Fills and Graytones

[PHAAG]

We use tons and tons of fills and graytones on our drawings. During not only SD and DD but also in CD. Attached is a pdf example. I am having trouble figuring out how to best accomplish this. One that is a particular problem is when we have face brick in an exterior wall, we want both a "brick" fill pattern (lines at 45 degrees) and also a gray tone. Does anyone know how to get that to work automatically? We also have fills in plants, fills in the driveway, fills in the pool, fills in the terraces etc. etc. You'll see in the example. Is the only way to accomplish this filled regions in detail components for everything? Kind of a pain to build that into every single family. Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

[sbrown]

I think its time to change your graphic style or spend a lot of time setting it up. I'm surprised you gone very long with that style of graphic. Note because it doesn't look good. It looks great, however reproductions get to be a pain. I love using various grey tones myself, but end up pulling my hair out at the print shop. Between fullsize sets looking great, but halfsize looking all black or someone making xerox's and them getting all muddy, its just not worth it to have "pretty" documents in the digital age. I know I'm going to get beat up for this comment. But I'm hoping the industry is moving towards the building model being the "delieverable" and the pretty 2d drawings becoming less important, therefore not warranting the time spent to make them works of art. Believe me I loved pencil drafting at one time, so I do appreciate what you are trying to do. You just have to decide whos benefit its really for. And are you getting paid for it.

[PHAAG]

I don't necessarily disagree with you, I see every day how much time is spent "prettying" up our drawings. I will say this though, the fills and graytones do make the drawings easier for clients and contractors to understand. For now though I am stuck with trying to make this work one way or another so if anyone else has any ideas please let me know.

p.s.: I do appreciate your comments though sbrown.

[greg.mcdowell]

for the brick fill pattern two ways that I can see... one, create a new fill pattern file (.pat) to replicate the look you want (you won't get a true half-tone solid but you can get "close") - two, place two copies of your plan on your sheet, one with the fill half-tone the other with it set to diagonals... personally I'd go with the first option.