Quirky - that is what I am talking about

[Joe Carrick]

Here is an example of a quick 2D site plan early in concept drawing. I used Vectorworks with the "hand-drawn" effect, but overall I wouldn't think CA is suited for doing this simply. Maybe I am wrong and ignorant. I hope I am really.

You forgot to attach your example.

[johnnyprc]

Here is a quick color elevation I did for a building (under 1 hr) using Vectorworks and mapping images into the drawing as "fill". I was just trying to show the client a quick idea. It could be that I just don't know CA well enough to "map" images to create drawings like this.

[johnnyprc]

FYI I can't upload high res files on here. I tried PDF's but no go.

[Joe Carrick]

Here is a quick color elevation I did for a building (under 1 hr) using Vectorworks and mapping images into the drawing as "fill". I was just trying to show the client a quick idea. It could be that I just don't know CA well enough to "map" images to create drawings like this.

Pretty Simple in Chief.

[johnnyprc]

Bryce, that is a nice elevation....that does give me hope about CA. Can I ask, did you have to do an entire plan to get that, or is that a concept?

Does it print sharp???

[johnnyprc]

Pretty Simple in Chief.

So...are you saying you can map images in the backround of a 2D drawing? If so, it is obvious I just dont know enough about CA.

[Dave Pitman]

FYI I can't upload high res files on here. I tried PDF's but no go.

You should know you can't get off that easy.

Get yourself a free Dropbox account (referral link with extra free space) and let's see that example pdf.

[Dave Pitman]

I gave it about 25 minutes. Enough to get an idea.

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[yusuf]

For schematic and design development stuff, I prefer to go with the watercolor with line drawing feature anyway, which can be done entirely native to Chief.

here goes chief. excellent work.
ca can handle a lot and my friend's attitude towards ca is changing.
like it again, keep it up.

[Electromen]

My old Summagraphic eight pen plotter was sharp, as sharp as the pen.

[johnnyprc]

I gave it about 25 minutes. Enough to get an idea.

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I wasn't talking so much about the specific design, but the elements used to create the drawing. In many ways I look at your drawing and mine and see my point made. You had to find elements already created - you had to make a model. You couldn't create a comparable "concept" without actually modeling the entire structure (exterior at least).

Part of my point here is that CA should contain better 2D tools, since Vectorworks and Autocad/Revit have great 2D tools for the architectural practice. CA needs a rich 2D tool set with the sharp printing to go with it. Add a new UI, and CA is hands down the best BIM/CAD app on the market.

[marty]

I think I get where Johnny is coming from. He wants to draw a 2D elevation of one face only without building a model for a concept. Something that long time users have given up doing long ago as they have found out it is faster to draw a model and elevate than do it in 2D.

For a new user that may not be the case but I know for me the 3D model is way faster - particularly when changes are required. There is a change of mindset required when working with Chief but it doesnt come overnight.

[Dave Pitman]

Part of my point here is that CA should contain better 2D tools, since Vectorworks and Autocad/Revit have great 2D tools for the architectural practice. CA needs a rich 2D tool set with the sharp printing to go with it. Add a new UI, and CA is hands down the best BIM/CAD app on the market.

So, you are saying that you would prefer to draw this using strickly CAD tools, and not object based tools, irregardless of how long it takes?

That doesn't make sense to me, but then I have never drawn elevations using strictly CAD, why would I want to?

I wouldn't expect CA to go in the direction you suggest any time soon. Just my opinion.

[johnnyprc]

OK - I THINK I HAVE IT. See the attached drawing. The reality is that its not so much that CA prints worse than other apps, its that the program creates overlapping lines that makes the drawing seem not sharp. Doug wanted specifics - here it is: CA needs to not stack lines together that end up coming across as thick profile lines when not intended. The reverse is true when dark profile lines are needed.

I am sure someone is going to tell me a work-around, but I dont have that same problem in Vectorworks or Revit. It makes for a "sloppy" drawing if you dont go in and edit every line.

My point is that since this is generated from a model, we give allowances. If my draftman gave me this drawing as something he created in 2D I would not be happy he didnt have line weight correct. See the other CAD example to compare.

[johnnyprc]

So, you are saying that you would prefer to draw this using strickly CAD tools, and not object based tools, irregardless of how long it takes?

That doesn't make sense to me, but then I have never drawn elevations using strictly CAD, why would I want to?

I wouldn't expect CA to go in the direction you suggest any time soon. Just my opinion.

There is an art to architecture. True to form, those who practice the full art will inevitably create better drawings, and structures.

The freedom to draw in 2D, whether by hand or computer, makes it so your design is not limited by the CAD tool. I could never start with a 3D design and expect to model fast enough for my creativity to flow through that process – except in mass modeling with something like sketchup. We are taught that in school, and we appreciate the artistic/creative form to our profession and seek tools to match.

Attached is a project I did, and you can see the example of the 2d hand drawings which inspire the 3d modeling. I think the end result was better in the model, since I was able to quickly assess the changes I wanted to make. If I started with the model, my laziness would have probably prevented me from going back and changing it all... =)