Another Angel

              Ada 2 malaikat di sebelahku sekarang. Sahabat terbaik. Orang2 terbaik. Tahap Hidup yang kujalani sekarang terasa lengkap. Mereka mengisinya dengan beraneka warna, mengisi setiap ruang kosong. Meskipun aku hampir tak pernah bisa berkumpul bersama mereka, kedua malaikatku tetap ada di sampingku. Meskipun aku merasa berbeda dan mereka terlihat sama, aku tidak pernah mundur untuk tetap disamping mereka, untuk berusaha yakin aku pantas di dekat mereka. Meskipun aku selalu merasa gagal untuk membuat mereka senang tapi mereka tetap tersenyum seolah-olah aku sudah melakukan yang terbaik.

             Bersama mereka aku tau sisi lain dari diriku. Dari mereka aku belajar. Suatu keadaan dimana berkumpul, tertawa, menangis bersama adalah moment terbaik dimana aku semakin merasa dekat dengan mereka. Aku bersyukur Tuhan mengirim mereka, meskipun aku tidak sempurna, mereka tidak sempurna tapi dengan adanya satu sama lain, aku rasa semua bagian kosong sudah terisi.

Stay strong, we are one. I love you guys to the moon and back. 

PPSMB itu PENTING

“Orang bilang ada kekuatan-kekuatan dahsyat yang tak terduga yang bisa timbul pada samudera, pada gunung berapi dan pada pribadi yang tahu benar akan tujuan hidupnya (Rumah Kaca, h. 409)”

-Pramoedya Ananta Toer-

            Kenalan dulu yaa. Namaku Astrid Erasari dari Teknik Teknologi Informasi. Aku baru jadi Mahasiswa Baru di Universitas Gadjah Mada tahun 2014. Nggak terasa yaa padahal baru kemarin jadi siswa SMA sekarang sudah jadi MABA (Mahasiswa Baru) aja.

            Oyaa, berhubungan judul kali ini PPSMB itu penting. Sebenarnya ada yang tahu arti PPSMB itu sendiri? Membaca kata PPSMB, yang terpikir di benak kalian pasti, Apa sih PPSMB itu? Kalau ada yang tahu kepanjangan PPSMB angkat tangan yaaa. 

            Oke, disini Astrid akan menjelaskan sedikit PPSMB itu apa. PPSMB itu kepanjangan dari Pelatihan Pembelajaran Sukses Mahasiswa Baru. PPSMB itu kudu wajib, harus banget buat mahasiswa baru. Pasti ada pertanyaan, kenapa sih penting? Pasti ada beberapa teman kita yang berpikir, kalau nggak ikut PPSMB kan gak rugi apa-apa atau Males ah ikut PPSMB nanti dimarah-marah, dll

              Nah disini akan dikasih tahu sedikit pendapat astrid tentang Pentingnya PPSMB. Jawaban Astrid, PPSMB itu penting! Penting karena di PPSMB adalah kegiatan wajib yang nggak boleh dilewatkan Maba (Mahasiswa Baru) yang acaranya dilakukan dengan prosedur yang benar dan bijak. PPSMB itu bagi astrid sebagai tahap awal dalam memasuki dunia kuliah. Kita sebagai Maba belum pernah menjadi mahasiswa seutuhnya dan sebenar-benarnya, bukan? Padahal di kuliah itu kita hidup mandiri. Kuliah pertanda kita sudah menjadi mahasiswa seutuhnya. Maka dari itu dialakukanlah PPSMB sebagai pelatihan.

Beberapa poin dari pentingnya PPSMB adalah sebagai berikut  :

·         Kedisiplinan. DI sekolah mungkin kita sering nggak tepat waktu datang atau jarang mengumpulkan tugas, dll. Mulai sekarang diubah pola yang seperti itu ya. Di PPSMB kita akan diajari untuk membiasakan diri hidup disiplin. Displin menjadikan hidup kita lebih terarah dan teratur, guys.

·          Pembelajaran kampus dan pengenalan. Nggak pingin kan kesasar masuk gedung fakultas lain. Nah di PPSMB kita akan diajak jalan-jalan keliling kampus dan diperkenalkan dengan beberapa organisasi. Poin plus-plusnya lagi selain jalan-jalan keliling kampus, kita sebagai Maba boleh bertanya loh tentang organisasi yang ingin kita ikuti. Asyik kan? J

·         Saling membantu dan kerjasama. Masih banyak teman-teman kita yang individual, introvert dan nggak aware serta acuh saja kalau ada yang butuh pertolongan. Sebenarnya itu nggak bagus loh teman-teman. Hidup nggak akan jadi ramai, nggak seru. Di PPSMB kita akan mulai berbaur, mengenal satu sama lain, saling tolong menolong, contohnya Kita yang sesama Maba akhirnya akan tahu teman kita ini asalnya dari mana, sekolah dulu dimana, tinggal sekarang sama siapa, sifatnya serta perawakannya bagaimana, dll.  Karena hiudp sendiri di daerah rantau tanpa teman akhirnya toh kita juga tidak bisa apa-apa, bukan?

·         Tegas dan melatih mental. Hidup di kuliah dengan di sekolah berbeda. Dulu mungkin waktu SMA kita sering males-malesan mengerjakan tugas, terlambat mengerjakan tugas, Manja, semuanya serba dituruti, dll. Nah di kuliah sudah berbeda lagi. Maka dari itu di PPSMB melatih mental MABA untuk siap menghadapi dunia  kuliah, tidak hanya kuliah tapi dunia sebenarnya.

Nah ini beberapa poin penting dari PPSMB. Semoga bermanfaat yaa, teman-temna. Mohon maaf jika ada salah kata. Semoga kita bisa menjadi manusia yang berguna serta bermanfaat bagi Nusa Bangsa, Orangtua, serta Agama.

Untuk menutup tulisan ini ada sedikit quote. Semoga bisa diamalkan dalam dunia nyata.

Help others get ahead. You will always stand taller with someone else on your shoulders.

-Bob Moawad-

ON THE BOARDS

I let a few weeks slip by on this website without a post but it hasn't been for nothing. I have been hard at work on many things behind the scenes, one of them being working with Blurb to re-release Portfolio Vol 3 at a new lower price. I have also been spending time designing and modeling up a project that will give me some new geometry to create illustrations with. This project was chosen to allow me to experiment with certain ideas that I haven't covered in depth in the past. Specifically, I want to look at diagrams and how to generate them quickly and easily. This project is also located in an urban environment. I have worked on a few urban renderings in the past, but this one is a little different and sits on the waterfront. This means more opportunities to experiment with illustrating water, water reflections, and how the architecture meets the water.

The plan for this project is to redesign Long Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. I visit this area often and it is one of my favorite places to go in the city. It is a busy hub for many of the city's ferries, harbor cruises, and whale watching tours. In the summer months, this area can attract many tourists due to its mix of water traffic, views of the harbor, historical context, and nearby aquarium. I am interested in rethinking the use of this wharf and how people inhabit the many different spaces.  Without getting too deep into the specifics, the complexity of the context offers up many different avenues to explore architectural visualization.

The design is in its final stages but still needs much refinement. I have plans to start with some macro site analysis diagrams but then move into diagramming the design of the wharf itself. The other opportunity with this project is the use of texture and the crucial role texture will play in the proper reading of the design.  Finally, I want to make it a point to be more explorative with graphics therefore expect some not-so-mainstream styles. So, those are my plans, but let me know your thoughts and what you would like to see graphically. If I receive a lot of feedback for a specific type of visualization then I can try to incorporate it into a future post. 

SITE ANALYSIS DIAGRAMS

I have been experimenting with some site diagrams of the existing conditions of Long Wharf in Boston. I am mostly interested in introducing texture and depth to diagrams that are typically presented in a more simplified manner using solid colors and no gradients. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of the "BIG" type diagrams which essentially strip down the graphics to the bare essentials to explain a concept. However, I want to go to the other extreme and see what kind of diagrams can be generated using lots of texture and shading.
Above is a composite image of several different diagrams layered together. Below are the individual diagrams. The goal was to give a slightly different graphical look to each diagram but have the whole series feel as if it came from the same family. These were all generated from one Photoshop file, but with different color overlays and levels of saturation applied to each.





IMAGE BREAKDOWN
The above diagrams are built on a simple base that is made up of two images: a clay model rendering and an aerial image. I like to overlay the aerial image to bring in more information, detail, and texture. However, I lower the opacity quite a bit so that the aerial image isn't too overpowering. In this case, I desaturated the aerial image and will bring in the color later.

Above: A clay model rendering using Kerkythea. See tutorial HERE
Above, the clay model rendering with the aerial image overlayed. I then lowered the opacity of the overlayed image to about 35%.
With the base image setup, I then began applying color on top of the base image to punch up certain aspects of the illustration such as buildings, roads, and water. Each color overlay is on its own layer (such as the roads on one layer, buildings on another, etc) so that I can individually control the color and opacity.

The edge of the wharf and buildings need to be better defined, so I applied a "stroke" to the colored layers. This is where having the layers separated out worked to my advantage. For example, I chose the layer that contained the blue color overlay for all of the buildings. I went to "Layer>Layer Style>Stroke" and gave a stroke width of 4 pixels. This placed a black outline around that layer and therefore around each building. I also applied a stroke to the edge of the water, docks, and boats to help define those elements as well. You may also notice that I added a diagonal line hatch to the water and buildings. This was a texture I found online and applied as an layer overlay.


From here, I began adding guidelines, trees, and other elements for diagramming.

Finally, a few more textures were applied along with the pedestrian traffic and boat traffic linework. The pedestrian traffic lines were tricky to put together, but it ended up being a combination of painting the linework in Photoshop as well as dissecting parts of an image that I found online of flight paths.

I scimmed over many of the details of this illustration. However, as I generate more diagrams for this project, I will narrow in on specific techniques used. For now, I am still experimenting and testing out ideas. More on this later.

DIAGRAMS: PEDESTRIAN PATHS

I received a lot of emails asking if I could explain how I created the pedestrian paths diagram in the previous post. To generate the line work, there are many ways this could be done. In the past, I probably would have used the spline tool in CAD. The line work could also easily be created in Illustrator. However, not many people know about or use the pen tool in Photoshop. It's similar to the pen tool in Illustrator but with some minor differences. In this case, I will be using the pen tool to create a path that I can tell the brush tool to follow.

1. Setup the Brush settings

I need to first set the brush settings because this is what I am going to use to add a stroke to the path created in the next step. The settings in this step will determine the thickness of the line as well as the color, hardness, and opacity. I chose a hard brush, 6 pixels big, at 100% opacity, and with black paint. You may need to draw a few lines to determine if you have the correct size.

2. Setup the pen tool and begin creating paths

Before choosing the pen tool, first create a new layer. The paths will not show up in the layers palette but the stroke that is applied to the paths will be drawn on this layer. Now, choose the pen tool and be sure the "Path" option is selected in the pen tool settings tool bar at the top.
With the pen tool activated, begin drawing the paths. To create the curved paths, click and drag when choosing the points on the path. This will create handles that can be used to control the size and shape of the curve at that point.

3. Stroke Path

Once you get the path where you want it, right click near the path and choose "Stroke Path". If this option is grayed out, double check that you have the new layer selected that was created in the previous step.
A second dialogue box will appear asking what tool to use for the stroke. We want the "Brush" tool since this is what we set up in the first step. Then choose "OK".
To finish the path, hit the enter. Repeat these steps to create each path.

4. Generate many paths at different levels of opacities

I want to create a hierarchy of paths revealing different levels of traffic intensity. This is shown through both a density of lines and levels of opacity. For this image, I created three different path layers. The first layer was set to 100% opacity, the second to 50%, and the third to 15%.

5. Add line work glow

I want the line work to have more of a presence in the illustration, so a slight glow will be added. This is done simply with the brush tool. I used a soft brush, 90 pixels big, and set the opacity to 12%. Where the lines are dense or converge together, I layered in some black paint.
I also duplicated the dark paths layer and applied a Gaussian Blur filter.
I removed the background so that this step could be seen a little more clearly.

6. Add Color

To further punch up the paths, I'm going to add color. To make things easier, first merge all of the path layers together. It may be best to first duplicate these layers and turn off visibility so that you will still have the original individual layers available to edit if needed later on down the road. To merge, select all of the path layers, right-click on one of the layers, and choose "Merge Layers".
Once the layers are merged, right-click on the new single layer and choose "Duplicate Layer".

With the duplicated layer selected, choose "Image>Adjustments>Hue Saturation" at the top. In the dialogue box, first check the "Colorize" box. Then move the "Lightness" slider to the right to ligten the line work. Also move the "Saturation" slider to the right to increase the color. Finally, adjust the "Hue" slider to the color tone you prefer.

7. Set Layer to Overlay

Finally, set the blend mode of the colorized layer to "Overlay". This will help blend the color into the image and let the darker line work underneath show through.

The final result is a series of smooth curvy lines created without the need to jump into another program such as Illustrator or CAD.

DIAGRAMS: HATCH PATTERNS

This post is also a follow up from many emails asking me to explain the diagonal line hatching used the site analysis diagrams. There are two methods in Photoshop that I know of that can create the diagonal line hatch seen in the image above. Both options use a relatively fast workflow and are easy to execute.

OPTION A: Google Image Overlay

A1. This option involves simply going online and finding a hatch pattern. In this case, I Google searched "diagonal lines" and found several images that would work. The images do not need to be large because I can copy the texture many times to create a much larger texture for what I need.
If you do need to copy a small image many times, hold down the "Alt" key ("Option" on Mac) and drag the image using the "Move" tool. This quickly duplicates the layer. Once you have all of the layers aligned forming a larger image, they can be merged into one layer by selecting all of the individual layers in the layers palette, right click on one of the layers, and choose "Merge Layers".

A2.  Next, the white background needs to be removed. This is easily done by selecting the new hatch layer, then choosing "Multiply" in the layer blend mode drop down in the layers palette.

OPTION B: Create a Custom Pattern

A second option to create a hatch is to define a custom pattern which can offer much more flexibility. This method will often generate cleaner line work than what can be found on the web. One other thing to note is that many PS patterns can be found online through websites like Brusheezy which can be imported into Photoshop.
B1. I want to create my own custom pattern. To do this, I first need to create a new document in Photoshop by going to "File>New". I set up the new document to be 12x12 pixels, however this size can change depending on your needs. Also, double check to make sure the background contents is set to "Transparent".

B2. Next, select the "Rectangular Marquee Tool" and make a selection crossing the entire document. I made my selection 2 pixels high. The Rectangular Marquee Tool should snap to each pixel making it easy to determine how many pixels are being selected.
Choose the "Paint Bucket Tool" on the left and also select a black paint color. Then, fill the selection.

B3. The pattern is ready, so now it needs to be saved into Photoshop as a pattern. Choose "Edit>Define Pattern". In the dialogue box, give the pattern a descriptive name and choose "OK".

B4. To apply the pattern to the illustration, first create a new layer and move it to the top of the layers palette. Then, select the "Paint Bucket Tool". In the paint bucket options at the top, be sure to select "Pattern" in the drop down and set the Opacity to 100%.
To the right of the pattern drop down, there is another drop down which will show a thumbnail of all of the saved patterns. Choose the pattern created in the steps above.
With these options set, use the paint bucket to fill the page making sure it is on the new layer.


B5. Since this pattern was applied on its own layer, it can be rotated 45 degrees to create diagonal lines. Choose "Edit>Transform>Rotate" and hold down "Shift" when rotating to snap to 45 degrees.

Use Masks to Hatch Specific Elements

The hatch patterns are rasterized on their own layer meaning the hatch can simply be erased using the eraser tool. However, applying a mask will allow for editing later on down the road if changes need to be made.
1. Apply Mask
To apply a mask, select the hatch layer and choose the "Add a Mask" icon at the bottom of the layers palette.

2. Make Selections 
Next, use the "Polygonal Lasso Tool" to select the areas of the illustration that will be filled with the hatch pattern.

3. Inverse the Selection
I want the selection to be what I want erased, therefore I am going to inverse the selection. Choose "Select>Inverse" at the top.

4. Fill the Mask
Finally, choose the "Paint Bucket Tool", check that the opacity is set to 100%, and also that the drop down is set to "Foreground".
The mask works by using gray tones to determine what parts of the image will appear or not appear. Black paint erases the image. White paint will reveal the image. I don't want the hatch to appear in the part of the image that is selected, therefore I want to choose black paint.
Double check that the layer mask is selected which is the white box next to the layer image in the layers palette. Using the paint bucket tool, fill the selection with black paint. This will "erase" away the hatch pattern where the selection was made. White paint can be used to bring back the hatch pattern later if changes are needed.

Below, the final result using patterns and masks to give a little more texture to the image and help define important areas of the diagram.

DIAGRAMS: TEXTURE STUDY

The last few posts have been focused on diagramming the existing conditions of the site. In this latest post, I have shifted to studies for the new design. The overall concept and form of the Sketchup model is established, but now I am interested in exploring texture. I trid to keep things abstract before getting too specific with thoughts of actual materiality and color. The above black and white approach was one way for me to keep thinking conceptually without losing myself in the details. As much as this image looks "finished", the workflow was very much a loose and explorative process. Many iterations and ideas were tested. Changes in line weights, shadows, and hatches helped define hierarchy and texture qualities.
From here, I expect the illustration to continue to evolve as the project is refined and more decisions on form and material are made. The process of creating an image like this in Photoshop is "sketchy" in nature which lends itself well to exploring ideas along side 3D modeling. Later on down the road, I may begin introducing color as ideas of materiality become more concrete.
Below is a quick breakdown of how the image was created. Everything was made in Photoshop except for the initial line work and shadows which were exported from my Sketchup model. For the most part, I used the Brush Tool to create most of the elements. I also applied drop shadows and strokes to the elements when needed.

1. Sketchup Line Work


2. Shadows Exported from Sketchup. 
I adjusted the levels to take the shadows from grey to black.


3. Water Poche
I darkened the water slightly to better clarify the relationship of water to land.


4. Profile Lines and Guide Lines 
Thick profile lines were added to punch up important elements of the design.


5. Abstract Boats
Simple rectangles with shadows were used to represent the boats in an abstract manner. These were then copied many times to imply movement.


6. Thick Dashed Line Work
The thick dashed lines represent an abstraction of several elements of the existing site. Density and location were determined by topographical changes and potential pedestrian traffic.


7. Thin Dashed Line Work
A second layer of thinner dashed lines were added. These are hierarchally weaker than the thick dashed lines and could represent a change in material among other things.


8. Poche
A final layer of shading was added to highlight potential locations of green space.


Though the workflow has been broken down into a very systematic explanation, the actual process of creating this image was not as clear cut. As mentioned above, it was a very iterative process where all of the element were slowly built up together through additive and subtractive means. There was a lot of copying, pasting, transforming, and scaling. Less focus was placed on craft and more on a relaxed and experimental process.