3D working in VW - Opinions please!

[simbob]

I am fairly new to 3D working in VW and am self taught and so wanted to hear others opinion on what is the best way to do things.

I work mainly in the Architectural Interiors field (although not an architect, nor to that level of detail), I usually start a drawing using the wall tools and for speed i will use the inbuilt widgets for certain elements like baths, WC's some furniture, but these are fairly limited and i often then have to then find a 3d Symbol or draw something from scratch if it is not available as a widget.

As the design develops and changes many of the walls and widgets can become a hindrance and I find myself swapping out walls for extruded Polygons and 3d symbols, as many of the 3D tools don't work on these elements either. This is also true when you get into Renderworks as many of the widgets are very basic in appearance.

I want to know how others, who work in similar fields, approach this and is there a accepted norm to the way you may produce 3D interior drawings and Renderings. Do most people ignore the in built tools and start from scratch and build up their own libraries of symbols (as i have done in 2D over the years)?

Edited April 15, 2015 by simbob

[AlanW]

Hi,

Check out any videos and Jonathon Pickup's website.

Lots of training.

[digitalcarbon]

simbob, please see

please keep in mind that we are programers so "garbage in garbage out"

this is what i do:

footings and foundations are custom modeled

wall tool used for walls

floor tool used for ff and sub floor and countertops

ceilings are extrudes

stairs are custom modeled

window & door tool used as is

framing tool used for floor framing

roof tool only used to represent sheathing & top surface 1/4" or so

roof, window & door trim custom modeling

the more detailed the model the better the drawings...so IF you want very accurate drawings with no fussing and patching then custom model everything. however i try to use as much parametric tool as i can but in a way that reduces problems in the drawing so the above list is kind of like my recipe that i follow to make clean drawings

[RickR]

Many newbie have a block on 2D being isolated from 3D. In VW they are linked, so learn to use that. I've built cabinetry out of walls and floors. Keep in mind that the walls can be edited a fair amount in 3D.

I also find there is huge difference between designing and modeling what someone else designed. A recent project had a bunch of 2D elevations of framing/decorative details. I just traced/copied those, extruded them to make 3D objects and moved into place.

Convert to Solid/3D Polygon is a big help.

[simbob]

Yes, i understand the process of drawing everything in 3D then create your sections and plans from the 3d model, this is how i am starting to work now, but i'm more interested in what's is the most efficient way of working so i don't have to keep going back and changing objects once i hit a stumbling block.

I have again come across another example to illustrate my point:

I am drawing a shop front, wall tool for the wall and windows all fine, but the doors do not conform as it the same frame detail as the window but the glazed doors extend beyond the frame to the ground unlike the windows which don't reach the ground so can't be done using the inbuilt tools (as far as i can see). I've then created this entrance element as a bespoke 3d element, but now i can't insert it into the wall, and i don't know of a way you can punch a hole in the wall unless it's an extruded shape and not a wall.

Here's a pic of what i've done:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/s1ogfe5n7r9np13/AADzRpZ1YYrRl5XMFhSP_c1Ja?dl=0

[grant_PD]

Turn your bespoke items into symbols and they will insert into walls.