Color...

[aaronrumple]

This is one of those issues that has always bugged me but I accepted and tried to work around. Unfortunately as more and more in our office use Revit, I'll have to explain. Why don't colors match what you've selected?!? I understand when doing a rendered or shaded view that lighting can affect color and am accustomed to this with Viz. However, when doing a 2D elevation or plan, color should be color. Anyone (Factory?) explain this. I know Autodesk can do color. Viz and Inventor do a fantastic job with on-screen and print color. So what's the deal?

[jeffh]

I have noticed this too and spent some time to try and figure it out. From what I gather the problem comes from the fact our monitors display color in RGB and a printer prints in CYMK color. The range of colors for RGB and CYMK are different from one another so you get unexpected results. There are some kind of color matching files you can mess with to try and get the two to be closer but that is about where my head started to hurt and I just flat out gave up. As far as other programs having a more accurate screen to print color representation perhaps they are using these color matching files within the program itself to get better results. I know this is not really a solution but maybe it gives you a better idea as to why.

[aaronrumple]

Nope that's not it.

Photoshop, Corel, Inventor, AutoCAD all do good WISYWIG color. I'm well aware of the issues of color ballancing between RGB and CYMK printing and this aint it. You'll see Revit's own color picker and the floor in the project are far appart in color.

[J. Grouchy]

I think one of Aaron's points was the difference even between the color selector and what gets displayed on the model in shaded view...as his attached image shows. Bug the s*** out of me too...particularly when a client is viewing the model on the screen and the colors are so far off.

[bclarch]

I think Aaron is referring to the color in the color selector not matching the color displayed in the project. I don't think that he is referring to a monitor vs. printer issue. If you look at his screen capture you will see that the color displayed in the preview pane of the color selector dialog box does not match the color appearing in the project in the background.

Edit: I see that Aaron managed to slip in ahead of me with his own response. I guess that I have to work on my typing speed.

[Andre Baros]

I've always assumed that it had to do with implied shading... ie top, bottom, front, back, etc.

If you imagine the six sides of an imaginary cube with ideal lighting, the front is the actual color, the top is lighter, one side a little darker, one side a little lighter, and the bottom darkest. Colors are adjusted based on whether the surface is vertical, horizontal, up, down, etc. The process makes sense to me (though I'm guessing at it's validity) but I agree that the results are ugly and annoying.

PS, White seams to be immune, so I use that color a lot.

[Scott Hopkins]

I have experienced many of the same frustrations as Aaron. It think the answer is for the factory to add an option to shade views as 3D color or 2D color. Using the 3D shading option would be the same as Revit's current shading (according to orientation and lighting). Using the 2D shading option wouldn't actually shade at all, but would show the true color as you picked it from the color selection menu. Maybe the best place to put this new option would be under the "Advanced Model Graphics" tab. Ideally all elevations in future templates would be preset to 2D shading. Roof plans I think should be preset as 3D shading because I like to see the different shades on the different oriented pitches.

[Paul Monsef]

I've always assumed that it had to do with implied shading... ie top, bottom, front, back, etc.
I agree... For some reason even in a 2d shaded view revit is doing this.

A simple fix i found was to use the "advanced graphics", set the shadow to 0 and modify the sun intensity until the colors match...

[Steve_Stafford]

I guess this is one advantage being color blind has? ;)

[aaronrumple]

..the factory should talk to the Inventor guys. They have killer graphics engine. Great on-screen icons, dimensions, dialogs.

[beegee]

There is a wishlist thread (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=1114&highlight=color)on this subject, that still has a poll open, that you can vote in.

[Chad Smith]

Something I've been after for some time now.

I don't even use colour on elevations or 3D's anymore, because I'm sick of explaining to the computer illiterate management the technicalities of why the colours don't match between views.

[FK]

..the factory should talk to the Inventor guys.
We do.......

[Scott D Davis]

We do.......
<Mr. Burns vox>excellent.</vox>

I hope you guys are talking to them about bringing Inventor models into Revit as RFA's WITH parameters!

[narlee]

I just voted YES. I don't see that I'm particularly accounted for in the voting, but I won't abuse the system and voted 50 times for the thing I want.

Yeah, I found it too time consuming to make a material color for 2D and another for 3D. I just explain to the client "This program is great, but the colors fidelity is not and the colors are just for visual-aide purposes.


Geof.

[beegee]

Ahhh, I think you'll find its not possible to do that ( unless you register as 50 different people )


I just voted YES. I don't see that I'm particularly accounted for in the voting, but I won't abuse the system and vote 50 times for the thing I want.
.

[bowlingbrad]

I haven't used color that much yet with Revit so my question may sound stupid... What about the pantone selector? Shouldn't a selected pantone color once PRINTED, match the pantone color? Isn't that why there is a pantone selector? I know all about printed colors and the frustrations... We are doing our color elevations in Illustrator.:(

[narlee]

BeeGee,

Ha!Ha! That must have been a Fruedian slip on my part. I meant to say I would not abuse the system and vote (not voted) 50 times.

Bowlingbrad,
Selecting Pantone doesn’t affect what the problem.


Geof Narlee