Landscape architecture is a multidisciplinary field of study where if you are not provided with some basic guidelines, you might find yourself confused and frustrated. Working long hours on a computer can be fruitful, but you can sometimes get bogged down. Here are some tips to make life as a landscape architecture student a little bit easier! 1. Don’t forget this button combination: Ctrl + S Make it a ritual to save your work when finishing an element from a drawing, or hit Ctrl + S at set intervals, such as every 10 minutes. This habit will pay off many times over. A great life hack is to put a sticky note on the side of your computer with the reminder “Don’t forget Ctrl + S”. 2. Don’t depend only on the Internet for inspiration and references.
Freehand Drawing & Discovery by James Richards, CLICK on the image get the book!
There are great landscape architecture books that will open your eyes to things you didn’t even know exist. For example,
designing a meadow – enough with the predictable, luscious green carpet in each garden; try something new. Books also offer another level of credibility for what you are learning, allowing you to cross-reference among different resources. Besides, it is great fun to go to the nearest library and choose from the dozens of books related to the field.
See all our recommend book reviews! 3. Don’t forget to print your designs as a draft It is very convenient to work on a computer that has dozens of programs, but when it comes to corrections the best way is the old fashioned drawing on the paper. Print out your computer aided work on
A4 or A3 sheets in black and white to check them. It can give you a better view of the entire project.
4. Don’t forget to get your hands dirty! Stay closer to nature: Observe it, explore it. Create your first designs in your own garden. Be a hands-on designer, not a designer who can only relate to computer programs.
Working at your local allotment, may teach you more about the local community than analyzing statistics on the computer; credit: shutterstock.com
First, because doing so is very outdated and second, because you can see right away the effect of the colors you have chosen and if they work well or not, helping you to avoid editing later after the full drawing is finished.
See also our 10 AtuoCAD hacks for beginners! 6. Don’t ignore opportunities to take part in student competitions. You can find a high concentration of innovative and exciting ideas in student competitions, and it is a great way to make new friends who have the same interests as you. You can compare yourself with others and learn what you need to work harder on and what you are really good at.
7. Don’t think for a second you’re on or ahead of schedule! If somethings important and you can do it now, DO IT NOW! You may think you’re on schedule, you may even think your ahead of schedule and you can afford to slow it down and watch re-runs of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. However if there is one thing that will bite you in the ass time and time again it’s a false sense of security. Especially where time is concerned. The unpredictable can and will happen, you’ve experienced it, you know it so why not account for it!
See also 5 Common Habits of Successful Landscape Architecture Students Knowing what
NOT to do may be just as important as knowing what to do. Often progress isn’t hindered because of a lack of ambition or motivation, but by not being aware of simple common mistakes that we not only make but we’re in the habit of making on a repetitive basis. Our biggest obstacle to success is that we don’t allow ourselves to be successful; stop getting in your own way! Hopefully these steps have triggered a change in your habits and allow you to progress and excel with your education. Article written by Slavyana Popcheva
Published in Blog
