It’s a gift. (When it doesn't make people think you are crazy.) All
of my paintings, drawings and photographs, back when I had not studied
architecture were dealing with "depth of field", "atmospheric
perspective" and other illusions of depth in a two dimensional medium.
I just always knew there were four axes (time is always there, as well
as the 3D's of geometry). Drawing with a CADD program forces you to
identify all three geometric axis. Cool. But, then you realize that
you can deal with time as well. So today I will complete a computer
model of the building as it was constructed in 1934 and then quickly
create models of the building at times when changes to the building
happened. Then if I get ambitions, I could even animate it and
represent the 3D changes over the course of the last 60 years. I
suppose a brighter person could figure out how to show the shifting
population and uses of the building and the changing of the seasons and
technology.
So, what is going on, is that I'm seeing things. I'm surprised by what
I am seeing. I'm enjoying the drawing more than I ever have before.
AND SURPRISE! It is not foreign to preservation. In fact, I've
discovered little mistakes copied from one drawing to another over 60
years, and little assumptions being asserted repeatedly and incorrectly
over 60 years. Then I see the discrency. I assume I did something
wrong, I check the photos...nope, my drawing is correct. I then see
the change happening in increments on the hand drawn work. Its the way
we work. We always go back to the last document and work from there.
Of course, I loose things. But they are different things that get
lost. And their are real benefits in return.
But the best thing is that I'm enjoying drawing again. I've always
been surrounded by people who's ability to produce beautiful drawings
made me self-conscious. I learned to avoid drawing in public. (In the
field with the contractor or the inspector, or in the maintenance shop
with the guys is not like being in public. At least, I'm not
self-concious there because people understand my scribbles and smears.)
But CADD drawings don't smear, no matter how many times you erase and
redraw something, the paper doesn't tear. Tape doesn't come loose.
Your parallel rule doesn't jump its track. Coffee rings don't appear
on your drawings. Your bad habits like doodling on the sides, or
rendering while you draft don't cause any trouble at all. And when you
want to look at a model, it gets built in moments. This is sooo cool!
I don't know whether CADD is good for designing new buildings or not,
but it surely is good for studying old ones.
Thanks for listening.
-jc
On Mar 7, 2004, at 8:57 AM, Ruth Barton wrote:
> John, So, what's going on? I can't see things in 3D even if they're
> right
> in front of me. Ruth
>
>
>
>
> At 10:19 PM -0600 3/6/04, John Callan wrote:
>> I have been drawing two historic buildings in my CADD program. The
>> nature of the program is such that 3D is just how it works, or at
>> least
>> how I have learned it. As I was drawing the building today, in order
>> to study it and know it better, in its original construction, I
>> realized that I was not only seeing things that have not been seen in
>> a
>> long time, but things that may have never been seen before.
>>
>> CADD drawing does amazing things, like defy gravity and the laws of
>> physics. Two things CAN occupy the same space at the same time. I
>> was
>> drawing in a storage system that had been placed up against a counter.
>> I never questioned it before, but when that sucker popped up in 3D, it
>> was a surprise to me. Must have been a surprise to the inspector on
>> the job too!
>>
>> The 3D views help to confirm that what I think is going on really is
>> going on. That's great for an insecure guy like me. Builds
>> confidence. I do think in 3D pretty much all the time and pretty
>> effectively, but it is such a relief to have my minds eye view of the
>> world confirmed.
>>
>> Cool.
>>
>> -jc
> --
> Ruth Barton
> [log in to unmask]
> Dummerston, VT
>
> --
> To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the
> uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to:
> <http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>
>
--
To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the
uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to:
<http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>
|
