I spent some time in Portland a few years ago...but the on the other coast. It was misty overcast, if not raining, 10 or 12 of the six months I was there. It never really felt ominous, though (I guess, 'cause the temperature changed so little from day to day, storm to storm), it just felt oppressive. Kansas weather, on the otherhand, often feels electric with unknowns lurking.

Other sorts of clients might not be taking themselves too seriously, so better luck with others. But of course if a client got used to your jokes he might in subsequent projects just start looking for your easter eggs, and forgetting about the architecture. I have forgotten the name, but there was a famous British architectural modelmaker (used by architects like Rogers, Foster, grimshaw etc.)who used to add things like this to his fabulous presentation models. Anssi

Nicy[image: BjWv_nicy.jpg]

Funny you should bring this up on TAX DAY (for those of us in the (US of A). Benjamin Franklin said, "The only things certain in life are death and taxes." I'm not so sure about that. I think it's pretty certain that you'll get a chuckle out of one or two of the following quotations about Death and Taxes: "The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax." -- attributed to Albert Einstein "If Patrick Henry thought that taxation without representation was bad, he should see how bad it is with representation." -- Farmer's Almanac "The avoidance of taxes is the only intellectual pursuit that carries any reward." -- John Maynard Keynes "Death and taxes may be certain, but we don't have to die every year." -- Unknown "If you die in an elevator, be sure to push the UP button." -- Sam Levenson "Optimist: Someone who sets aside two hours to do his income tax return." -- Unknown "I wouldn't mind paying taxes -- if I knew they were going to a friendly country." -- Dick Gregory "Income tax returns are the most imaginative fiction being written today." -- Herman Wouk "Tax reform means, 'Don't tax you, don't tax me. Tax that fellow behind the tree.'" -- Russell Long "The way taxes are, you might as well marry for love." -- Joe E. Lewis "I don't mind dying, the trouble is you feel so bloody stiff the next day." -- George Axlerod "It used to be that death and taxes alone were inevitable. Now there's shipping and handling." -- Bert Murray "Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead." -- Scottish Proverb "I never see the prettiest thing - A cherry bough gone white with Spring - But what I think, 'How gay 'twould be To hang me from a flowering tree.'" -- Dorothy Parker "Indoors or out, no one relaxes In March, that month of wind and taxes, The wind will presently disappear, The taxes last us all year." -- Ogden Nash "The income tax has made more liars out of the American people than golf has." -- Will Rogers "The report of my death was an exaggeration." -- Mark Twain (after reading his own obituary) "The taxpayer -- that's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination." -- Ronald Reagan

Bono, lead singer of the rock band U2, is famous throughout the entertainment industry for being more than just a bit self-righteous. At a recent U2 concert in Glasgow, Scotland, he asked the audience for total silence. Then, in the silence, he started to slowly clap his hands, once every few seconds. Holding the audience in total silence, he said into the microphone, "Every time I clap my hands, a child in Africa dies." A voice with a broad Scottish accent from the front of the crowd pierced the quiet... "Well, stop doin' it then, ya evil bastard!"

Thanks again, Guys...means a lot! Bob, try here for the best palms I've seen: http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=11072&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=palm#p75178

Ross!!!!

Point taken...and agreed to! too = too much! :`) The attached is a better rendering of a worse composition (and the SU only export, as promised elswhere). It is worse for two reasons: first...generally just is!, eye movement thru it is whack; second...because it fails my concept of focusing first on the feel of the "neighborhood", then on the building (the only "real" detail of "said-same" given, and since new to "it" gives the punch). But obviously, that feel here is coming all from my back-shadows, so I will think some more and try same on a more real project: but the concept is that the real use of a render is to express (and sell) the aura of a proposed project, and hopefully how that interacts with what's already there...? [image: QlLh_tn_DR8plex-render2-WC.jpg] [image: L0s2_tn_DR8plex-render2.jpg]

Moving on to other pages and learned a bit so redid the first and here they are: better, I think...you? Sure would like to have some C&C on the approach to interiors, thanks. ...I should probably explain this was just a form study model (with a bit of color) I added some furniture and peeps to so I could practice the render. [image: IngS_tn_LCSB-interior-render-3WC.jpg] [image: 6tHF_tn_LCSB-interior-render-2WC.jpg] [image: rZtW_tn_LCSB-interior-render-WCa.jpg]

Thanks Tom, Simple and clean. I have used the actual fixtures on a project before, and they perform well. Bytor

Its not the lady in red anymore! Its now the lady in yellow... woohoo! (I dont know how to make a wistle sound!) But in all seriousness... I agree with everyone else. The van needs to go.

Tom, No offense taken so no apology needed. You're way to modest fella. Your color sense is wonderful and so pleasant on the eye. When I try, my wife asks if I've been at the medicine cabinet again. Anyway, I so enjoy and am inspired by what you and others do. Much to be thankful for and much to learn by stopping by and looking. Allen

Yeah small country the dutch. so you see the sky isn't the limit. Well in my town there is a boat filled with containers with rooms for student's looks really nice..

Play Ball! Thanks

Tom that is wonderful as usual. Spence, I would love to see those slides. Will PM you my email. When I saw the first set, the green ones, my first thought was: exhaust pipes for a sweet ride.

Simply stunning work, Tom! Your presentation certainly gives a "warm fuzzy" to me. I would think the style would really help sell the concept. Thanks again for sharing, John S.

I wonder if he has an endorsement from Pickett? [image: draftingsteals-store_1986_7168630]

Thanks guys...it's been fun! Actually, Pete, I'm still having trouble with the new 'chine...wgatray.exe has jumped back into my life, using 50% of my processor capacity until I manually shut it off. I'm taking it back in this AM to have the HD's reformated and start over...with the insistance that Windows Update is not to be opened on it as I don't intended to have it connected to the internet. Woe is me...till later this week :`) Tina, this project is much bigger with the rec center and pool additions I'm starting this afternoon (lower parcel), so the presentation concept was to "mute" much of the model not touched by the project...so brown cars and people same as brown buildings (brown may not be the final color but I like it better than any I've tried so far). Actually, the ballpark was to be a simple form study model (10hrs max), but I kept thinking (as I find we all here do) "I bet I can model that pretty quick" so my marketing expense on this part is close to 3 times the invoice. Oh well, had me some fun this last weekend :`) I intend to fully tree the offsite portions of the model too, so do wish me luck with the new 'chine...I will diffently need it before I thru with this one (my little laptop is spending a lot of time thinking about it before doing it). [image: vO2S_tn_Parsons.jpg]

cheers tom, another good 'un to add to the collection.