Jon Quackenbush

Looks pretty promising… and very inexpensive.
 
On a side note since this is sketchup related, check out this guys sketchup models of famous works of art (And how he makes sense of MC Escher’s waterfall… insane):
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/cldetails?mid=c46fa1f007de7f90aee554f9566360dd&ct=mdcc
 

Ideation?  Did you just coin a word?
 
I have a mental map of what is where, a bit of organized chaos.  I find chaos to be an often overlooked and under appreciated aspect of the design process.  So often we operate on well informed whims based on current flavors we enjoy tempered with the knowledge of what works from past experiences.  Do I go t…[Read more]

Agreed on all fronts Nick. 
 
Mark, the image of your design does not flatter at all, I’d try skewing the view to either the right or the left showing the depth and length of the wall and if you have things growing, this will partially hide the letters, which would be a nice touch…
If you render this is sketchup, use late or early day sun p…[Read more]

I agree with your take on the mulch rings 100%…
 
On a side note, I wish people would stop saying ‘Aesthetically pleasing‘, that is just bad English.  The root ‘aesthetic’ means having a sense of the beautiful, and adding the word ‘pleasing’ at the end not only lessens the meaning of the word, but also adds a drab redundancy.  Do we say “that th…[Read more]

Depends on your perspective i suppose.  There are some good places to congregate, there are some decent restaurants (and Dino!), and they have the best regional farmers market in Ny, bar none.

Troy, Ny. 
 
The architecture is fantastic, it is very walkable and the cost of living is reasonable.

My most recent positive experience?
 
I was out of work for 90 weeks after taking up employment with the firm I interned while studying for my MLA.  I applied to every LA firm in the country in every state (even the ones where my far left political views would be less well received than normal).  Finally, I pretty much gave up looking for an LA jo…[Read more]

Great discussion. I feel the most comfortable rendering my plans in Photoshop, and for the most part labeling as well, however when plans get large and labeling extensive, photoshop is getting bogged down.

I would like an opinion on Illustrator for leaders and labels, is it worthwhile to pursue?

Precisely why I am all for the exclusive use of native to your area plants, especially is large scale projects. Why fight what nature has adapted to for your area? Have some pride in your bio-region!

I am seriously considering starting a native tree and shrub nursery, its unfortunate that a vast majority aren’t available.

“An architect or engineer, but with plants…”

What a maroon.

I was responding to an earlier comment with a funny tidbit from a comic (and I think one of the great minds to have graced this earth).

As far as what I do? I have an organic garden which sustains me and my fiance throughout the summer, when i do buy food, i buy from local organic farmers. i barely drive, i walk where i need to, i don’t buy…[Read more]

“Today, a young man on acid realized that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration, that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There is no such thing as death, life is only a dream and we’re the imagination of ourselves. Here’s Tom with the weather.”— Bill Hicks

i wish some of these programs looked more ‘video game’, a lot of the games out now look almost real, whereas the sketchup looks like 3d games from 2001.

true, it is all about getting the message across.

How far into the future are you being asked to project? The cynic in me says of Landscape Architecture is unemployment.

Arizona ain’t alone in this man… that is for sure. Keep your head up, be ‘happy’ that you made it this long (being employed).

i am in the market for a tablet, but i don’t want to spend $400, so i will wait.

and i agree, my sketchbook goes with me everywhere… i love it as it starts to age, i am always sad to move on to a new one.

nrs, that is a fantastic way to use sketchup, i would love to see some of those images. that is the best way to ‘stylize’ your model and make it less static….

Hand graphics will always have their place. Computer graphics are great, but in my opinion, when done with a deft hand, actual hand renderings are more emotive and visually interesting than computer graphics, and they can be done just as fast or faster. there are exceptions of course, because I have seen some amazing computer renderings, however…[Read more]

right on man…

how awesome is that? nowadays you’d need to have a railing on everything to prevent people from falling and maybe hurting themselves, and because of litigation, we have neutered an aspect of grand design that Halprin was able to create here, simply awesome.

I am about Darwinism, if someone is too careless while moving towards the edge of…[Read more]