3D Modelling Special Interest Group – September 2015

We were really fortunate to have one of the users present one of the renderings they have done based on the modelling that learnt from the sessions. We then discussed the principle of removing colour from the rendering so that the client can appreciate the form of the building without worrying about the colours or textures, which lead us onto a discussion about using these line drawings to trace over to create the renderings that suit your company style. We looked at the website of a company called studioDB (http://studiodb.co.uk/sdb_3/Home.html). This company uses a technique that I taught them several years ago which is to create your models in Vectorworks, render them in a head on line or wireframe view and then trace over the to add the colour, the textures, the artistic flair that your clients know and love.

Another new feature in Vectorworks 2016 is the ability to export your model as a 3-D PDF. This means that you will be able to export your model to your client and they’ll be able to use Adobe Acrobat reader to look at the model. Adobe Acrobat will allow the user to visit saved views, turn off walls or objects they don’t want to see, cut sections through the model, change the view, et cetera.

Next we looked at subdivision modelling and how powerful this can be. First of all, subdivision modelling has a new interface with coloured arrows to represent X, Y, and Z on the subdivision face. These do move as you twist and move your subdivision model around. We looked at how quick it could be to create a simple tent, then we looked at a sunshade, and then we looked at how to create a complex shape with subdivision modelling. This was only a quick introduction to subdivision modelling and will certainly have to come back and visit this again.

Finally, we looked at marionette. This is a completely new way of thinking about your objects in Vectorworks. Marionette is what they call a Visual Scripting Language. In simple terms this means that you can create complex shapes without having to understand the Vectorworks scripting language in detail. You drag nodes (which do something) to form a flow of instructions (very much like a recipe). Information flows from node to node along something called wires. This is again something we going to come back to and look at in detail.

Continue reading