Tamsin Slatter's Vectorworks Journey
Says Tamsin, "After a 20 year career in the IT industry, with jobs spanning support, training, sales and marketing, training as a garden designer was a dream come true for me. Escape from the corporate world, the chance to work with nice people, learning about plants and learning to draw. It was a wonderful journey. However, throughout my training, lovely as it was, there was a nagging doubt that there surely had to be a faster way to work and would I REALLY be able to earn a living doing this... Once qualified, I started my business and began designing gardens for real. I was also invited to teach budding designers at Sparsholt College to combine my previous teaching experience with my newfound design skills.
My own Vectorworks journey began when a friend and design colleague, Jennifer Berry, maxed out and close to a deadline, contacted me to ask for help with a set of construction drawings. I was maxed out too. I had a copy of Vectorworks and suggested this would be a good time to learn whilst completing these drawings. With the guidance of the 'Help system, I muddled through, completed the drawings over a weekend, and was HOOKED! The next step was a planting plan - small, I grant you, but completed ready to print in just a couple of hours. There was no turning back..."
With the interest in Vectorworks growing across the industry, it wasn't long before Tamsin was asked to write a course. She did, it went well... and now works full time training other designers in the delights or working faster, more efficiently and finishing drawings before the early hours of the deadline day!
With hundreds of people trained since 2007 clearly the time is right for designers to make the move to Vectorworks. Author of "Residential Garden Design with Vectorworks Landmark" (commissioned by Nemetschek North America), Tamsin is also the Vectorworks trainer for the Oxford College of Garden Design, The London College of Garden Design and the English Gardening School. In 2011, Tamsin was asked to completely rewrite the "Getting Started with Vectorworks Landmark" guide, which is included with every copy of Vectorworks Landmark. She also writes tutorials for inclusion in the Vectorworks Service Select subscription service.
Tamsin is a regular speaker at industry events across the entire product range. For example, she spoke at PLASA Focus 2011, PLASA 2011, Creating Landscapes 2011, The BALI Landscaping Show. and many more. This year, she will be speaking at Ecobuild, PLASA Focus 2012 and make more events.
Vectorworks Training runs one to one training, or group training can be organised if this is your preference. We run masterclasses covering specific topics in-depth. We also supply Vectorworks software and Adrian Slatter has joined to handle this side of the business.
Comments on Tamsin's Book
"This is just to say that this book is even more fantastic than I expected. I am sure it will sell like hot cakes and I am already recommending it to everyone I know."
"Hi Tamsin, Great book, great help..."
"My 9 year old twin boys (avid readers of Horrid Henry) have decided that Vectorworks is good fun. Last night they furnished a patio with sun loungers & parasols for themselves and stone benches for myself & Pete (hilarious). Tonight they want to build houses - much better than homework!."
"It's like learning to cook with Delia Smith!"
"Thanks for putting together such an accessible and relevant publication - can't believe I feel excited about a user guide!"
"What really grabbed my interest is your writing style! I honestly found it so warm, inclusive, helpful, explanatory and enabling - “I’m here as a friend, but a professional one, and you can do this dead easily” - just like having you sitting next to me on my training day."
