A letter to a High School Artist

from: Sddrawings.com

Kudos on the painting. For some reason your picture looks "washed out". Like the colors aren't very rich. I'm going to assume it's the way you took the picture of the painting. Use natural sunlight if possible to photograph your work. Or, when you get to the point of being serious about it, almost ALL print shops have a large flat bed scanner now. They normally charge a few bucks to create a PDF of your work.

As far as "African Sunset" goes, I really like the leaves in the tree and the birds, you did a superb job on recreating those. So you're coming along, the biggest thing is to never stop painting. There's that old adage, it takes 10,000 hours to master something. You're young and have lots of spare time, use that time to paint instead of going out to party. Spend a few nights a week in and work on your craft.

Now If I Google "African Sunset", I see some striking pictures (see [http://muliebrousmartha.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/work-4058962-3-flat550x550075f-african-sunset.jpg](linky)Notice how the sun is actually almost white and the colors fade and blend very richly? Don't paint what you THINK you see, paint what you actually see.

Don't be afraid of painting things you see around you either. I take photos of places I travel to and come back home to paint from those photos. Try it, it'll make your work that much more meaningful to you and other people. I don't know where you are, but I can't see it, because I don't think you're in Alabama. SO I would like to see other places and people's perspectives, think "local", think "home grown".

When you take photos to paint later, remember your best times will be morning and afternoon. This is when the sun is rising or setting and gives a lot of great contrast, rich colors and nice deep shadows. Often times I have to plan exactly where I want to be when the sun is setting that day. I see a scene and think "I need to be back here at 4PM to get ready to capture that scene again".

One of the best things I've done for my art was to pick up a photography book. Because what you are doing is in essence is to capture that scene like a photograph, it's just a different medium.

Another pro-tip, never use black. Use it to mix in with other colors, but never use straight up black. There are lots of reasons, google it. You'll learn more by researching it, than for me to tell you why. Also, don't be afraid to use straight up white. Another pro tip, don't worry about canvas, they are expensive and in my opinion, not that great. I prefer wood. I'll find some scrap plywood, cut it tot he size I want, prime it, let it dry, prime it again (kiltz water based for acrylic & kiltz oil based for oil paints).

I'm proud of you as a young person for following your desire. I always wanted to become a classical artist, though I knew I couldn't feed my family by it, so I went into Architecture which was a nice marriage of the arts and money making. If you look at the paintings we herald as a culture (think Van Gogh, Mucha) those are all people who made painting a priority. They were people just like you & You could be that person too. It's all in your drive.

Designing for Second Use

Designing for Christmas & other holidays,

Kicking around new ideas based on limited use.

sddrawings.com

I've been kicking around the idea of talking about different facets of design we each use everyday.  There have been so many great ideas by so many talented people, that me trying to recreate the wheel and come up with something completely new seems silly to set out and try to do.  Kind of how 3M didn't come up with the tape you used this Holiday season to wrap your presents, they just make the tape better (Yet, sometimes it just happens; still waiting and working on that watershed moment).

A good designer considers all the uses currently needed and possible future requirements prior to finishing a design.  For instance, you build a house; in said house you have a hall.  Sure you can use that hall for walking down now, though will it be wide enough should you or someone else need a wheel chair sometime in the future?  That is planning for the future.

Which is exactly what I've been thinking about, being able to design in future and cultural uses into our built environment.  For instance, Christmas...  Now that this year's holiday has come and gone, there will still be another one soon enough.

Seems like everyplace I've lived, I have always "tucked" our little tree into some corner.  Obviously a decoration, like a tree, that is only around for a couple of weeks probably should not have a dedicated spot reserved for its use year round.  Yet we place so much emphasize on this season, maybe we should think more about a specific space for something like that.   I'm not surprised either that we as a society do not build a "Christmas Tree Room".  What normal family has the funds to dedicate a portion of their house to only a 3 week period to house a single tree?

Which makes me wonder why, if we're okay with multi-purposing space, why we do such a poor job of it elsewhere. What I am much more interested in is the reuse of space, let's call it "Designing for Second Use".  Let's come up with ideas for Double or triple the use of an area.  The pantry is a perfect example.  So many people live with 24" deep pantry shelves that get filled from back to front so that you just can not find anything in the dark recesses of the kitchen pantry without spelunking (caving) gear.  My answer is to look at my hiking gear.  I like to carry as few items as necessary and look to make double or triple use of items.  A tent stake not only holds down the corner of my shelter, though a well designed one also acts as a latrine shovel (hey, design can be a dirty business, but you don't want to forget the toilet, so we have to talk about it).

Furthering on that idea is the hide-away bed.  I'm not initially against them and the thought of creating something that can be stowed away when not in use and provides another option, perhaps a fold out desk when the bed is lifted might be really cool.  I even have an idea for side tables that act as a night stand when the bed is engaged, then "swing in" to work with the table for all of your pens and papers you would normally leave on a bed.

This is what I mean by designing for Second Use. I'm not creating anything new, I'm simply working on ideas to make something better.

Mobile Web Site Designs

Site Design for your Phone,

Lots of fun...frustrating fun.

sddrawings.com/mobile

Before the Holidays beseech us all, and shoppers make their way to the grocer for food stock to feed Aunt Harriet, or Uncle Bob; I decided to take an evening and work on a new mobile site for sddrawings.com.  I never realized the ingenuity that goes into designing for your little pocket PCs until I tried to incorporate one into my site.  There's a whole lot less real-estate to work with to start with.

Well, that's not entirely true.  I have a pseudo page I made over at m.hikealabama.org, though it doesn't use any of the page calls like I'm trying to design into my own site.  I might scrap everything and move to a wordpress site.  They are fast and nimble, easily modifiable (well, as easy as any web designing can be I guess) though I understand there are issues on keeping the sites up to date for security purposes.

The biggest problem I am having is writing a cookie to work off the htaccess file to show mobile users right off the bat, a page to decide if they want the mobile site or the main page.  It's frustrating, but a fun little hobby if nothing else.

Anyways, check it out and give me any feedback you may have.

Happy Trails!

-Michael S

The Little House, Cabin 4 (in a series)

The Little House or Cabin #4,

I'm hooked on small smart design...

2d plans | 3d plans

At JUST over 1,000 sq ft total, This Cabin features:

• 2 bed / 1 bath
• Lots of Storage
• Wide open First Floor "Public" Living Areas
• Full Kitchen with Serving Bar
• Dining Room
• Sweet Little Porches
• Smart Shelving

sddrawings.com

Election Day/Foreverwild (tired of reading about it on FB yet?)

Alabama Amendments & Forever Wild Rant

Just my opinions...

How Forever Wild works:

& A real short write up re: my

opinions on Alabama Amendments

from sddrawings.com

YES - Amendment 1 for Forever Wild
YES - Amendment 2 - Bond issues - Amends current Bonds to allow issuance of general obligation bonds to provide funds as job incentives
YES - Amendment 7, allow unions to have secret votes (old union guy here, I'm good with that)
YES - Amendment 8 - Legislatures Provide that the compensation paid to legislators can not be increased during term of office. Repeals last years pay raise
NO - Amendment 9 - Taxes Allows legislature to implement business privilege tax on corporations, and Churches
Yes - Amendment 11 - Prohibit any municipality outside of Lawrence County from imposing any municipal ordinance Keeps Decatur from overpowering Lawrence County.

all others, you guys are on your own

Good thing is, Foreverwild pays for itself through the interest of monies gained from selling our state's natural oil & gas reserves. So essentially we are selling public resources, to acquire land in our state. Forever Wild then makes these lands available for EVERYONE to use. It's hard share raw crude oil and have fun in the tar fields, alot easier to trade that for some pristine wilderness action.

In some places that Foreverwild has purchased lands, the mineral rights and timber rights may have already been sold. Meaning you might see an oil well or a clear cut on public land. Once the lease runs out, that'll be that though. 10% of the sale of our petroleum sales go to a trust fund for Forever Wild, Forever wild can only draw so much at a time from the interest earned, leaving the Lion's share in the fund.

So it buys private land (note: anyone can suggest a purchase) out of the interest earned. It's a great setup. The same funds pay for land upkeep, controlled burning, wildlife control etc etc. Even if the renewal doesn't pass, there's enough income generated from the account to keep up the land in it's possession indefinitely (sunset laws). This keeps the lands from being a burden on the state (read tax payers), then the 10% income Forever Wild would have received is just put back into the general fund.

Like I said, a wonderfully and beautifully enacted piece of legislation.

IF Foreverwild vote does not pass, it ONLY continues in a "sunset act" way. Which is to maintain the lands it currently holds. The organization is absolved, jobs lost and the "funds" you are talking about come from the additional interest accrued from it's current account balance. There's more jobs created out of Forever Wild than would be made by those in power now, don't think those we "intrust" to make our decisions for us wouldn't use that money for something foolish.

The idea some people have is that they REALLY want to put their hands on that money coming in from the selling off of our oil and natural gas reserves. Literally the state is selling the minerals from the ground, it gives Forever Wild 10% of those funds. Those resources are Public domain, they belong to everyone in the state of Alabama.

Certain people want to get all they can for their special little projects, Forever Wild is using public resources no one can go out and enjoy (oil and gas under the Gulf) in such a great way, as to provide Public resources we ALL can enjoy forever. This doesn't COST us anything. We get wonderful places to hike and camp and enjoy in the great outdoors. Plus, it allows us to keep walking around and breathing up all the fresh air and what not.

Happy Trails!
Michael Sherrod

So, Just who is an Architect?

Who is an Architect?

Stepping into a hornet's nest here I know...

This was inspired by a thread over at Linkedin, where there are some wonderful thoughts and then there are some very ignorant opinions.

So who is an architect? from sddrawings.com

An Architect is a person whom: graduates from an accredited University, works in an Architectural office, obtains the proper amount of time as required under the direct supervision of a licensed Architect, passes their accrediting exams and becomes licensed themselves.  They then will have to keep their license through on going education, keep insurance on themselves and continue to practice in the field of designing buildings.

At least that is the synopsis I got from reading the thread. There has been very little discussion about what to call the class of professional whom has the talent to design some of the most beautiful buildings and is not a registered Architect.  A great man once told me, Jefferson was not a licensed Architect, though he designed and built Monticello, undoubtably one our nations greatest examples of classical Architecture and a crown jewel.  Under the current system, a person can not call themselves an Architect even if they have completed school and been in the field for decades on end.  This is absurd and irrational.  This ideologue is akin to the seagulls in "Finding Nemo" who screech "mine", when they see a bit of food being offered.

Architecture is the science of blending Art with construction to form the art of design through the built form, more or less.  In today's construction world, A licensed contractor can erect an enclosed space with minimum plans and the final product can be abysmal.  His take at Architecture on that project could be seen as a failure, even if the building is sounds and meets all codes, the final aesthetic appeal makes the project a flop.  He is still not an Architect, just a builder.  An Architect can design a building and it too can be a flop, even if it passes all building codes.  Just like writers can flop at their craft, painters etc… So this argument leads me to consider anyone who engages in the design of a building is practicing Architecture, just as anyone who obtains pay to build a building is a Builder, anyone who paints and gets money for it is a painter; painter, "one who paints".

I am a draftsman.  I draw for a living under the direction of Architects, Planners and Contractors.  Often time I am asked to draw a house plan or help with the renovation/addition of a house.  I could be considered a Designer under this pretext.  I have been in the field of Architecture for roughly 14 years. I have not been through an Architecture program, much to my dismay.  Life events have kept me from the opportunity to do such, and so I would never use the term Architect, to describe myself.  This does not mean I am not qualified to be able to produce a set of construction drawings and a beautiful design.  After so many years in a field, one learns a little something.  With side studying and networking, I have picked up and am more capable of most students, interns and probably many registered Architects to come up with a solution to a design need.

Now, of two people, one being a licensed Architect proven by the state to have met the minimum requirements to be capable of designing a building; the other having 20 years in the field and perfectly capable of the same project management and design.  Common sense tells us to hire the person with the degree, then we look at experience, ability, availability and cost.  That is what a client really needs to consider: "Can this person perform for me and help me design the best design for my needs".  THAT is what I do.  When I need another professional such s a structural or civil engineer, I call someone.  When I need a registered Architect, I have a group of people I work with I can pick who I think would be the best person to work on a specific project.  In essence, I'm not selling you on just me and my ability, but someone who can choose the right team for your project.

Then there are the Java/software Architects... that's for a whole other discussion...

sddrawings.com

Haunted "Gingerbread" house (plans)

Just in time for Trick or Treat,

Just a little design fun in October...

Needed a break from Cabin designs, so here's an old style re-drawn from sddrawings.com

I can not imagine anyone building a turn-of the century design like this anymore.  Normally this house would have multiple coal fireplaces, probably one in each room; and usually those fireplaces would split rooms, say between the Dining and Family Rooms.  The fireplaces would then share a flue. I opted out of drawing those.  Also, I added amenities such as indoor plumbing and closets. A closet was uncommon as everyone used wardrobes.  I still prefer a wardrobe and dresser over a closet.

• 5 bed / 3.5 bath
• Walk-in Pantry w/mop sink & broom hanging rack
• Serving bar between Kitchen & Dining
• Haunted Library where books fly off the shelves
• Spooky Den
• Scariest thing, 2 study areas upstairs for kids to put homework desks