View From Pershing Square

Another lunchtime sketch in Downtown. This one looking at the corner of 5th and Hill Street. Really only wanted to spend a few minutes sketching today, but the building proved to be more complicated in the form than expected, so it took about 20. It all worked out though, I think.

Lunch Sketching

It really seems like forever since I went out on my lunch break and sketched. I went topside at the 7th+Fig center downtown and drew for a few minutes before heading back to the office.

Actual boring buildings:

Actual big dude:

Top of the Oviatt

I took this shot at the Oviatt Penthouse this past Saturday, when we were there for Daisy & Damon's wedding reception. The building, and the penthouse itself were fine examples of the forgotten Art Deco of downtown Los Angeles. At one point in the evening, we made our way out to a small balcony, overlooking Olive Street, and had quite the view from there. It never ceases to amaze me that once you get off the ground it almost seems like we have a legitimate "Downtown".

The lighting of the buildings and sky at this particular moment struck me as theatrical, as if the facades scattered in front of me were all made of plaster and plywood. Hell, knowing this town, they probably were...

Pershing

This is a shot of the fountain in Pershing Square in Downtown LA. Not so much the fountain, as the stones on which the water falls.

Bike Racks

Went to my old architecture school, SCI-Arc for a mentoring event the other day. Very strange to be back there, as there were a lot of changes to the school, inside and out. Mostly, I am guessing, to accommodate the extra 2-300 students that are attending there now than from when I attended. I thought this was an interesting scene outside:

Backlogged Pt.1: Photos

It sure appears as if I have been neglecting my duties here for at least a couple weeks now. I have not been entirely idle and have some further catching up to do regarding postings. The first of which is another series of photos that I took downtown sometime during my period of AWOL-iness. These were taken in an alley not too far from work. I think a lot can be derived from the texture and manifold of the building and objects present... from the abandoned jacket and liquor sack to the crushed cigarette box and urine stains on the wall. Below that are a couple smaller images of adjacent buildings within view of this spot, both with drastically different textures and features; one very geometric and industrial in nature while the opposing bears an invasive organism rhizomatically spewing across the faux-stonework.

This next one was taken at the downtown train station while waiting for a ride at the end of a long night... a noticeably different experience than a standard rush-hour commute.

Thursday Photography

This first photo I took of The Stillwell Hotel (Downtown, on Grand) while going for a walk on my lunch break. I was standing in the middle of a littered and totally desolate concrete parking lot.

This next one I took on my walk home from the train station this evening. Its a little driveway around the corner from my apartment. I've always wanted to take a picture of it and now I have. This, of course, was right before I was chased away by the rabid dogs on the corner.