleep, I felt confident and enjoyed the moment.

Then came the judges turn. The models were okay. The ribbons were too long and would make it difficult to people to get passed them. But then came the bombshell. They were really critical of the drawings. I felt badly for Suzanne, but it was a group project and we should have managed our time better so that we could review each other's work. Suzanne stepped up and said that she was responsible for the drawings. We were in this together, so we had no doubts that whatever the grade, we'd all be getting the same thing. So we'll wait for the grade and see what happens. Here are the photos of our project:

The day of...

Okay, it's Thursday, December 9, 2010: Project Kiosk presentation day. All group projects due at o-eight-thirty in Somer's hall. I was at the resource library at 7:15 a.m. It was locked and no one around who could open it. At 0-8-ten, I took the 3"=1'0" display model to Somer's hall.

Due to the construction, I had to carry it down temporary wooded stairs. I tripped and the model went flying. Sh*t. The two sections broke apart. Oh well, I got it to the room and went back to the library to get the rest of the project. Veera was there and the room was open so we took the box and supplies to Somer. I was carrying the box model, and darn it, I tripped and fell again. That model too went flying and one of the four display pillars broke and fell out. What else could go wrong?

Suzanne showed up with the drawings and wasn't finished with them, so Veera helped her with that, while I was fixing the broken pieces, and I put on the signage tags. We used my coat as a table cover and set up out display. It looked good and everything was staying together.