For this exercise I needed to look at a range of different architectural illustrators, select examples and outline my observations on their approach, perspective and materials (and how those relate to the architecture itself). Using the links in the coursework and a broad internet search, I sought as many different examples of architectural illustration as possible. I placed these into a Pinterest board so I could use them as future reference and inspiration. I chose images that made me curious or inpired, leaning on my intuition to make selection choices. You can see my initial selection below:
From this point, I reviewed the images in the board more closely, pulling out examples that I wanted to interrogate more. I will go into these selctions more, below.
I liked the architectural illustrations of this illustrator because of her clever use of negative space. The first examples I found use screen printing, utilising overlapping inks to create combined colours. Her later work seems to have shifted to be more mixed-media - combining printing alongside paint, pencil and ink.
Her approach maximises critical visual information, emphasising a building's shape and structure. The eariler work seems to focus on the context of the board in context with itself. Yet her later work seems to introduce more of a human element. Her focus shifts to interior architecture, and the relationships that people have to a space.
I don't love this illustration style. It represents what I consider to be 'typical' architectural illustration. The kind that is used in planning designs and proposals. Placed on placards and hoardings to help inform locals about the intended appearance of a development.
This illustrator appears to use watercolour from the lifting technique used for the clouds. Watercolour seems to be a preferred medium for this 'commercial' architectural illustration style. She has depicted the building on a bright, sunny day. This has two benefits: It presents the building in an optimistic way and it allows greater contrast between light and shadow. Shadows give a better sense of the building's proportions and how the building might interact with the space.
She tends to focus on the local flora. Showing how a building sits within nearby trees and areas of grass. Is this to somehow convince the viewer how a building 'sits' within a space instead of dominating it? Is this a stylisting choice to sway the judgement of planners and local residents?
I found this illustration intruiging. Most of the other examples I could find were wholly situated in a single illustration style. The way this illustrator combines photography with his drawing is impressive. Using a photo with an overlay is a fantastic way to convey the history of the building. It connects the viewer's present to the history of the building.
I immediately imagined how other parts of the scene might have looked when the building was in its prime. The ink linework itself is very clean and accurate. The illustrator is trying to convey precise information rather than an impression of the space. The ghost-like effect further conveys the history of the building.
The other work of this illustrator is ink and wash, and continues the educational focus. The other work of the illustrator uses a 'cutaway' approach to transport the viewer into the past. To connect them to the normal and mundane of people living through history. I like the way that all this work connects humans and buildings and their symbiotic relationship.
The work of Andy Burgess amplifys the geometric qualities of modernist architecture. He doesn't use negative space, filling every inch of his work with colour. His work uses different types of paint, and they all manage t keep the same geometric quality. I enjoy the colour palettes he uses, which are vibrant and unapologetic.
The buildings dominate the space. Pushing back the surrounding landscape, which sits as a backdrop. The structures dominate the environment they sit in, and this transfers into the flora's depiction. Grass, plants and trees are reduced to angluar simulacra of the real things.
There is a distinct sense that the illustrator is creating order out of the landscape with colour. It is his way of creating a sense of control. This results in the images having a distinct sense of tension.
While not always her choice of medium, I was really curious to see the mixed media work of Clark. I was particularly drawn to the use of pattern and textiles in the work. This is an interesting balance between the accuracy of a building and its space, and the feeling of that building in the space.
The use of textiles and patterns definitely leans towards the latter. I enjoy the choices she makes. The use of different floral patterns and motifs connects the house to the front garden and its painted flowers. Even the trees appear floral. All these items are designed to place the mock-Tudor building into its setting. The viewer gets a strong impression of what it feels like to be in the space. The organic themes soften the hard edges of the building.
This illustration sets the feeling of the space in a different way. It combines watercolour with pencil effectively, and it gives the image a whimsical feeling. I like the way that the illustrator picks out the essential visual information. She reduceds, eliminates and simplifies the image. Flat blue washes are used to to do a lot of heavy lifting for the shadows, and I like how she augments that with carefully places shadows in pencil. These little scribbles do much to give the objects a feeling that they have three dimensions.
The cobbled street is depicted in an almost abstract fashion, and reminded me of the way I used patterns to give the impression of a stony ground when I was drawing the picture of my son and the gorilla statue.
Finally, I am showing an example of Owen Pomery. I am always inspired by the precise nature of his work, using an almost ligne claire approach to pen and colour, combined by stark shadows overlaying the image. What I like about his concept and architecture work is his expert use of isometric perspective.
This format is really useful way to get a sense of a building's size, and can be used narratively as well as for technical or educational illustrations. The images seem to convey a lot of information, but the details we see are very carefully chosen. He sues his linework to convey the strength, texture and age of a building. When combined with his clean colour palette it's easy for the viewer to get a sense of the construction materials.
In his portfolio, Pomery obviously has an attachment to the relationship of a space to the time of day. Being able to depict a space in different lighting conditions is a useful takeaway for me. It seems to be a good way to balance depicting the space accurately and being able to play with the feeling of the space in different conditions.
Final Thoughts
I've enjoyed getting to grips with a varied set of approaches to architecture. I'm thinking about how I balance my need for accuracy and precision, with my natural loose energy and desire to convey a sense of place. This is somehing I can explore more practically in the exercise.
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