Tuesday 17 September 2013

The "Ghost" Shadow

        We have done field school nearly ten days. This week, we do something different. First of all, do you want to sketch a house as a professional architect? Ed will teach you. Yesterday, he showed us some building pictures and drawing sheets in Virginia. They all are splendid buildings and I think they ever must belong to planters in central and Southern America. Drawing sheets are equal to arts. You will agree with me when you see the pictures of Ed’s.
        Buildings express stories and emotions by silent and motionless way. Something interesting is that there are some historical “ghosts” hiding behind every mark curved in board, brick and pillar. When Ed spoke out this term, we felt confused. In folklore, it means many many mysterious and curious stories that worth to dig.
        Mallard cottage is one of the building heritages in quidi vidi, as well as the Christ church and Hennebury’s house. Yesterday, we stepped into Hennebury’s house and investigated it generally. For example the scale and design of house and basement, as well as the changes by remote or close renovations. I think it was fantastic. However, when we learn how to draw the draft today, I start to know the truth of architecture.

Ed & Jerry investigate some details in the wall of Hennebury's basement


They are cool! Right?

Ed & Jerry & Hennebury observe the wooden structure below the stage

        Today morning, we studied how to deal with a drawing sheet in classroom. Our equipment included scale, painting board, paper, pencil, eraser, long tape and short tape… Very professional, huh? At least for me, the equipment compelled me to treat the buildings seriously. At first, I was confused by the foot and inch. You know, in China, all of us use centimeter, meters and kilometers to scale length. So I had no idea about that totally. But my teammates taught me carefully, I handled the procedure finally. The small scale is to make sure the paper-based proportion of actual length of a building. Moreover, one foot equals 12 inches. It totally new common sense for me!  
        I am fond of painting keenly, so I think I can do it without problem, only plus some practices. However, I underestimated the complexity of drawing sheets. Ed asked us to measure every side of a window, include inside and outside, as well as the fireplace and door. And in general thought, something should be central and symmetrical; it was proved be false in the front of reality- the fireplace is not in even central. If I done this without guide of Ed, I would estimate some length as general thought. Maybe only through strict practice can we understand the truth of science.


Ed is sitting on the ground to draw along with a circle of students
All of the people measure house carefully

        In the gap of complicated measurement, Ed and Jerry discussed some “ghosts” with Megan and Adrain. In my mind, ghost is most close to archaeology.  Archaeologists trace big found by silky clues and tiny marks. Ed and Jerry were attracted by the shadows and marks called “ghosts”, and intended to reconstruct original image of Mallard cottage. It was ever been a porch near the side door, and there was another door separating the porch space and hall. And the cube grooves in one board in the wall indicated that the board ever was used in roof then left these grooves.

Ghosts- Two pictures above show the proof of wooden structure around the fireplace and vanished porch 

       Most astonishing part was the vanished porch between the front door and fireplace. The owner Todd told us that there ever been a porch connected front door with fireplace. Ed and Jerry doubted that because the location of mark did not match the fireplace’s side width. Todd said that there were some wooden structures round the fireplace, so it matched the wooden structures but not the bricks. The wooden part has vanished. Then, they found that the width and structure of crossgirders were different. Moreover, they noticed the marks in the crossgirders in a row had equal length. Finally, they measured them, confirmed the words that there was a porch between fireplace and door as Todd Perrin said.

Same length marks of a row of crossgirders is labelled by yellow lines for blog reading


        Very meaningful and exciting process. People get some conclusion from ever marks and reconstruct the images of history. It is similar with some work of detectives, very funny. And when the statements are proved, words become proof, conjectures become science. It is the greatest part you know. So, the ghost story will go on, and we will do more building research in quidi vidi. Tomorrow, my group will sketch the Ring’s house- so cute and tidy house is waiting for us. Come on! 

(All of the pictures above were shot by Wang Xuan)

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