Some words and pictures

By James|March 30, 2020Arch Viz|

For ages I have been meaning to find the time to add some of my recent images to this website of mine, and generally update you with what I have been up to. Clearly, this is mostly in the hope that people see it, like it, more people see it, and then in turn I get even more work …hooray! I don’t have a degree in marketing (only making pictures), but I think that’s roughly how it works.

CGIs created for Lupe Technology, marketing their new cordless vacuum cleaner, due for imminent release… https://www.lupetechnology.co.uk/

I don’t know about you, but since Coronavirus made it’s intentions clear in my little world, when I see an advert for a new car: With the typical lifestyle images of care-free exploration; driving across deserts, to beaches and through busy streets, and the promised life changing qualities of a shiny new car. It kind of sticks in the throat; it seems incongruous and completely out of touch with our lives at the moment.

…and this leaves me in a similar situation: Thousands are dying around the world, thousands more heroic people are working all hours in hospitals and labs to try and save lives …While I update my blog, show you some pictures, and bore you with how well (or badly) I’m coping being at home 24/7 …it doesn’t quite feel fair.

Cutaway CGI illustration of the Lupe Cordless patented Suction Intensifier technology.

My task in combating Coronavirus, on the face of it, is easy …I just have to stay at home and keep working. Since going freelance four years ago, staying at home, and generally socially isolating myself, is something I’ve become really good at!

Interior and exterior CGIs created for The House of Design, showcasing a client’s upcoming Turkish Restaurant.

The current situation is scary on many levels, from the appalling and immediate direct threat to life, or the potential disruption of our relatively stable society and support systems, to the (hopefully short term) negative impacts on our businesses, to the long term (maybe not all bad) changes we will have to make to the way we work, live and treat each other.

Existing (left) and Proposed (right) CGI photo-montage created for Mace Playce’s new Chelmsford City Centre Softplay.

As I said, I’m quite used to working from home; avoiding the temptation of the biscuit tin and the sun outside. But there is a difference between choosing to stay at home and being told to, the latter can be hard, even for those of us with all the space, support and resources we really need.

CGIs of the proposed redevelopment of Bank Gardens.

You only have to hear the prominence of phrases such as “well I’m not an expert, but…” (often coming from experts), or the word “unprecedented…” from journalists, to realise that all we really know, is that in these time critical circumstances, no one can be expected to have all the perfect answers.

During this era of the unknowable, when we are being told what do do, there is a temptation to devolve all responsibility for our individual actions to those in positions of power. Now is certainly not the time to push this new advice to the limit.

London Road, Trade Centre.

But, I feel those of us who are able and willing, have a greater obligation than ever, to go as far as we can, in doing the right thing; to stay out of potential harm, and to reduce our drain on all public resources in any way we can. To avoid the pull of anchoring effects: “Limited to 3 per customer” making me buy three when I wasn’t even going to buy any. Or “One form of daily exercise” combined with the sunny weather, making me tempted to go out and ride my bike more often than usual.

Bespoke Christmas CGIs created for seasonal marketing material.

The very nature of my work; producing CGIs of an ideal, predicted future, is forward looking and exciting. Be it a restaurant soon to be opened, product to be launched, or new home to be built. Undoubtedly many future projects and plans, that I have been lucky enough to visualise, will be changed by the current necessary restrictions on our lives. Behind all of these businesses, be them large or small, are individual people and families. More than ever, it is clear that there are no easy answers, no guarantee of our perfect future. All we can do is look after those close to us, be kind, thoughtful and positive to the wider world …and realise that both these aims are ultimately one and the same.

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