[saslandscape]

Jody- I wish I was as fast as you! Do you use the Blender for the chartpak? I have one, but still haven't learned how to use it yet. Gorgeous plan you did. Wish I could get a blueprint machine but the smell is a little too much. How long did it take you to design that project?

[jshilan]

The drawing that I posted is one that I use for displays at garden centers, mason supply yards, trade shows and as my general marketing piece to generate design business. I also use it as my presentation plan to the client whether it is a homeowner or contractor. Because of this it has a little more work into it then I usually do on my plans (roof lines, stippling etc.). Otherwise it is my standard plan.

Most of the plans I do range from 6 hours to 12 hours (including travel etc) and are usually properties 1/2 acre to an acre in size. I probably spend 1/2 of my time driving to the house, doing the site analysis, printing pictures and creating a job folder. After so many years, and so many built projects the design process has become relatively quick. It is no longer a question of how it can be done, but rather which way do you want to do it.

Because I have been in design/build for so long, from being a contractor to now just designing for contractors, I have a design and drawing style that has most of the information that you would need to build it. They are very good layout plans that can be built by a qualified contractor. I don't have construction details or grades, although I shoot spot elevations during my site analysis so I know what's really going on. I also label the plants generically, but don't include a plant list because this is something that I feel should only be in the contract (I have very valid reasons).

I have developed a landscape design production process for everything that I do from doing the site analysis the day I meet the client and get the deposit (reducing travel time) to simplifying my graphic style and using the same 20 markers for my plans. I teach a landscape graphics class at a community college and I take students with little to no skill, to be able to produce drawings that look similar to mine, within only 1 semester. They take longer then I do but that's ok.

As far as the blender goes, I don't use it. Mike Lin, who taught me my rendering style, was very big on having colors that jump out at you. His philosophy was that the blender just muted everything, and naturally I agree. I developed the color palette over the years to give my plans a water color feel. Almost every symbol has two colors and the lawn areas get two "coats" of celery.

The great thing about this rendering style is that you don't have to stay "in the lines". It was designed to be fast. Most of the plan is freehanded, except for buildings and property lines, which keeps things moving.

I could go on for hours but I have two drawings that I need to finish by tomorrow.

Thanks for the positive feedback. I appreciate it.

[Chris Heiler]

I'm trying to put one of my renderings on here. I really had to compress the image. Hopefully this works...

Just a note- the house, garage and pool are existing.

[jshilan]

Hey Chris,

I just wanted to let you know that the drawing you posted is fantastic. The colors have a wonderful pastel quality to them. The plan is very easy to understand and I especially like the perspectives. They really give you a sense of what the spaces are going to feel like.

How are you creating your drawings (software, color, etc)?

Do you build what you design? The entry looks like a lot of serious masonry work, especially if it is wet laid.

I really enjoy seeing other peoples plans, graphics and design styles. Ironically, after college, you don't really get to see what anyone else is doing. So if anyone else can post their design work I think we can all benefit from seeing them. (The good news is that no one can put any "red lines" through them.)

Great work Chris and thanks for sharing.

[Chris Heiler]

Thanks for the kind comments Jody.

To answer your question, all my drafting is done in cad and then the color is added by hand. This is an example of a Conceptual Plan- these are the only plans I add color to.

My assistant actually rendered this plan. I just don't have the time so I have him do it. Actually, since he has been doing the rendering, we've been doing more and more color rendering and perspective drawing for other designers and contractors. Designers from anywhere in the country can outsource the rendering to us. It's kind of fun.

Regarding construction, I act as the general contractor on my projects. This gives me much more design freedom. I work with a great mason who will build that entry shown on the plan.

[deegola]

Originally Posted by jshilan

Why don't some of you "New School" kids post some pics of your work so we can all see what is the latest and greatest in landscape design and graphics.

DJ

[saslandscape]

How did you do that? Is the first picture a model? I'm jealous! How long did this take you to do?

[deegola]

They are both done the same. Drawn and modeled in AutoCAD, then rendered. The bottom on ejust looks different because it was rendered with a different renderering engine.

If you want the files so you can dis-sect them, just ask, and I'll post them up!

DJ Delten

[Fine Edge]

Awesome.
DJ, from start to finish, what kind of time do you have for the second picture, just a general timeframe.
Both of those actually look like a real picture.

[deegola]

The second rendering took about 3 hours. The 1st took longer, but I also made night shots, and one were the model was superimposed over the real picture of the backyard.

But CAD's definetley (in my opinion) the fastest way to get things done.

[tfld]

Most of the projects I've been working on lately have been too complex to go without studying from various views and angles. I typically color as I'm drawing as a way of delineating hardscape from turf, planting, etc.

Final plans are almost always colored in photoshop and hard-lined in CAD. We're also using LandFX in CAD to do planting plans which has shadows built in which you can turn on and off. If it's a small project we may just complete the planting in LandFX and some cad sections to help the contractor bid the project.

Mike Lins graphics are pretty dated, but I suppose that's just personal preference for our purposes. On larger projects, that old school graphic may kill the project.

Otherwise, alot of development drawings are done to convince our own engineers that what we're doing is for a reason.

I'll see if I can attach some graphic examples (not much on this laptop).

I understand alot of this work is larger scale public, but maybe it could be useful in inspiring new techniques and processes.

All of these are digital. They're mostly samples of some of my academic projects from previous years. Professional projects use the same techniques.

[tfld]

[tfld]

elevation drawings...



and a full scale physical model

[dan deutekom]

As a guy that ends up translating all these neat drawings into reality I have to say that Jody's drawing is the easiest to work from and figure out pricing. I also think that if you are selling a job to us "baby boomers" the old school commands much more respect in the LA's abilities. Nick's drawings look great but older guys figure that computer graphics are "easy" and anyone can do it. (I know that is not the case). Older folks think that you just got a $35.00 program at Office Depot and went at it. I think the younger generation is more in tune with this type of presentation.

I think the problem with the photo realistic presentation is that the client expects it to look just like the photo. And this rarely happens! The materials used never exactly look like the picture and construction constraints can't always follow the picture.

With drawings like Jody's a lot of things are left to the imagination and the little details and materials arn't so precisely rendered making it much easier to build without the client saying "that stone isn't the pink in the picture".

Not meant to offend but just the way I see it.

By the way Nick your design of the information board is ingenious. I love it.

[deegola]

Originally Posted by dan deutekom

I think the problem with the photo realistic presentation is that the client expects it to look just like the photo. And this rarely happens! The materials used never exactly look like the picture and construction constraints can't always follow the picture.

Since you mention it, here's the renderings I had done VS the (almost) final product. They are getting closer and closer.
http://www.djdelten.com/Faila/Failia.jpg
http://www.djdelten.com/Faila/render_1.jpg
http://www.djdelten.com/Faila/render_2.jpg
http://www.djdelten.com/Faila/1_large.jpg