Presentation Drawings (shaded views)

[darryl_PRP]

Ok, here's one I thought I'd throw out there - Presentation in Revit.

Revit is pretty poor in terms of flexibility when it comes to presentation. For example, there is no transparency in the default elevation views, to achieve this you need to use a dummy 3d view set to the relevent elevation. Great? No. By doing that you then cannot use any jpegs, tiffs, png's etc. to enhance your elevations.(for skies, people etc. BTW, why can't images be transparent?)

I'm not totally against letting my project leaders take their elevations (or perspectives) into Photoshop for 'tweaks' (adding cars, people etc.) but will not allow them to make changes there to the building appearance as I do not want that break in the workflow.

I find these issues a challenge especially when dealing with users who are new to Revit as they are traditionally people who are very comfortable with sketchup, which is very flexible in terms of presentable output.

Realistic View and Ambient Occlusion(2011 only) are a step in the right direction, but still nowhere near useful. RV does not show linework (why no option?) and AO does not print, only exports upto a certain resolution(huh? Thanks for nothing Autodesk)

I'd be intereseted to hear how you guys approach this and your solutions for generating the pretty pictures that our planning departments here in the UK seem to love.

Over to you!

[patricks]

I believe each Revit license includes a license for Autodesk Impression, which is meant to create presentation drawings. I agree it would be better, workflow-wise, to be able to do this within Revit (even some external add-in tools would be nice), but still the option is there to use that program.

[cliff collins]

I agree--Revit does have some limitations.

However, you might try rendering the elevations instead of using shaded views.
Then you can add a sky/background image ( in RAC 2011).

We often set the camera to a top view and "render straight down" for site plans,
and even floor plans with the roof turned off--to get shadows into the plan, etc.

Set camera to side view cube orientations and render the elevations.
You do get a slight amount of "one-point perspective" and the elevs are not truly
"flat"--but that is an old-school drafting convention and we can easily adapt to a bit more
"3D model" approach instead of "2D drafting" approach.

You can save these render images and bring into PS to add the touches you mention.

Try to re-invent your presenatation techniques adapting to Revit--instead of trying to force Revit to do "Sketchup" or Photoshop" or ...........fill in name of other software.
For example, use a section box and render a cutaway view--or a cutaway perspective.

Try placing views on top of each other to produce varied effects. Try using Realistic View
anyway--even though it doesn't have edge lines--perhaps we Architects are the ones who notice these details and a client just might think it looks great?

just my 2 c worth.

cheers

[darryl_PRP]

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm always interested to find out how other people are tackling these kinds of issues.

I do currently utilize all the methods you have suggested, apart from Impression. That I will look into.

My issue is not necessarily what clients expect, (altho a valid concern), but rather dealing with architects and project leaders who all love to have their own 'style'. Pure vanity in my opinion, but nevertheless requires that we reinvent the wheel for presentation methods on every project.

And that just goes against every fibre of my parametric being!

I do still think Revit needs to 'loosen up' in this regard. I mean Autodesk want us to use Revit for conceptual design? Then give us a loosey goosey sketchy feel presentation style. Right now all my project leaders model in Revit and export to Sketchup to get that effect as clients expect that kind of feel on the drawings. Show them a Revit shaded view and they go, 'Is that whats its going to look like?'

Thanks for kicking this one about...appreciate the feedback.

[cliff collins]

Here's a good link for some worflows with Revit and Impressions:

http://whatrevitwants.blogspot.com/2009/07/make-goodimpression-workflow-simple.html

cheers

[craighowie]

Here's a good link for some worflows with Revit and Impressions:

http://whatrevitwants.blogspot.com/2009/07/make-goodimpression-workflow-simple.html

cheers

Hi

I know this is an old thread, but I am busy looking into Autodesk Impression for doing a sketchy presentation of my Revit drawings.

The link that you have attached is very helpful, however from what I read there is no 'Export to Impression function' in Auto Cad 2011 as was the case in 2010.

How have you gotten around this problem?

Also I am very surprised that there is not more information on the net about Autodesk Impression. Do you know if there are any active usergroups? Possibly I am not looking in the right places!

Thanks any guidence will be greatly appreciated,
Craig