3D Thinking

After developing a new set of muscles, due to holding pressure on the railroad board and the steel rule while cutting with an Xacto knife, and developing a callous on my index finger from driving the Xacto blade through the various other modelling materials, I am finally seeing some light. I always thought I had excellent 3D modelling in my head. Having thought so means that I was skeptical that model making had much purpose; save for developing "brains in my finger tips." I became even more skeptical as the callous on my index finger over-took the growth of the "brains."

This past week, upon revising (and revising again) my concept models for the fire station I am working on (designed to replace station house #3 in San Diego with a modern, up-to-date facility suitable for a larger crew), I saw the light. I realised that there were some things I could learn from the modelling process that I couldn't grasp any other way. And there is the reason for this exercise.

Currently in production of drawings to support my design concept, I am moving back into the documentation phase having sculpted a concept for a building about which I and my instructors are satisfied. It doesn't look anything like my initial concept. And it doesn't look anything like what I saw in my mind's eye. I guess this is progress as, in fact, it looks better.

I am reveling in my sense of being suited to the work I am undertaking. I have no question in my mind that this is the place and time for me to be doing this. I am clear, however, that I am in a process of credentialing a good deal of design process knowledge which I already possess. Still, there are the new things which I can learn. Much of this is technological rather than theoretical knowledge (Obama's "retooling"). I need to update my technological skills to support my design processing.

I am beginning by updating my 3D thinking. While the idea of "brains in my fingertips" is still to gel, I am certain that there is a way in which I have created some new muscles that are not related to the physical craft of modelling. And I am certain that more 3D modelling (digitally speaking) will be coming soon.