A number of years back I was commissioned by Bill Fain, of Johnson Fain Architects, to produce an aerial view encompassing a master plan for the greater portion of the Szechwan Province in China. This drawing was to focus from small villages, farms and eco systems in the foreground, emerging metropolis’ midway with distant Himalayas capping the horizon.

Apparently, this rendering has caused quite a buzz in China, and led to the current development group to request a similar aerial extravaganza.

This was another rendering produced on a very tight schedule. The goal was to feature the various amenities of the master plan: new urban centers, residential communities, retail zones, recreational opportunities and theme parks. We decided on a view showing it’s proximity to an existing highway, emphasizing the natural beauty of the location with it’s lush green hills, coastal beaches and interior lagoons.

I am happy to report that the rendering was very well received and contributed to the success of the presentation.

Art Center College of Design

Since the passing of my step-father, Carlos Diniz in 2001, my family and I have been engaged in the management of and preservation of his archive of architectural drawings and paintings.

I am very proud to present, at long last, a website that we have assembled to honor Carlos’ many achievements in the architectural illustration profession. It is our intent to inform a broader public of the legacy he left after forty plus years of producing beautiful drawings, paintings, lithographs and silkscreen art prints for some of the premier architects of the late twentieth century.

With a recent article in Dwell Magazine and the inclusion of several pieces in the recent Pacific Standard Time show at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, I am happy to say that there is a growing interest in the Diniz archive.

It is my belief that the tradition of drawing and application of fundamental artistic principles should continue to play an integral part in the development and presentation of architecture in the digital age. It is my hope that this website will enlighten and inspire others to pursue that goal.

Please visit the website www.carlosdinizart.com, and feel free to write to us with your comments.

Disney Concert Hall Charcoal Sketches

]]> http://ianespinoza.com/carlos-diniz-the-website/feed/ 3 http://ianespinoza.com/watercolor-meets-digital-2/ http://ianespinoza.com/watercolor-meets-digital-2/#comments Tue, 10 Apr 2012 21:17:54 +0000 Ian http://ianespinoza.com/?p=597 Ian Espinoza Associates was recently commissioned by Johnson Fain Architects to produce a series of images for a project in Playa Vista, California called The Runway.

We had a very short time fame to produce five highly finished architectural illustrations that captured the spirit of this newly proposed retail and residential development by Lincoln Properties.

It was somewhat of a departure for us in that we elected to integrate both the architect’s line artwork and digital imagery into these paintings as not only a way to save time, but to more accurately articulate some of the intricate color treatments and graphics on the building elevations.

My wife and partner Carol was instrumental in bringing this about due to her ability to manipulate the photographic imagery in Photoshop with a variety of filters so that it matched the watercolor painting.

The goal was to make the digital images as “painterly” as possible to create a seamless image.

I am quite proud of her contribution and that fact that we managed to produce such vibrant and finished renderings in such a short span of time.

On a recent visit to the Watts Towers, I was reminded how they evoked something significant about the city that I grew up in and the eccentric, visionary spirit that has always been a part of Los Angeles culture.

I recalled my first encounter with the Towers as a young boy when my father brought me along as he and photographer Seymour Rosen were documenting the site. The towers had been crumbling and were in a bad state of disrepair and a group of concerned members from the architectural and design community were attempting to stave off the wrecking ball and fund their renovation.

Happily, their commitment to this cause won the day.

I recall the story about Rodia’s one way trip on the Red Line to the beach and walking back home, picking up discarded shards of bottle caps, glass and tile along the way to adorn his burgeoning spires.

How inspiring that a simple man of humble origin could dream so big, and do so much with so little.

I chose to paint a watercolor composition of this for our holiday card this year to honor those universal qualities.

Happy New Year!