Flipping Through My Sketch Pad

The following sketches were mostly products of the freehand drawing classes I took during my undergraduate studies.  The course was aimed at enhancing skills which were very essential to Interior Designing.  Throughout the entire freehand drawing course, we were strictly prohibited from using any kind of straight edges such as stencils, templates, and rulers.

 

Generally, freehand drawing is a style wherein an artist interprets a subject as it appears under a given light source.  This specific look is primarily achieved by applying simple shadowing techniques.  

If one lacks the fundamental skills of freehand drawing, one can follow basic pointers to develop dexterity.  Probably the most important and crucial key is drawing inspiration.  This simple step may be achieved by looking at pictures, photos, scenery, or by simply taking in one’s surroundings.  It is necessary that one does not confine himself within the standard limits.  It is always best to go beyond the normal perspective and find beauty in the most mundane of things.  Find your vision and let the creative juice flow.  Also, to facilitate in the development of the basic freehand drawing skills, it is advisable to practice.  Simple exercises like doodling and scribbling, which is often overlooked and underrated, can immensely help in refining an artist’s dexterity.  From doodling and scribbling, we expect to grow more proficient in handling your pencil precisely the way it needs to be handled.  Soon enough, the artistic process will take its natural course of progression.

On the technical aspect of freehand drawing, an artist must take note of the importance of using the right kind of pencil.  We determine the exact type of pencil to use depending on the objective.  Pencils are specifically classified to aid the artist in making the drawing more aesthetically pleasing.  Some of the most basic pencils that artists use for freehand drawing are 4H, which is known to be the hardest, HB in the middle next to F, and 4B as the softest.  Those who have experienced using the different kinds of pencils will attest to the fact that using the right kind of pencil can make a huge difference.

This is a product I am definitely proud of.  An estimated 4 hours of hard work was put into this work of art.  One can be as technical and careful in freehand drawing, but as I have learned from years and years of experience, a combination of time, patience, and artistic freedom are an artist’s best bet in producing the best freehand drawings a sketchpad will ever house.

What is Art Without Colour?

In as much as a crayon box is a cacophony of different hues and colours, and so is every square meter in this world.  And the world of Interior Design is no different from a crayon box.  We work and play with colours all the time, making it an indispensible element of ID.  The dance between and among two or more colours has helped the world become a more pleasant place to live in.

In exploring the field of Interior Design, you will work with colour rendering and painting.  The market today offers an array of different artist’s tools like pastels, oil pastels, gouache, coloured pencils, water colours, acrylics, oil paint, and many more.

Water colour are stains suspended in water-soluble palette.  It gives the artist the freedom to mix the actual colours with one another in a palette.  However, thin washes of paint also mix optically when overlaid one over the other.  The image below is my water colour project which highlights where the shadowing can be found with respect to the light.)

The quality of coloured pencils make it almost impossible to physically mix or blend different colours together.  Therefore, to be able to produce a unique tint, we apply coloured pencils directly on the canvas and carefully layer the colours on top of each other.  It is essential to note that a third colour is dependent on the proximity of one colour to another.

 
Here are two basic examples of perspectives which I have hand rendered.

The pictures below were projects from class for a faculty room, living room, and kitchen space planning.  These perspectives include material choices, colour, and lighting schemes.

Colour rendering allows potential clients to visualize and appreciate your desired finished product.  It is a good way to concretize your ideas and to visually impart your concept.

Oil paints are usually mixed together on a palette using a brush.  The resulting mixture is then applied to the support.  These mixtures can be applied either thickly or thinly as a glaze, depending on the desired outcome.  A famous technique that artists practice is using blobs of colours applied next to each other without mixing them.  This allows for the oil paint to mix optically.  Other artists may opt to mix and apply oil paint with a knife.

These landscapes and still life oil paintings are inspired by simple objects.  On a stretched canvas, I painted a couple of coloured wine bottles next to a fruit with green, red, yellow, blue, pink, orange, and brown accents.  I did a rough sketch of the subject using a pencil and thinned paint before proceeding to the actual oil painting process.  I mixed the paint with linseed oil for proper drying. Starting from the background, I liberally played with different colours to be able to produce just the right shade.  As I have previously done before, I initially focused on the areas which were lighter than the others and slowly built my way around it, carefully examining what needs more depth in colour or what needs to be further modified.

Acrylic paints are very much like oil paint.  Acrylics are mixed using a brush or a knife.  Also, similar to the oil paint, the acrylic paint can be mixed both physically or optically.  Because of its unique quality of having quick drying time, the acrylic paint is ideal for glazing.

The photo above shows a personalized gift I gave my mother as a Mother’s Day gift a few years ago.  I hand painted beautiful flowers on a wooden tray.  I base coated the top and used acrylic paint as my medium.  I combined two different colours for the pansy flowers.  For the shell-shaped petals, I used a flat brush.  I did overlapped strokes of about 5 layers and paired it with individual teardrop-shaped petals at the bottom of the pansy.

No matter what medium an artist chooses, one should remember to simply be creative, imaginative, and let one’s colourful imagination be the genesis of something beautiful.

A Glimpse of My Heritage (Graduation Exhibit)

Treading our way towards the future does not always mean that one has to completely leave the past behind.  Sometimes, the best way to move forward is to take a look back and see how far one has gone.

This realization has inspired my next project where I have chosen to incorporate traditions to the daily rituals of people.  In the midst of the chaotic offerings of contemporary developments, it is refreshing to retain equilibrium by combining modernity with representations of idylls of the olden days.  Consequently, when the splendor of the past beautifully blends with the adventures of the present, expect a masterpiece of a hopeful future.

This project was part of our graduation exhibit back in 2004 entitled “Glimpse of our Heritage”.  We had to travel back in time to find an artistic link between history and the present.  In the process, before us unfolded a forecast of the future of design.

Our group was assigned to design a children’s bedroom.  We wanted to produce a seminal design, introducing to the public a vision that has never been executed before.  With our imagination in full gear, we were able to give birth to an original model.

On the outset, the outcome of our combined efforts appears to be a typical layout of a bedroom.  A closer look would reveal an inspired design.  The interplay between the light-coloured bedding, the pillowcases with aquatic pattern, and the intermingling yellow and aqua blue paint on the walls established a creative vibe to the whole room.  The South Pacific map etched on the side wall and the collection of seashells added to the room’s fascinating dynamics.  The meticulously positioned canopies above the glass set an interesting twist to the whole room, setting it apart from the common children’s room. 

As seen in the images, we used indigenous materials such as the abaca shades for the glass windows and tikog for the wall panel that serves as the headboard.  We can also see an old cabinet and frame made of locally-crafted coasters.  Vietnamese chairs and Indian knobs accentuate the influence of the Asian culture in the room’s design philosophy.  Above the wall panel hangs a painting showcasing the close bond of families, a distinctive characteristic Filipinos are known for.

Other exceptional details of this room are the wooden tables, a mirror with colourful plastic prints, a droplight hanging on the ceiling, wood beams, Italian lamps, and of course, stuffed toys and (a) straw teddy bear(s). 

All of these details and accents highlighted the youthful eccentricity of this room.  It is perfect for children as it inspires and encourages their innate inclination to go places far beyond their imagination’s reach.

A Proposed Interior Design of The Game Room and Restaurant

EXISTING VILLAGE SQUARE, HARRISON PLAZA


Village Square, Harrison Plaza

This was a thesis project and our partial requirement for our undergraduate diploma in Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design.  The objective of the thesis was to reassess and redesign a particular area while still maintaining its existing floor plan. 

The Village Square of Harrison Plaza is a separate establishment from the main building of the Harrison Plaza Mall.  To this date, the existing Village Square, Harrison is aesthetically bare. The building is in neutral colours and is very unappealing to guests. In the lobby, one will find a small lagoon made of obviously low-cost tiles and railings.

For the area that I had chosen, it was imperative that a different atmosphere must be created.  One of the first few decisions that had to be made was whether to change the existing furniture or make necessary logistical alterations.  Another point of consideration was to use materials that are in coordination with the central theme of the area.  The potential clients were mostly the youth, particularly the teenagers, who are known to prioritize comfort, leisure, and the entertainment value they get from their surroundings.  Lastly, the materials should be durable but still economical and cost effective.

 
THE TRANSFORMATION

GAME ROOM

Here, we see a very conventional layout design.  I opted for the traditional motif.  This means using native materials and maintaining a cultural setting which is very much in tune with the external environment of the establishment.  The entrance boasts of an impressive fountain of flowing water that provides a laid back ambiance.  Couches are strategically located in the area where guests can comfortably sit and lounge around.  The lighting, ethnic colour palette, and patterns were carefully chosen to provide an extraordinary visual experience.

To cater to the interests of the guests who are mostly teenagers, coin-operated machines are ideal.  A variety of machine games should be provided to develop its image to the target market. 
 

 

BAR AND RESTAURANT

The design motif for the bar and restaurant are still complementary with that of the designs of the other major areas.  The objective is to create an exciting and integrated impression coming in and out of the area.  Designs which were inspired by the Native American culture were chosen because it easily meshes with the environmental feel of the surroundings.  Bamboo canopies are also placed against the ceiling.  These serve as the focal point of the room.

FINE DINING

The restaurant features an interior that enhances the guests’ dining experience.  It provides the perfect ambience and space for both casual or intimate gatherings.  The visitors may choose to be seated in the privacy of a booth or in the comforts of the conventional seating arrangement.  A stage is also made available for live entertainment.

The experience of transforming a boring, uninteresting entertainment area into a more lively, dynamic, and exciting leisure space was both challenging and liberating.  For me, it was the birth of my Interior Design career, one that I will happily embark on.