Tyler's Art 1010 Blog

Lighting Architecture

As a student studying architecture, there is a lot more to the major than just buildings. I have done more design work with architecture than I have in a lot of the art focused classes I have taken. I absolutely love art. For my theory class I looked into the art of architectural lighting design. For this assignment we were asked to make a video. And my video was all about lighting and how it is used as a visual aesthetic in everyday life. I related the pictures to a song I found by Deadmau5 called Strobe, I did a lot with how I related the elements I used in the video to each other. Everything relates back to lights in some way. I have the pictures moving fast to represent a strobe light, which is the name of the song I used. Creating a minute and a half long video was complicated with how many pictures I wanted to use in it. I had found photos using Google images and a video clip of the Eifel tower I recorded while I was visiting. I think the video represented the assignment and the subject very well.

When I started working this summer at an architecture firm, I was expecting to sit a computer all day drawing lines into the computer. I was wrong, I walked in and the first thing I heard was, “Does anyone know how to use PhotoShop,” my hand shot up, and before I knew it the words “I do” came out of my mouth. I soon found out that I should have kept it shut. I used PhotoShop everyday for six weeks, using it to manipulate existing condition photos and making them into proposed bids for this project. The end of the six weeks hit and I had photo shopped over 400 pictures of bank ATMs. In my eyes it was work, but as I look back at it now I realize I was making art, a different kind, but non the less, art. I was using what I had learned through my art background in the field of architecture. Even though architecture is the art of buildings and designs, its still hard for me to imagine ATMs as art.

My last art project for work was a flyer for my boss. I worked with him to get exactly what he was looking for. Every time he saw my progress he would laugh and say he loved it and that everyone on the committee for this event is going to love it. I honestly hope they do, because I worked hard on it. Using the tools in Illustrator I basically redrew the rollercoaster, the ferris wheel, and the pirate ship as solid objects with detail overlaid on top. I can honestly say that I have had a great time working for this architecture firm. The tasks are different every day I walk in the door. I’m sad to say that my last day is tomorrow.