Masterplanning crit

Where to begin?  Before the Christmas break I worked on into the evenings (at my, unrelated industry, paid job) partly to keep on top of the workload and to prepare as much as possible for the new year, our forthcoming VAT return and year end accounts, etc.  Thought I'd clear the decks to allow as much time as possible for any last minute panics with my masterplanning A1s.  Similarly, at home I stocked up on essentials to cut down on shopping trips and told people that I'd be working flat out over the Christmas break (as per the norm since beginning this course).  Remind me to invest in a social life when the studying ends ... I may need to start from scratch!

Anway, so far, so organised.

With everything apparently under control I sat down to formulate my plan ... damn.  No inspiration.  Less than a week and a half before the crit, and after weeks of frustration (including two whole, luxurious, days of using the age-old method of simply going out, doing something else and ignoring the problem in the vain hope that something or someone else will stimulate creative brain activity ... nope, that didn't work either) finally a seemingly workable idea formulated.  Unfortunately, I was now back at work (work), already overtired and rapidly running out of time.  As a result, a number of 'compromises' (i.e. just get something, anything down) had to be made.


Despite spending time looking at and attempting different rendering techniques I ended up with an extremely abstract looking plan with an unexpected nod to Picasso (look at the two lakes in the valley basin area and the shape of the natural playground on the former bowling green area ... and then squint a bit at a funny angle ... just me then?).

Plan

Two sheets of sequential sketches accompanied this, one ridiculously sparse and especially dull.  At too late a stage I realised that I'd picked some particularly bad examples but time was pouring away before the deadline ...

Sections

Oddly enough, I wasn't too unhappy with the sequential sketches (Photoshop used over more a collection of scribbles than actual sketches) but was told that they lacked atmosphere.  Couldn't see it yesterday but, apart from the 'prairie-style swathe' one, I'm now inclined to agree that there is a flatness to them.  Slightly surprised that no-one pointed out the most glaring error ... that nobody, with the possible exception of two small children, is actually looking at the view in 'highest viewpoint' (I struggled to find suitable images of peoples backs in time).  No questions either on what Johnny Depp was doing walking in Calverley Grounds' new sandstone valley.  Probably shouldn't have used that image but it's full length with feet ... surprisingly hard to find (clothed) images of people meeting this criteria just searching the web.

Sequential sketches

Nevermind ... maybe if I receive enough critical comments some of them will eventually be sufficiently absorbed that I'll learn from them!  Actually, apart from the 'atmosphere' remark none of the criticisms were unexpected.  Just need to act on the feedback ... tomorrow.  I've made a few more notes and a plan of action but am determined to have an early night (i.e. before midnight) ... after all, the VAT return still needs checking before submittal and that's better done with an unfuddled mind!