Exercise 4 – 3D details

LA 408/508 Intermediate CAD Workshop * Spring 2001 * Barwood

Last Updated on: 05/24/01 04:50 PM

Due at the beginning of class on May 29, 2001 in:

"Courses on Andromeda" K:\LA408-CADworkshop\Submitted Exercises\Exercise4\Ex4-YourInitials.dwg

 

The shelter project you have been working on for the last few months has reached a point in the process where you need to explore the details further.  In an effort to clarify the design intent, your project leader asks you to produce a simple 3D model of the shelter you designed previously. 

 
Using the tools and methods demonstrated in class, produce a 3D model of a portion of the shelter you designed for Exercise #2.  Use color to distinguish between materials.  Produce enough detail so that the design is self-explanatory.  A couple of examples...

 
Simple rendering of the shelter model

 
The repetition of this form makes modeling it quite simple.  I only had to create one set of post and beam connections for the shelter and then arrayed them accordingly.  The roof was created by extruding a section along a curved path.  The maroon paving is an extruded polyline.  The trees and people are blocks.

 
Same model, different view

The power of any type of 3D model is its ability to quickly communicate design intent.  In this case, modeling the entire shelter at a certain level of detail allowed me to produce detail views, in essence, for free.

 
Sitting Wall

 
The views above were created using the render feature of AutoCAD.  Try creating a distant light (sun) and rendering the model from an isometric or perspective view.  Adjust the view and re-render until you create compelling images.  Choose layer colors that approximate natural world colors.  Chose from the muted range of colors--the real world is far less colorful than the AutoCAD's standard palette.  The assignment of materials is beyond the scope of this class, but I suggest you experiment with material mapping to layers if you are interested in the technique.

Render three views as graphic files (.jpg, .bmp, .tga) and save along with the AutoCAD file (include all XREF's) to the location shown above.  
A couple of suggestions:
  • If you find progress difficult at first, try focusing on a simpler problem.  The goal of this exercise is to gain exposure to simple 3D modeling concepts, not necessarily to produce beautiful renderings.
  • Remember to change the User Coordinate System (UCS) as necessary to affect the way your tools work on the model.
  • Use multiple model space views to see the model from different angles at the same time.
  • Use solid modeling tools for most items since modification is simpler (except stretching).  Use surface modeling tools to make landforms as shown in the class notes.
  • Save early and save often.