Complicated Family, Where do I start

[rrenault]

So, Ive got the task of creating a corinthian capital in Revit for an interior project I am working on.  I've been trying to create just the capital alone as a family, but need to develop very organic shapes of acanthus leaves and volutes.

I'm thinking how can this be done? Should I be using massing instead? (Not very well versed on massing) or maybe it cannot be done in revit, and needs to be imported through some other program such as inventor?

HELP!  See enclosed screenshot from autocad drawing......

[Bob_Zurunkle]

Have you done a search to see if anyone may have already done one? I see some on RevitCity but not sure how detailed they are.

[rrenault]

Yes, I am a big fan, but the one there is not accurately detailed, it also cannot accept any materials. It must have been imported from a sketch up file. I'm looking to do the impossible, I know

[ccollins]

These are a close a s I could find.........

maybe these can help you get started?

If so, and you are able to model your example--please post it here!

Good luck!

[jim5552]

Alternative to modeling capitol... Could the AutoCAD line work be imported and placed on 4 faces of a tapered box? Cheating, maybe, but might work.

[rrenault]

Actually the finished work will be rendered, I'm not sure if that would even show up, but I'll give it a whirl and see, just for curiosity sakes. Thanks for the post.

[ccollins]

Lines will NOT show up in a rendering............Revit doesn't like "cheating"..

Will the rendering be up close enough to require lots of detail?

If it's a street view ( 50-100 feet away from columns) try the families I posted, then set up a quick rendering test

to see how they look.

Good luck!

Edit: attached is a VERY quick render, just to see what might be possible......

[ccollins]

Here's a closer up view----not too bad.....

Less than 5 minutes to render on "High" setting.

cheers

[rrenault]

Thanks for the help, it's an interior rendering, and fairly close, but I plan on giving them a shot. Thanks again!

[shawn]

Doing this sort of thing in Revit is beyond my abilities, but my guess is that Revit is NOT the ideal program for this sort of modeling.

And I'm not too familiar with sketch-up or inventor, but if you have access to an older software called Studio Viz or it's more robust cousin Max, both would be ideal for modeling this sort of form using extursions and mesh deforms. Good luck.

S.G.

[alan.quinn · Accepted solution]

I’m just following up on what the others have posted. I always start by looking for a family that comes close, saving it under a new name and altering to my needs. The examples that ccollins provided are as good as you are going to get without doing anything. If you need to get more detailed I would consider using the conceptual massing tool or possible another application and importing the end results into Revit. Also, Revit has a nice rendering engine, but if you render in 3D max you will have more control and better end results. I have included a few links that may be helpful:

Conceptual Massing Tool:

http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Revit/enu/2012/Help/Revit_User's_Guide/0140-Prelimin140/0208-Conceptu20...

Families WikiHelp:

http://wikihelp.autodesk.com/Revit/enu/2012/Help/Revit_User's_Guide/0325-Build_th325/1279-Revit_Fa12...

Hope this was useful and thanks for postings