Trees in photoshop

Photoshop CS5 Tutorial.

Ok it was late and thus a bit monotone, and a few errors for you to spot!


The idea is to show you how to create a simple tree from above with shadow. Its a starter for you guys to build upon so the detail is basic for that reason. A foundation if you like.


It took a long time to work it all out so it has some value to me (at least). So i will share it with Greenwich Students LA and Garden Design, to give you guys something to work with. Really appreciate if you don't publish this video, download it by all means as it won't be up forever.


 Come back for updates.

Original Vid below.(Update May 2014)




Photoshop CS5 Graphic Trees from Grant Beerling on Vimeo.

Boys Stuff

If it has an Engine

Thats it really, love looking at any old vehicle, everything has been designed by somebody and thus its quite fun trying to work out their inspiration.

Robby the Robot

If robby drove or built a tractor (and as we all know Robby could build any thing, especially good at Whisky as the story goes, 'Forbidden Planet') i suspect it would look like this.

Kent Show 2011

Hadlow Show Garden


I went along to see the Show Garden that my good friend Whitney designed for Hadlow College.


Outstanding design and followed the brief to perfection. A 'Top Gold' (read best in show) was awarded, and rightly so....


So why was it so good? 


Well these are just my humble observations


1) Balance, the ratio between soft/hard/water and the building was perfect


2) No Full stops, meaning that the viewer tended to look at the whole picture rather than just hot spots of design. Thus leading them in to explore further and notice the detail.


3) Journeys, plenty of them each leading to a destination, very hard to do in a small space.


4) Space, or the use of in the sense that the seating tended to be in the furthest corner thus back to the wall and more impression of space.


5) Tones, of the planting flowed interspersed with neutral whites to lift the strong orange/burnt yellows out.


6) Humour and idea's, well we are British and we love a quirky idea.

Design and Whits blog

http://reinventrecreaterenew.blogspot.com/2011_05_01_archive.html

A few photo's


As usual got a bit involved trying to do the art picture and forgot to take any overall pictures, hopefully Whit will put some up on her blog about the process of the site

Well done Whitney!

Work.....

A small update on a Garden (alas no funds to do the lot)


Always difficult matching your own work with other, in this case a builders 'attempt' and some DIY, so tried to match and improve, but with one eye on the future ie more updates so a bit of a balancing act.


Materials and issues


Every space throws up issues, in this case small, all grass removed, gradient falling towards the house, sleepers everywhere.


The main solution was to provide a new soak away (new crate system wrapped in geotextile felt). Volume .5m cubed (100m2 =1m cubed for well drained soils) for 25m2 area. Slit gully for ascetics, with an adapted 'p' trap gully to trap any fines and access for cleaning. All falls 1-80/100. Normal type one compacted/6 to 1 sharp sand mix for slabs, pointed with buff resin system (which if you pay for the proper German stuff is brilliant and quick, sorry Jamie i disagree with you on this one, now i'll go and dive for cover).


Planting


Worked on yellow and ochre as colours to reflect the colours of the slabs plus to give a warm feel to the whole area. Worked with perennials for the best display albeit for the summer only, a case of a good display for the height of the outdoor season or compromise with spots of colour through out the year... no brainer as far as i am concerned in this situation.
Contrasting shapes with and narrow colour range to keep the effect.

Requests, means updates

Blown up images


They seemed very popular with a couple of requests for prints (though i will be keeping the day job).


Worked on a couple thus far, better placement of main characters, a bit of, err covering up, lifting via colour.

Conclusion

Degree


Two shows, lots of friends and family came along to support. I have had so many meals off the back of this (still a few to go) what a great crowd of generous people i know.


An old cycling/running/swimming buddie and general good all round egg, bought me a graduation present which may be of interest to mac users with old lap tops.


Macupgrades.co.uk (google it)


500mb hard drive nothing spectacular in that, but within it a 4gb solid state drive. The idea being the S/S drive is fast and does all the regular work and leaving the Hard Drive (7200rpm) to take up the rest. really works like a dream, rocket ship. No need to upgrade the lap top for a couple more years. (purchased 2006).


So apart from all the good will and presents any other conclusions?


Confidence has improved, but most of all just the fact that social mobility is possible if given the chance. 


Hard work is rewarded, left-field thinking in the right environment is a bonus, photoshop is the modern paint pallet and finally the spectrum of design is broad, so even not every one gets it, not a problem as thats the beauty of the diversity of humanity. 


So what hasn't changed?


My modernist view that form and function will always be closly related. The idea to  benefit people (or the end user if you like), still its not about designer more what you can give to enrich peoples lives within the opens spaces that we are resposible for, if its not adopted by the public then its a failiure. Most of the designs that fail, fail to communicate what thier purpose is and thus get ignored or even despised. If there is any kind of pretentiousness behind the design, (ie don't preach, lead by example) it will be picked up especially by the British public.


Some images that were blown up for the MA show


They seem to go down well, doing my 'painterly' thing that Jekyll was famous for, though maybe not up to her standard.