ENG 1101: Composing Abstractions

This is a picture I did not take of the student feeling awkward in the train, as everyone was watching her and her tool bin- wondering what exactly she had in there.

This is a picture I did not take of a full can of soda falling on the girls lap. Her eyes showed fury and embarrassment as everyone watched and laughed.

This is a picture I did not take of when I and about 5 other went to a Jay- z concert about a year and a half ago. We had seats high up at the Nassau Coliseum. Before the performers came out, there was a DJ playing music and as he did so, A drunk man decided to get up and randomly start dancing off beat to the song. He was on the floor level so everyone was watching him. After a while of dancing, another person came and tried to battle him. The person who was battling him was doing professional moves while the drunk guy ignored his moves and continued to dance off beat. Nearly everyone in the stadium who were watching this go on, were laughing hysterically.

This is a picture I did not take two years ago, while at Coney Island, my family and I were standing at the boardwalk where we seen two men with snakes. One had it around his neck, the other laid his onto the ground but, had a parrot on his shoulder. The other had the snake around his neck.  People walked by as if the snakes were little harmless animals which I didn’t seem to understand. I don’t like snakes so I made sure to make a wide turn around them men as I walked passed them.

In the article, “Architecture and Lost Art of Drawing,” by Michael Graves which was published in September 1, 2012 edition of New York Times, Graves states that we can declare a death of drawing within certain architectural views. By this, he means that the process of drawing in architecture has been partially replaced by computer’s to a certain extent. His point is to tell us that although many ideas can be expressed in the visual software that many architects use, drawing cannot be outlawed by any means. Graves admires drawings more than the software’s because he knows that the drawing reminds him of what the main idea for the project is and it helps him actually study the project.  He studies his architectural drawings in three ways. His studies are, the “Referential sketch”, “Preparatory study” and “Definitive drawing”. He says that the final drawing, the Definitive drawing, is used on the computer which is appropriate. As he explains what the role of the other two are, he holds them as an important asset to the project. They are the stepping stones of it which lead to the final computer aided version.  Now a days, architects and soon to be architects have to learn that drawing plays a big role in the field and serves as a purpose to your project. Technology cannot take over our talents and must be a second priority when it comes to architecture.

                       In Michael Grave’s article Architecture and the Lost Art Of Drawing which was published in the New Yorker, Graves describes the three states of drawing. Graves begins with making a point about the new found technology we have today, and how it has somewhat evolved architecture. He states how even though we have technology which assist architects, they must still use the classic art of drawing in any case. Graves discusses the process which first is the idea or concep then comes the evolution which focus more on the design, and finally is the final piece which is presentable.

In Michael Graves’ “Architecture and the Lost Art of Drawing,” which was published in the September 1, 2012 edition of the New York Times, Graves states the differences between computer-aided designs and hand drawings. Graves argues that computer software is destroying the true concept of architecture. Graves asks “Are our hands becoming obsolete as creative tools? Are they being replaced by machines? And where does that leave the architectural creative process?” and points out that “Architecture cannot divorce itself from drawing, no matter how impressive the technology gets.” Not all architects would agree with his idea of how computer is damaging the concept of architecture. The author himself tells us “…there’s nothing inherently problematic about that…” As Graves shows, technology is dominating the fundamental meaning of architecture which forces architects to draw using computers rather than their own hands.

According to the article “Architecture and The Lost Art of Drawing” by Michael Graves, believable or not, nowadays architects and designers are leaving aside the ability of freehand drawing due to fact that computers and technology are now around us. The Author admits frankly that computers allow architects to make projects well organized and to have a better projection of what they want to show to the world; however, architects also have the requirement of developing their thoughts, their ideas and creativity by making freehand drawings. In addition, Graves points out that drawings are not just beautiful pieces of art, drawings are one of the most fundamental things for him because they help him to remember what is his first point of view and his real intention of the new project to execute. Graves also states that no matter how useful is the use of computers, it cannot in any case replace the value and importance of drawings. Creativity and drawings are a complement of architecture. I totally agree with the Graves’ yardstick of how important is to keep the tradition that characterizes an architec, which is the freehand drawing.

In Michael Graves’s article “Architecture and the Lost Art of Drawing,” it seems that he being an architect can see the change in modern day architecture. Graves mentions how there was a time where an architect would draw up a design for a project by hand but now it appears technology is taking that away. In his article Graves also points out the difference in hand made drawings and computerized ones in that doing a hand drawing can show a person your intentions in a plan whereas, a computerized program wouldn’t as much do such a good job at that. Seeing from the same viewpoint Graves is reaching from, I myself also believe that even though architects do use computer programming to shape up designs there still should be time and room left for the creative mind to come up with hand made drawings.

This is a picture I did not take of the water sprinklers by the Brooklyn Museum at night when the lights come on. Although this happens often, I never get to capture the amazing scene as the light gleams through the water to add sparkle to it as if the on and off action of the sprinklers aren’t beautiful enough.