The Hand-Drawn Seen From the Age of the Digital

Design possibilities and the design process have been transformed so profoundly by the computer that a current exhibit in Santa Barbara celebrates what seems like an art from the dark ages: seductive renditions of proposed buildings in pen, pencil, and water color. The late Carlos Diniz (1928-2001) was for several decades the illustrator of choice for Los Angeles architecture firms, hoping to win over clients and public to their unbuilt visions. See “Visualizing a New Los Angeles: Drawings of Carlos Diniz, 1962-1992” at Edward Cella Art + Architecture Gallery in SB.

(Note: The curator of the exhibit is Nicholas Olsberg, co-curator of the John Lautner exhibit at UCLA Hammer, and subject of our last DnA show).
 
Meanwhile, back in the realm of digital design, this week SIGGRAPH is at the convention center, showcasing the latest in computer aided design programs. There is a new emphasis this year, say the organizers, on design and architecture. Among exhibits: a recreation of Ancient Rome in a “significantly enhanced version of Rome Reborn.”

We’ll talk on the next DnA, airing August 26, about digital design and its countertrend, the handmade.