Genesis Studios, Inc.

• February 25th, 2010 - Vasily Vasilenko has been honored with an Award of Excellence by the American Society of Architectural Illustrators
  

  Genesis Studios, Inc. Lead Watercolor Illustrator, Vasily Vasilenko has been honored with an Award of Excellence by the American Society of Architectural Illustrators for their AIP25 catalogue and show.
  
  Vasily Vasilenko has a BA in Architecture with a minor in Architectural Illustration from the St. Petersburg State Academic Institute of Fine Arts and Architecture in St. Petersburg, Russia. He has over 20 years of experience in Architectural design and illustration.
  
  In addition to Genesis Studios, Mr. Vasilenko has been employed as a freelance illustrator and painter at numerous firms throughout Europe
  including:
  
  *        Leon Wilnitsky Gallery - Austria
  *        Artist’s Union of St. Petersburg Exhibition Center
  
  Vasily has been the recipient of numerous awards in his career including the ASAI 2005 Award of Excellence. He has had numerous exhibits in the United States, Russia, Hanover, Germany, and Austria.
  
  The award is for Vasily’s spectacular painting of the Borabay Lakes Resort, in Kazakhstan. The architect is Civic Arts/Eric R. Kuhne and Associates in London, United Kingdom.

  See more of  his work watercolor works and sign up for our newsletter.

  
  
  
• February 16th, 2010 - Revisiting the topic "Using a Domestic Rendering Company"
  

  

  Revisiting the topic “Why Use a Domestic Architectural Rendering Company?”
  
  Greatly differing time zones. This may not seem to be much of a problem at first glance. You may be willing to stay at the office till 9:00 pm to talk to someone halfway around the world-after all, your new project is important to you. However this may become a daily routine as some of the progress images are not looking quite the way you expected. The calls are later (or very early) and more frequent and perhaps a bit more exasperating.
  
  How do I know all of this? One way is that I have spoken with architects and developers that have outsourced their architectural renderings. To be sure, it is not always a bad experience, but it can be. I have heard many of the stories (some nightmares) of calls and emails around the clock.
  
  The other way I know about this is that-yes-I have outsourced work. So I know from firsthand experience how what seems like a simple experience can spiral out of control.
  
  The height of the “time zone” problem comes when you receive your completed rendering at 9:00 am, “as promised”. Everything looks fine, except upon further review you notice a critical omission-like no flag on the flagpole, or worse, an unwanted addition-like an extra floor. You need this changed, but your overseas source has retired for the night. You have to make prints and bind them for your critical meeting while knowing full well you will have “some splaining to do” in your meeting. I know, I’ve been there.
  
  Related to the “time zone” issue is the fact that certain holidays in other countries are not the same as ours. Various “New Years” celebrations come at different times with long shutdowns. Just some things to think about if you have a critical deadline to meet.
  
  At Genesis Studios Inc., we are at work when you are at work
  
  More to come…

  We have many architectural rendering samples to be viewed on our website.

  Please contact us if you are interested and referrals are always welcomed.

  
  
  
• February 5th, 2010 - Winters in Central Florida
  

  Winters in Central Florida
  
  I count the days until winter announces its arrival each year. Why? Open the front door during the summer and it feels like stepping into a sauna. It’s so common to hear, “Just a few more months of this oppressive heat and humidity and winter returns.”
  The winters in Central Florida are near perfection. The season brings abundant sunshine, low humidity, average highs in the 70’s, yard sales, arts and craft shows and lots of opportunities for outdoor dining and people watching.  Ah, the reason I love central Florida winters. Did I mention green? Usually everywhere I turn, I see green-giant philodendrons, palms, ficus trees and an occasional splash of color contrasts with the green. Not this year.  You may have heard about Florida’s weather on the news. This winter  has been far from our much anticipated perfection. Just look at these photos! There’s no green. There’s no color.

  
  
  I’m  never without my camera. Never know when I’ll spot the perfect tree or colorful bougainvillea. Over the years, I’ve taken hundreds of photos for reference.    You may not realize it, but when you visit www.genesisstudios.com and search our Style Categories, you’ll see some of our Florida landscape reproduced  in our watercolor and digital renderings. Whether painted with a brush or incorporated digitally, the photos are the perfect reference.   I expect to photograph landscape all year long, but  this winter has presented us with something we don’t see very often, a landscape of frozen, brown, droopy and dead plants. It may take some time (if ever) for this Bougainvillea to return to its glory.

  
  
  Fortunately we already have a huge library, so our  developers, homebuilders, architects and advertising  clients can be assured that the perfect trees, grasses and shrubs will be in their renderings, even if it isn’t tropical.

  We all know the saying, “There’s never a better time.” Get those cameras out. Don’t let opportunities slip away. That Bougainvillea might be gone tomorrow.

  
  
  Coming soon!
  The next edition of our newsletter  “The challenges of a 2009 Project”.
  Genesis Studios Newsletter
  
  Guest Blogger-Betty Elliott

  
  
  
• January 26th, 2010 Why use a domestic architectural rendering company?
  

  Why use a domestic architectural rendering company?
  
  With so many options available for outsourcing architectural renderings, why would you use a domestic architectural rendering firm and pass on the possible low costs of overseas outsourced renderings?
  
  Communication. This is probably the most critical factor when selecting anyone to represent your project. You may have had the experience of working with a talented architectural renderer who “just does not get it” when it comes to your design intent. This problem can be compounded when your artist does not share your language. And while some overseas rendering firms advertise representatives that speak “perfect English” there are idioms and phrases you may use to express your requirements that do not translate. If you say “Well we’re back to square one”, or “knock their socks off”, you may not be understood.
  
  Often times someone from a different culture will not ask you what you meant-you may not find out that you were not understood till the project is well under way. Cultural backgrounds can also be difficult to bridge. This is not to question the competency of the liaison-there are just differences.
  
  At Genesis Studios Inc., we go the “extra mile” to be sure we understand what you mean. If we are not positive we have grasped your intent, we’ll take a step back and discuss the issue before moving on.  It is better to be certain early on than to have to make revisions later on. Unnecessary revisions are costly, cause frustrations and can really slow a project down.
  
  It is not unusual for us to work with architects whose first language may not be English; Spanish for example. Since English happens to be a more universal language it is easier for someone whose first language is not English to communicate with someone who understands English well.
  
  To enhance communication, we also present sketches as we progress, incorporate your mark-ups and advance with our architectural illustrations. We know that you want “no surprises!”

  
  For a successful project, communication is key. These are just a few of the images that show the process resulting in the completed rendering for Global City.

  

  

  

  

  

  Check back to read more topics relating to “Why use a domestic architectural rendering company ?”
  
  -Greatly differing time zones
  -Risk of transmitting information overseas
  -Local infrastructure  (will their power go out when you have a difficult deadline?)
  -What happens if lines of communications break down?
  -What if your deadline does not look like it will be met, what recourse do you have?
  
  If a nondescript/low profile overseas company misses  deadlines or does not deliver as expected, how will you know before choosing them?
  
  As a very high profile company and members of the American Society of Architectural Illustrators, we know that our reputation is on the line with every project!

  Want to discuss this more Contact Us

  
  
  
• ASAI Student Award of Excellence 1-21-10
  

  ASAI Student Award of Excellence
  
  DEADLINE Friday, January 29, 2010
  
  While the American Society of Architectural Illustrators’ “Architecture in Perspective” is entering its 25th year competition, ASAI is sponsoring a new competition.
  
  In 2009, the American Society of Architectural Illustrators introduced a student member category to “Architecture in Perspective”. Student members are invited to enter a maximum of 5 images which can include formal presentation renderings, informal sketches, study projects, drawings, paintings and computer imagery. The Student Award of Excellence winner will receive a Certificate of Excellence and the winning image will be included in the AIP exhibition which travels the United States and international venues. The winning image will also be published in the AIP catalogue and on the ASAI website. The jury, at their discretion, may also award Student Awards of Merit accompanied by a Certificate of Merit. Student entries will be judged by a separately convened jury which will include senior ASAI members.
  
  The goals of this competition are to bring exposure of what ASAI is all about to a new wave of aspiring architectural renderers. It is also a venue that allows students of architecture to demonstrate their abilities to a broad audience.
  
  You may view the results of the first competition on the ASAI website. The level of talent is impressive. And the architectural rendering styles and techniques are fresh and original. From digital architectural renderings to hand painted architectural illustrations you can get a glimpse into the “future” of the American Society of Architectural Illustrators.
  
  For a full description of the competition and entry requirements, along with the Student Entry form (below) and/or a poster, please contact ASAI headquarters on 623-433-8782 or hq@asai.org
  
  
  Jury for Student Awards
  
  Frank M. Costantino, ASAI, SI, JARA, FSAI
  Frank Costantino is an architectural illustrator, watercolorist, teacher, and writer. A Hugh Ferriss Memorial Prize recipient - and other Juror or Category Awards - from the American Society of Architectural Illustrators, he is one of only two professionals in the world with the Ferriss Prize and an Arthur Ross Award from ICA/Classical America.
  
  Award-winning artworks from his thirty-five year career appear in more than forty-five books or catalogues. Since 1987, twenty-six of his illustrations have been juried into annual ASAI exhibitions.
  
  As one of ASAI’s founders and President Emeritus, Mr. Costantino received the American Institute of Architects Institute Honors in 1995, and was recognized with an ASAI Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, for his numerous contributions to the Society. A signature member of the New England Watercolor Society, and member of New York’s Salmagundi Club, he regularly conducts seminars around the country in architectural and fine art watercolor.
  
  Jeff Mottle
  Jeff Mottle is the President and Founder of CGarchitect Digital Media Corporation (www.cgarchitect.com), the leading online magazine for architectural visualization professionals. Having worked in the industry since 1997, Jeff has been involved in developing and speaking at conferences around the world including: Mundos Digitales, IMAGINA, VisMasters DMVC and the American Society for Architectural Illustrators conference (ASAI). He is immersed in many areas of the industry and actively pursues initiatives that help promote the growth of the field, including CGarchitect’s yearly Architectural Visualization competition and 3D Awards. Jeff has also written articles for 3Dworld Magazine and has been quoted in Business week. He frequently acts as an expert judge in industry competitions and publications, including Ballistic Publishing’s EXPOSE and ELEMENTAL books.
  
  Jeff has worked for a number of companies including London based design communications firm, Smoothe, and more recently, as business development manager for VisMasters, an online software marketing and resource company for design visualization professionals.
  
  James Gurney
  James Gurney is the author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Dinotopia book series, which has been translated into eighteen languages in thirty-two countries. He designed the World of Dinosaurs stamps for the United States Postal Service and has worked on assignment for National Geographic magazine, painting reconstructions of Moche, Kushite, and Etruscan civilizations.
  
  His unique blending of fact and fantasy has won Hugo, Chesley, Spectrum, and World Fantasy Awards. An exhibition of the artwork from Dinotopia began at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. will appear at the Delaware Art Museum in early 2010. His most recent book is Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn’t Exist (Fall, 2009). Gurney lives in the Hudson River Valley of New York with his wife Jeanette and his blue parakeet Mr. Kooks—a living descendant of dinosaurs.