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Illustrating, and rendering CAD drawings with Photoshop.

9 REPLIES 9
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Message 1 of 10
Anonymous
1629 Views, 9 Replies

Illustrating, and rendering CAD drawings with Photoshop.

I'm interested in the technique used to do illustrating, and rendering on 2d
views of lets say...a plat. I would like to be able to do something like the
architects do on presentations, but do it with photoshop. I assume you use a
.pdf of the plot file to do the rendering on? I found a dvd, and a book on
amazon, but was wondering if anyone had any tips themselves, or if anyone
knew of any good websites with some tutorials on doing it.

Thanks!

--
Brent Daley
CAD Manager
RD Engineering, Inc.
11920 Burt Street, Suite 180
Omaha, NE 68154

Phone: 402.505.4355
Cell: 402.981.3713
Fax: 402.505.4432
Email: bdaley@rdengineering-inc.com
Website: http://www.rdengineering-inc.com
9 REPLIES 9
Message 2 of 10
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

On Wed, 29 Mar 2006 17:47:11 +0000, Brent Daley
wrote:

>I'm interested in the technique used to do illustrating, and rendering on 2d
>views of lets say...a plat. I would like to be able to do something like the
>architects do on presentations, but do it with photoshop. I assume you use a
>.pdf of the plot file to do the rendering on? I found a dvd, and a book on
>amazon, but was wondering if anyone had any tips themselves, or if anyone
>knew of any good websites with some tutorials on doing it.

Is this the one you checked out?

http://www.cgarchitect.com/news/newsfeed.asp?nid=3122

Basically, yes, I plot to PDF from AutoCAD, bring the linework into Photoshop,
and go to town. All coloring is done on multiple layers under the linework.

There are two ways to go here - you can keep the linework as shown on the
drawing, and color it up. However, I think it's much more effective to color the
illustration with the linework not there; it's much more like a painting without
the hard, chiseled linework.

If you have it, you can squiggle the linework and color that up for a more hand
done look. Or *shudder* you can actually trace the plot, scan it and color that.

In any event the basic coloring isn't hard - it how you play with light and
shadow that makes it sell, and that's a great skill to have in Photoshop.

Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 3 of 10
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Yea, that's the dvd I found, then he has a book out now too. I did what you
said, and it actually doensn't look too bad, I haven't plotted it yet
though, that's next on the list! Thanks for your help.

"Matt Stachoni" wrote in message
news:5125754@discussion.autodesk.com...
On Wed, 29 Mar 2006 17:47:11 +0000, Brent Daley

wrote:

>I'm interested in the technique used to do illustrating, and rendering on
>2d
>views of lets say...a plat. I would like to be able to do something like
>the
>architects do on presentations, but do it with photoshop. I assume you use
>a
>.pdf of the plot file to do the rendering on? I found a dvd, and a book on
>amazon, but was wondering if anyone had any tips themselves, or if anyone
>knew of any good websites with some tutorials on doing it.

Is this the one you checked out?

http://www.cgarchitect.com/news/newsfeed.asp?nid=3122

Basically, yes, I plot to PDF from AutoCAD, bring the linework into
Photoshop,
and go to town. All coloring is done on multiple layers under the linework.

There are two ways to go here - you can keep the linework as shown on the
drawing, and color it up. However, I think it's much more effective to color
the
illustration with the linework not there; it's much more like a painting
without
the hard, chiseled linework.

If you have it, you can squiggle the linework and color that up for a more
hand
done look. Or *shudder* you can actually trace the plot, scan it and color
that.

In any event the basic coloring isn't hard - it how you play with light and
shadow that makes it sell, and that's a great skill to have in Photoshop.

Matt
mstachoni@comcast.net
mstachoni@bhhtait.com
Message 4 of 10
craiggorsuch
in reply to: Anonymous

This is the screenshot of a site plan that I "rendered" in AutoCAD R13. No Illustrator or Photoshop. However, the Principal wanted me to try "rendering" the 2d information with the AutoCAD RENDER command. I had to inform him that wasn't possible, and that 3d information, lights, and materials were necessary.

One doesn't need additional software to create good looking illustrations. Though I'll admit that Photoshop or Illustrator does make the job easier.
Message 5 of 10
robincapperw
in reply to: Anonymous

Hi Brent,

You can achieve reasonable results in AutoCAD 2004,5,6 using gradient hatches. In AutoCAD 2007 based products the visual styles allow a resonable approximation of illustration techiques straight from the CAD model with no export hassle.

AutoCAD/ADT 2007
http://rcd.typepad.com/rcd/2006/03/its_a_visual_wo.html

Video of AutoCAD/ADT 2007 Visual styles http://rcd.typepad.com/rcd/2006/03/visual_styles_i.html

If wanting a stand-alone solution separate from CAD keep an eye out for whatever "Vespa" may become. it's goals are your wishes! It was given public preview at AU 2005

See: http://rcd.typepad.com/rcd/2006/01/artistic_cad_me.html

Robin
Autodesk AEC Collection 2020 - PC: HP Z6 | Win 10 64 | Xeon 3014 | 64 GB ram | Quadro P5000 - Tablet: Surface 3 Pro i5-4300u | Win 10 Ent 1703 64 | 8GB ram - Phone: Samsung S21 Ultra | Android 11
RobiNZ CAD Blog | LinkedIn
Message 6 of 10
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Another means to photoshop...set up the "adobe postscript level 1 plus"
plotter, and plot to an eps file, bring that into photoshop for crisper
linework. You can take that a step up, plotting groups of layers from
acad to eps files, and bringing them into photoshop on photoshop layers
as well.


Brent Daley wrote:
> I'm interested in the technique used to do illustrating, and rendering on 2d
> views of lets say...a plat. I would like to be able to do something like the
> architects do on presentations, but do it with photoshop. I assume you use a
> ..pdf of the plot file to do the rendering on? I found a dvd, and a book on
> amazon, but was wondering if anyone had any tips themselves, or if anyone
> knew of any good websites with some tutorials on doing it.
>
> Thanks!
>
Message 7 of 10
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Book Review: Enhancing CAD Drawings with Photoshop
http://tlconsulting.blogspot.com/2005/04/book-review-enhancing-cad-drawings.html

or

http://www.sybex.com/WileyCDA/SybexTitle/productCd-0782143865.html

Enhancing CAD Drawings with Photoshop
by Scott Onstott
ISBN: 0-7821-4386-5

--
Tracy Lincoln - Autodesk Discussion Group Facilitator
TLConsulting - http://TLConsulting.blogspot.com/

"Brent Daley" wrote in message
news:5125672@discussion.autodesk.com...
I'm interested in the technique used to do illustrating, and rendering on 2d
views of lets say...a plat. I would like to be able to do something like the
architects do on presentations, but do it with photoshop. I assume you use a
.pdf of the plot file to do the rendering on? I found a dvd, and a book on
amazon, but was wondering if anyone had any tips themselves, or if anyone
knew of any good websites with some tutorials on doing it.

Thanks!

--
Brent Daley
CAD Manager
RD Engineering, Inc.
11920 Burt Street, Suite 180
Omaha, NE 68154

Phone: 402.505.4355
Cell: 402.981.3713
Fax: 402.505.4432
Email: bdaley@rdengineering-inc.com
Website: http://www.rdengineering-inc.com
Message 8 of 10
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

The .psd, or .pdf got to be pretty big with painting it. I have done
illustrations, renderings before like the example that was posted here, but
I was looking to achieve that marker look. I even flattened the file to
indexed color, and it was pretty big, and thats with only painting a small
amount of the project. Take a look.

"Brent Daley" wrote in message
news:5125672@discussion.autodesk.com...
I'm interested in the technique used to do illustrating, and rendering on 2d
views of lets say...a plat. I would like to be able to do something like the
architects do on presentations, but do it with photoshop. I assume you use a
.pdf of the plot file to do the rendering on? I found a dvd, and a book on
amazon, but was wondering if anyone had any tips themselves, or if anyone
knew of any good websites with some tutorials on doing it.

Thanks!

--
Brent Daley
CAD Manager
RD Engineering, Inc.
11920 Burt Street, Suite 180
Omaha, NE 68154

Phone: 402.505.4355
Cell: 402.981.3713
Fax: 402.505.4432
Email: bdaley@rdengineering-inc.com
Website: http://www.rdengineering-inc.com
Message 9 of 10
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Sorry about that...file was too big. I do still have the question though of
keeping the file size down, if anyone can help with that.

Thanks!

"Brent Daley" wrote in message
news:5126776@discussion.autodesk.com...
The .psd, or .pdf got to be pretty big with painting it. I have done
illustrations, renderings before like the example that was posted here, but
I was looking to achieve that marker look. I even flattened the file to
indexed color, and it was pretty big, and thats with only painting a small
amount of the project. Take a look.

"Brent Daley" wrote in message
news:5125672@discussion.autodesk.com...
I'm interested in the technique used to do illustrating, and rendering on 2d
views of lets say...a plat. I would like to be able to do something like the
architects do on presentations, but do it with photoshop. I assume you use a
.pdf of the plot file to do the rendering on? I found a dvd, and a book on
amazon, but was wondering if anyone had any tips themselves, or if anyone
knew of any good websites with some tutorials on doing it.

Thanks!

--
Brent Daley
CAD Manager
RD Engineering, Inc.
11920 Burt Street, Suite 180
Omaha, NE 68154

Phone: 402.505.4355
Cell: 402.981.3713
Fax: 402.505.4432
Email: bdaley@rdengineering-inc.com
Website: http://www.rdengineering-inc.com
Message 10 of 10
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

What have you learned by using google: compress .psd files

If the proprietary .psd file format proves insufficient atfer using native
compression you can try saving to .gif, .jpg or .png and use applications
that will "optimize" the file using other compression algorythms which has
proven to be so useful when using images on the web.

<%= Clinton Gallagher


"Brent Daley" wrote in message
news:5128342@discussion.autodesk.com...
Sorry about that...file was too big. I do still have the question though of
keeping the file size down, if anyone can help with that.

Thanks!

"Brent Daley" wrote in message
news:5126776@discussion.autodesk.com...
The .psd, or .pdf got to be pretty big with painting it. I have done
illustrations, renderings before like the example that was posted here, but
I was looking to achieve that marker look. I even flattened the file to
indexed color, and it was pretty big, and thats with only painting a small
amount of the project. Take a look.

"Brent Daley" wrote in message
news:5125672@discussion.autodesk.com...
I'm interested in the technique used to do illustrating, and rendering on 2d
views of lets say...a plat. I would like to be able to do something like the
architects do on presentations, but do it with photoshop. I assume you use a
.pdf of the plot file to do the rendering on? I found a dvd, and a book on
amazon, but was wondering if anyone had any tips themselves, or if anyone
knew of any good websites with some tutorials on doing it.

Thanks!

--
Brent Daley
CAD Manager
RD Engineering, Inc.
11920 Burt Street, Suite 180
Omaha, NE 68154

Phone: 402.505.4355
Cell: 402.981.3713
Fax: 402.505.4432
Email: bdaley@rdengineering-inc.com
Website: http://www.rdengineering-inc.com

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