Final years of college to work as an architect (2006–2009)
Let's jump in!
The sneak peeks: Studying abroad in Rome, Italy, and exploring depths in ink drawing. Maintaining (lots!) of shopping lists, and an on-going budget. There are thumbnail sketches for painting ideas, and even a mini collection of pressed leaves. 🍂
Lessons Learned
Homework: Create Like the Era
As part of the series for How 21 Sketchbooks Defined 3 Eras in my Creative and Professional Journey, let's jump in on Sketchbook Era 2: From Academia to Adulthood. In case you missed Sketchbook Era 1: The Foundations check it out, and feel free to submit the homework. 😉
In the last couple two years of studying at Pratt Institute, I did a study abroad program in Rome, Italy followed by an intense thesis year for architecture. After graduating, I first worked at a small residential architecture firm in midtown Manhattan for about a year before moving back to Texas where this era of sketchbooks end.
All 6 sketchbooks in this era are Moleskine sketchbooks and I carried the with me everywhere! While they have withstood the testament of time, it speaks volumes of their construction and durability that they still look brand new.
While studying architecture in Italy, one of our assignments was to analyze many of Italy's popular urban spaces called "piazzas". We were to create figure-ground drawings, sectional studies, and perspective sketches with a focus on mapping spatial relationships and movement paths. The goal was to understand how architecture shapes the urban fabric and how these piazzas connected buildings, and defined public/private spaces. It was an immersive way to see throughout many cities throughout Italy... all different but similar in many ways.
These rough sketches from various piazza's through out Italy helped me create a series of final drawings that ultimately helped land me my first internship in architecture. I'll have to do a deep-dive post on those another time!
Quite by mistake one day while sketching on site, I discovered my favorite pen of choice - Sakura Pigma Micron pens - smeared quite magically on the Moleskine paper if done quickly enough. This immediately opened the pages up for lots of moody sketching on site for the duration of my study abroad... and back to NYC.
After graduating and being tossed into the adulting world - my sketchbook became the victim of tracking my shopping lists, and budgeting. (This was well before I moved everything to excel files or apps.) Goodness - the things I bought for groceries. 😂
I also can't believe the low cost of things in 2008! Take me back to that... !
I did manage to keep some artistic ideas going with a few thumbnail sketches for painting ideas... and some random leaves pressed between the pages here and there throughout these sketchbooks.
... and then I am not sure what I was tracking or keeping note of here, but I think this was something to do with my thesis. I like how detailed it is and just had to include.
Lessons Learned
I chose these 6 sketchbooks from 2006 to 2009 to define this second era because they captured not only a refinement of everything I learned in previous years, but I feel like my mind expanded beyond any limitations and now see it as my peak enlightenment. I felt an intense drive to learn, study, create and understand everything I could about art, architecture, history, and life.
Your Homework: Create Like the Era
I’d like to invite you to create your own piece like the era! It could be anything inspired from this post, but here are some possible ideas:
Try an ink-only drawing. It could be an object, landscape or building. Start with the outline and add in some details - then maybe use hatch lines for depth and shading. Did you notice anything different upon deeper examination?
Gather some leaves that catch your eye and press them between the pages of a book, or sketchbook if you have one. Why did those leaves catch your eye?
Find a spot to sit/stand in a space you like. It could be your own room, office or outdoor public space you enjoy. Draw what you perceive as the perimeter or "boundaries" of that space as it might look like from above. Does anything surprise you while you are studying the space? Don't forget to mark where you were standing. 😉
I'd love to see what you come up with. Feel free to drop me a note about it and include your sketch. I will create a separate post with any responses.
Until next time ✨~ Jennifer
Disclaimer: The thoughts shared in this blog are solely my own and do not represent the perspectives of my professional relationships or clientele.
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