Sketches Thesis 01

A series of sketches from my thesis sketchbooks...


For the thesis itself see TentativeGrounds.

Connection

Masterplan

Masterplan

Layers Diagram

Rail Route

Layers & Rail Route

Geological Timescale

Addition / Removal

Rail Route

Sketch Idea

Sketch Idea

Sketch Idea

Bands

A couple of years ago, inside a week I collected a couple of hundred elastic bands walking my route to and from university.
I eventually had a thousand elastic bands.

Now I am going to see quite how many there are out there...

Day One - 12/03/2012
446m - 18 bands

Cumbria and the Lakes

As part of the ongoing thesis project at University, myself and James Perry recently visited western Cumbria to explore the issue in the area.


Below are a few selected photos of the interesting areas we came across.


// 02-05 February 2012 // 
// Selected Photographs // Hodge Close Slate Quarry / High Seaton / Seascale [all Cumbria]

Easy Tasks?

After much suggestion of things to move on with selling, I ordered some clock mechanisms and will soon hopefully get time to create some amazing wall clocks by attaching the mechanism to found objects.

Whilst in Sydney, I found some similar looking items at a craft market under the Harbour Bridge at Kirribilli.

Some other items that I have seen recently that have fired the imagination were in the Observer magazine on Sunday the 29th of January.
This first item fits the work of Zena Motashar and her cards crafted from old books really well, I particularly like its simplicity, and the idea of illustrating a book over the text.

The rest of the items are all from the same article on 'funky' chests of drawers...

Images from
Observer Magazine 29/01/2012

Website Design?

I had intended to include a first image of the redesigned liamcroft.co.uk today, however, as ever with these things, it has taken a back seat to every day life and so it isn't anywhere near complete as yet.


What I do have instead is a couple of explanatory images of what I am aiming for...


// 26 January 2012 // 
// Website Sketch //

As you can (probably) see, I am going to use a single image as the basis for the homepage.  This will be of a chest of drawers with various items placed around it.  Each of these items will act as a link to a different part of the website.
I intend to include a clock for 3D_SURD, items which could be bought, but also showing the physical objects created for sale, a noticeboard for RSS blog feeds from this blog and Tentative Grounds, and/or a calender to represent a blog, with a photo frame for Image-A-Day.  There will be a card on the chest of drawers which will also link to 3D_SURD, however to a space for Zena Motashar's cards, a portfolio for my portfolio of work, and finally, a box, books and a University certificate.  These will be outside links, and a link to information and CV, as well as downloads.
The next image shows my initial attempt.


// 26 January 2012 // 
// Website Sketch //

On a totally different vein; this is a laser cut image on the front cover of a writing pad my Mum bought for me in Kuala Lumpur.  I love the sketchy quality and fine detail that has been achieved.  Seems a very simple idea if you have an image you would like on the front of a book, etc. (and have access to a laser cutter!)


// 26 January 2012 // 
// Kuala Lumpur Skyline by Arch //

Liverpool, January.  Blue Sky.  They said it would never happen (it's raining again as I write this so they aren't far wrong!) Highlighting the complexity of some buildings that are continually altered and changed.  The whole row of buildings was like this, or to an even greater extent, however, I love how the colours work against the bright sky.


// 26 January 2012 // 
// Oxfam Building, Newington //

Logo Design

In addition to this blog, I have started one to chart the course of my architectural thesis work for an architecture masters.  I also have a website, intend to produce products (intermittently) for sale, and have a brand I use for competition work.

As I want these to remain separate entities, I have always worked on each area independently, however I decided that this was perhaps a poor response to the design challenge.  So, over the past few days I have created a series of logos for different uses but with a common design thread.

The results can be seen on this blog, and on the corresponding thesis blog, and in the near future on my website (I hope).

B L O G S

// 24 January 2012 // 
// Image-A-Day //

// 24 January 2012 // 
// Tentative Grounds //

// 24 January 2012 // 

// Tentative Grounds (favicon) //

W E B S I T E

// 24 January 2012 // 
// liamcroft.co.uk (within) //

B R A N D S

// 24 January 2012 // 
// ab_SURD ART //

// 24 January 2012 // 

// 3D_SURD DESIGN (objects) //

// 24 January 2012 // 
// ab_SURD architecture //

The Importance of Food

I can see this becoming a recurring theme; however I will start as I will inevitably go on, with images of food.


Sparing time from university work is for some reason something which is particularly difficult to do; you would imagine that I, along with every student, would find it easier to anything else than work.  We have found, however, that this isn't the case when studying architecture.  Quite often friends find it difficult to find time to anything but work, including sleep at times.  A Slovenian friend of mine has noted a time when everyone on the course seems to be able to fins the time to take a break... dinnertime!
His great thesis was that architects make excellent cooks.  However debatable this maybe, my mum believes this is because we enjoy procrastination and the 'faffing' about that inevitably ensues when creating a meal.


To cut a long story short; I enjoy food.  I enjoy the taste of food.  I enjoy eating food, preparing food and looking at food.  It therefore follows that I like to photograph it too.  Apologies if this becomes a little repetitive over time!

// 24 January 2012 // 
// Pickle, Sandwich + Pickle (with pickled onions) // 

// 24 January 2012 // 
// Bacon, pepper and red onion pesto pasta (steamy) // 

To illustrate a point further, some 'key' images of a holiday to Australia...

// 07 January 2012 // 
// Corn (barbecued) // 

// 08 January 2012 // 
// Pepper, tomato, basil //

Apologies

After a few months hiatus - and a not particularly successful first attempt at keeping up to an image a day - I will return to daily postings as from tomorrow, the 24th of January.

I won't guarantee that I post every day, but I will make sure that at least weekly there will be a comprehensive round up of images for the week.

Also I am starting a separate, but linked, project all about the Architectural Thesis I will be undertaking in the next few months with James Perry.

See Tentative Grounds.