Exterior Cornice Work - 3D Modeling Help

[bjoliver]

I am learning 3D modeling right now on my own. I am use to drawing in 2D only for basic construction drawings (elevations, floor plans, site plans, etc)

 

What I am hoping someone on here can help me with is the Cornice work on the building. What is the easiest way to create it especially with there being gables with the cornice and such. See the attached image of the 2D elevation for what I'm talking about.

 

Another hard part about this is the building has bumps all around it and the cornice goes all the way around.

3d.pdf

[Noahma]

I would just create the 2d poly line of the cornice, and extrude it. you can miter the corners to get them to do the 90* turns.

IE 45* cuts from the plan side of things

[bjoliver]

Thanks for the reply!

 

That sounds pretty easy... what about going up onto the gable in the pdf I attached in my original post? basically the same thing just different angle?

[bjoliver]

I would just create the 2d poly line of the cornice, and extrude it. you can miter the corners to get them to do the 90* turns.

IE 45* cuts from the plan side of things

oh yeah... how do you miter the corners? thanks for helping a forum newbie!

[Noahma]

oh yeah... how do you miter the corners? thanks for helping a forum newbie!

 

 

for your second post, yea it would be just a different angle to do a gable end with it.

 

You can use the slice command (it is picky and not friendly) to slice the object at the angles you need.

[Noahma]

you know I just realized that you are using ACA lol you can do this much much easier. Create a polling of your cornice detail. Then select and right click it, convert it to a profile. After that go to your style manager (Format > Style Manager)

 

bring down your Architectural Objects, then bring down your roof slab edge styles and right click. Add a new roof slab edge style, give it a name. Click the box under soffit and choose the profile you created before. This is where the tricky part comes in. You need to then click ok, and go back to your drawing. Select the roof you want to have this on and right click, select edit roof slab edge and select the edge you want it on. under edge style select the new slab edge style you created and click ok. View in 3d to make sure it is displaying correctly and in the right direction. I have a problem sometimes with it showing in reverse (detail goes inside the building)

 

you can then go around your building and select the roof edges and put the detail on whichever one you want. No mitering, no fuss and after you get the detail setup it is quick to use.

 

hope that helps if you have any more questions feel free to ask I will attempt to help you the best I can.

[bjoliver]

you know I just realized that you are using ACA lol you can do this much much easier. Create a polling of your cornice detail. Then select and right click it, convert it to a profile. After that go to your style manager (Format > Style Manager)

 

bring down your Architectural Objects, then bring down your roof slab edge styles and right click. Add a new roof slab edge style, give it a name. Click the box under soffit and choose the profile you created before. This is where the tricky part comes in. You need to then click ok, and go back to your drawing. Select the roof you want to have this on and right click, select edit roof slab edge and select the edge you want it on. under edge style select the new slab edge style you created and click ok. View in 3d to make sure it is displaying correctly and in the right direction. I have a problem sometimes with it showing in reverse (detail goes inside the building)

 

you can then go around your building and select the roof edges and put the detail on whichever one you want. No mitering, no fuss and after you get the detail setup it is quick to use.

 

hope that helps if you have any more questions feel free to ask I will attempt to help you the best I can.

 

What is "ACA"?

How do you "create a polling of your cornice detail"? Not sure what that means. I am new to 3D so a lot of terminology I'm learning.

 

Hehe... I think you are losing me. maybe you could make pictures and a video for me... haha! kidding, I'm kidding.

 

[Noahma]

What is "ACA"?

How do you "create a polling of your cornice detail"? Not sure what that means. I am new to 3D so a lot of terminology I'm learning.

 

Hehe... I think you are losing me. maybe you could make pictures and a video for me... haha! kidding, I'm kidding.

 

 

crud, nevermind my last post. I thought I had clicked on the Autocad Architecture area to reply to this.

 

the slice command is what you need to be able to cut the angles in the 3d object so you can join them at a 45* angle for wall corners, use the same procedure for the gable as well.

[bjoliver]

please give me some tips on slicing....

 

I have drawn the shape of the cornice and extruded it now how to do I slice the corners and once it is sliced do you fillet it somehow?

[bjoliver]

crud, nevermind my last post. I thought I had clicked on the Autocad Architecture area to reply to this.

That is what I was thinking you meant by ACA ... but thought maybe it was something else. hehe.

[bjoliver]

I am using AutoCAD Architectual Desktop 2005. It has Viz Render but I'm interested in Accurender. Suggestions for rendering?

[Teeds]

First on the cornice ...

 

I look at all the pieces as a kit of parts and simply build them in their littlest module. Then I combine the pieces in 3d creating the string that I want. As far a rotating a corner, you can trim all the solids via subtraction or you can simply rotate the individual part that turns the corner and align them at the outside corner.

 

Am I making sense? What I mean is I break the cornice into it's smallest components.

 

Set your UCS with 3P and you are good to go on the sloping cornice.

 

When you combine the parts into one solid, AutoCAD will do all the work for you.

 

As far as Accurender, I have a guy that sometimes uses it on my models. He wants all the materials and colors of paint, etc. on seperate layers so he can get the parts to render correctly.

 

He has done some amazing work for me.

 

For myself, I am happy with Impressions because it is a little less "finished" and the client tends to not get lost in some specific detail or color.

 

On your "builidng" ... what big box is that? It looks like the fronts that WallyWorld is building here in Texas.

[bjoliver]

First on the cornice ...

 

I look at all the pieces as a kit of parts and simply build them in their littlest module. Then I combine the pieces in 3d creating the string that I want. As far a rotating a corner, you can trim all the solids via subtraction or you can simply rotate the individual part that turns the corner and align them at the outside corner.

 

Am I making sense? What I mean is I break the cornice into it's smallest components.

 

Set your UCS with 3P and you are good to go on the sloping cornice.

 

When you combine the parts into one solid, AutoCAD will do all the work for you.

 

As far as Accurender, I have a guy that sometimes uses it on my models. He wants all the materials and colors of paint, etc. on seperate layers so he can get the parts to render correctly.

 

He has done some amazing work for me.

 

For myself, I am happy with Impressions because it is a little less "finished" and the client tends to not get lost in some specific detail or color.

 

On your "builidng" ... what big box is that? It looks like the fronts that WallyWorld is building here in Texas.

 

Impressions: I downloaded Autodesk Impression and like it quite a bit, but its only a trial and I haven't figured out how to buy it yet or where to find it if it is free??? I clicked the buy it link when it brings up that trial window but basically takes you in a loop with the autodesk website and tells you to find a dealer and then the dealers don't know how to get it. I'M ALMOST OUT OF HOURS!

 

BIG BOX: not sure what you're talking about?

If you are talking about at the top on the 2nd from the outside .. those are sloped roofs.

If you are talking about the center large areas... that is for signage...

 

On another note... what are popular commands used in 3d I should know?

[Teeds]

Impressions: I downloaded Autodesk Impression and like it quite a bit, but its only a trial and I haven't figured out how to buy it yet or where to find it if it is free??? I clicked the buy it link when it brings up that trial window but basically takes you in a loop with the autodesk website and tells you to find a dealer and then the dealers don't know how to get it. I'M ALMOST OUT OF HOURS!

 

BIG BOX: not sure what you're talking about?

If you are talking about at the top on the 2nd from the outside .. those are sloped roofs.

If you are talking about the center large areas... that is for signage...

 

On another note... what are popular commands used in 3d I should know?

 

Big Box means a type of store. The rear elevation appeared to be a single volume, so I figures it was a big box store. Here in Texas, that is what we call them and they are usually WallMart's, Sam's, Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.

 

In any case ...

 

I started out using wireframe when I learned 3d, but that was a long time ago. I am still muddling through the myriad of commands available in 3d. The ones I use most are ...

 

EXTRUDE - This is how I give volume to a closed PLINE. The coved cornice on your drawing is where I would use this command. You can use a line to define the extent of the extrusion or just guess and make a piece that you copy.

 

I should back up and mention

 

UCS > 3P - This allows me to set the XYZ coordinates of the UCS so I can actually create the pline in the first place.

 

UNION - This combines two solids into one solid. Don't do this unless you want to have them render as the same color.

 

SUBTRACT - This allow you to remove bits. This is how to miter your cornice.

 

DVIEW - This is what I fiddle around with to create the view I want, then I save it in VIEW.

 

RENDER - This shows you an accurate prepresentation of what the building will look like. To get it to look accurate ... orientate your building correctly for NSEW ... North is positive X in world coordinates ... and add the your location to set the sun angle ... it is a distant light ... it it too hard to describe (for me anyway, but piddling is the best way to learn it anyway). You can add point lights as well, and raise and lower the brightness of each.

 

 

This is one I created in a little over an hour. I clipped it in DVIEW to show the truss. Each sectional door was created in plan and I simply copied the pieces on the vertical axis to get them to appear correctly. The grips work in 3D as well.

 

The lights are a bit dramatic, but I wanted the building to appear light and airy.

 

I hope that helps. There are many people far more experienced than I on here. I am just slowly trying to learn 3d for fun ... and maybe profit someday.

[Teeds]

I forgot to add ...

 

Impressions is free, assuming you have an Autodesk Subscription. I have one and just downloaded V2 yesterday. The program costs is the same as the subscription cost, so I chose to go that way. It keeps me up to date.

 

My daughter moved to 2008 when it came out, but I never moved up. I just loaded 2009, so now I have new stuff to piddle with.

[bjoliver]

Big Box means a type of store. The rear elevation appeared to be a single volume, so I figures it was a big box store. Here in Texas, that is what we call them and they are usually WallMart's, Sam's, Home Depot, Lowe's, etc.

 

In any case ...

 

I started out using wireframe when I learned 3d, but that was a long time ago. I am still muddling through the myriad of commands available in 3d. The ones I use most are ...

 

EXTRUDE - This is how I give volume to a closed PLINE. The coved cornice on your drawing is where I would use this command. You can use a line to define the extent of the extrusion or just guess and make a piece that you copy.

 

I should back up and mention

 

UCS > 3P - This allows me to set the XYZ coordinates of the UCS so I can actually create the pline in the first place.

 

UNION - This combines two solids into one solid. Don't do this unless you want to have them render as the same color.

 

SUBTRACT - This allow you to remove bits. This is how to miter your cornice.

 

DVIEW - This is what I fiddle around with to create the view I want, then I save it in VIEW.

 

RENDER - This shows you an accurate prepresentation of what the building will look like. To get it to look accurate ... orientate your building correctly for NSEW ... North is positive X in world coordinates ... and add the your location to set the sun angle ... it is a distant light ... it it too hard to describe (for me anyway, but piddling is the best way to learn it anyway). You can add point lights as well, and raise and lower the brightness of each.

 

 

This is one I created in a little over an hour. I clipped it in DVIEW to show the truss. Each sectional door was created in plan and I simply copied the pieces on the vertical axis to get them to appear correctly. The grips work in 3D as well.

 

The lights are a bit dramatic, but I wanted the building to appear light and airy.

 

I hope that helps. There are many people far more experienced than I on here. I am just slowly trying to learn 3d for fun ... and maybe profit someday.

 

I live in Texas too and man it is hot lately! This building I'm messing with is just a small retail building. It's probably on 60' deep. It is all a single volume, just with bump outs and articulation as our city requires.

 

Where do you go for subscription or does it automatically come with the program?

[Teeds]

I live in Texas too and man it is hot lately! This building I'm messing with is just a small retail building. It's probably on 60' deep. It is all a single volume, just with bump outs and articulation as our city requires.

 

Where do you go for subscription or does it automatically come with the program?

 

They are saying 107 tomorrow.

 

It looked too tall to be a conventional retail building, although I did note the 60 foot depth. I've designed a more than a few million square feet of retail over the years when I was in a corporate sweatshop, but now I am self employed and primarily work on smaller projects.

 

The subscription is available through Autodesk, but if you are using 2005 that may be a problem. I think they have retired that version, which means $$ to upgrade. The subscription basically covers the cost of upgrading the software every year. Impressions is a benefit to having a subscription this year.

[Noahma]

I am using AutoCAD Architectual Desktop 2005. It has Viz Render but I'm interested in Accurender. Suggestions for rendering?

 

 

I bet you can still find Paul Aubin's book Mastering Architectural Desktop 2005, it will defiantly help you learn the ins and outs of the program. With ACA (Architectural Desktop) you can do the steps I had outlined earlier to reproduce the cornice work under the overhangs, and it would be much much quicker than doing it with individual pieces of solids.

[Teeds]

I bet you can still find Paul Aubin's book Mastering Architectural Desktop 2005, it will defiantly help you learn the ins and outs of the program. With ACA (Architectural Desktop) you can do the steps I had outlined earlier to reproduce the cornice work under the overhangs, and it would be much much quicker than doing it with individual pieces of solids.

 

I know there are a million ways (it seems anyway) to do many things in AutoCAD, but I have generally found that the smaller the components the quicker the production as they are not complex. As long as they have a common point of reference, you can copy repeat at will and build almost anything.

 

The garage doors I drew are an example. There are only four extrusions to each door. I just copied the parts about and used union to make them one object. All were turned into plines in plan and extruded vertically, so it was quite easy.

 

I used the equivalent of a story board from my construction days to get all the pieces spaced properly.

[Noahma]

I know there are a million ways (it seems anyway) to do many things in AutoCAD, but I have generally found that the smaller the components the quicker the production as they are not complex. As long as they have a common point of reference, you can copy repeat at will and build almost anything.

 

The garage doors I drew are an example. There are only four extrusions to each door. I just copied the parts about and used union to make them one object. All were turned into plines in plan and extruded vertically, so it was quite easy.

 

I used the equivalent of a story board from my construction days to get all the pieces spaced properly.

 

 

I tend to do much similar things when it comes to easy construction, but when it comes to very complex roofs and very complex items I need to use profiles and attach them to things so I don't waste my time having to custom build each item needed, IE fascia and soffit details, window trims and what not. With the window trim I create mass elements and then place them in separate blocks with reference points to the window IE upper middle section trim, upper right side trim and so on. I have a material that has "merge common materials" checked attached to the trim. Then under custom blocks in the window display I add each separate trim piece to the style. This makes adding window trim to ALL of the windows much quicker. If there is a window that has a little bit of a different trim, I modify it by object. Things of this nature make for some smooth sailing, you hit it all with a broad brush and then refine from there.

 

By adding your fascia and soffit details as profiles, and then assigning them to which edges you want, it makes for very easy automatic cleanups between roof slabs, they can be adjusted very easly by adjusting the profile and it then updates everywhere that instance is used.