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I think that most of us would admire watercoloring done well, and it is seen sometimes for sky or ground tones mixed with other media, but for the main subjects and details, it requires more skill than applying markers over pen or CAD linework. And I think that markers came into architecture and LA for that reason (along with being neater to…[Read more]

Thanks Guys!  I am familiar with the warm grey’s Toby, and I started mixing in colors with pale indigo and sunset pink but muddled the rendering a bit too much (it almost looks like a wetland).  I will keep it simple with just a 2-3 color combination and try that.  Brian I will work with this style, it always helps to see it applied, I do not ha…[Read more]

Sketchup is a good enough 3D modeling software if you can pair it with a nice renderer (Vray works well as well as the ones Eli mentioned).  Rhino allows for more robust surface modeling, and Bentley Microstation works well for solid modeling.  Generally, Photoshoping to soften an image makes it more warm and fuzzy (feathered edges make odd e…[Read more]

Thanks for the response and valuable information! I am going to start looking into those programs! 

Oops, correct.  Thanks for the catch ida

you mean addons like grasshopper won’t work in MAC

In the program I teach in, I use SketchUp as a starting point for 3D modelling and from there we use external rendering plug-ins such as Twilight Render or Shaderlight, as well as using Photoshop for layer blending, filters and general post production.  As my students progress to upper years I introduce Vue Infinite (through SketchUp export), 3DS…[Read more]

Back in the day when (if) I did this kind of stuff, pavements were warm grays 1 – 5 , darker at the edges, lighter in the middles.  The lightest color would go down everywhere with darker colors over still wet so bleed would occur. 
I did the same thing with greens for mass vegetation.  A dark dark green would then be used to make things pop – bra…[Read more]

This is like discussing religion.

Autocad is still the most used drafting software and it, by all accounts, is much better on a PC.  … but, lots of graphics programs are supposed to be great on MACS. You should see what you school is doing and what is the best match between you and your school. Right now you need it for school and should…[Read more]

thanks for the helpful feedback.

I’d stick with a Windows machine.  You will need Windows if you want to work with ArcGIS or Rhino (the mac version of rhino isn’t ready for primetime yet, and addons like grasshopper won’t work in windows).  The mac version of AutoCAD is also missing some really useful commands.
If you go with a mac, you end up paying a premium for the design, a…[Read more]

Hi JA –

If you want a pervious surface, first figure out if the water, once it is through the surface, will be soaking in or flowing along just under the surface — you can look at this website to see how permeable pavement bases typically work: http://ncsu.edu/picp/.  Since you will be parking over the space for long periods of time, using a P…[Read more]

A great concept and philosophy at some point is affected by situational reality.It sounds easy until you actually have to do it. Then you find out why tings get built the way they do.

The use of synthetic turf isn’t a bad one.  Its hard to get much of anything to grow around those planatable blocks in hot climates because the blocks retain the sun’s heat and the soil just gets baked. When I was in Las Vegas, we used synthetic turf between pavers.  Hotlanta gets almost as hot, but of course its a wetter climate.  In your case it…[Read more]

I am in Minnesota so I do not know specific plants for Atlanta. Generally Moss is not a terrible idea if it grows naturally. I always try to work with what the site gives me instead of forcing my design to fit the conditions. So if the site gives you shade with moisture maybe moss is great. If the site is more open to sun, there are grasses that…[Read more]

From a growing media perspective, I have found the plastic pavers (i.e. “grass pave”) perform better than the concrete ones.  Some of this may be due to the lime leaching out of the concrete (especially at first).  It also seems that the concrete pavers cause the medium to dry out more quickly–probably acting like a wick.
The only drawback to p…[Read more]

 
Where is Dan Johnson, who posed the question?

Dan,
I guess it depends on your goals in life. If you want to make more money and have potentially more job options, I’d say go with engineering (assuming you can handle the math). If crunching numbers isn’t your thing and creativity is, then studying to be an LA could be a potential option.
You can succeed at both, however engineering generally…[Read more]

There is a subscription requirement for this version of the software.  I am offering this at a highly discounted rate. I am not sure if you can run this on XP.

Thanks,
John