[Adam Joseph Shramek]

I hand render on a computer. But The real question do we need to be able to draw. Yes we do. I think what people are thinking when the phrase is mention usually “can I get by without drawing” You can not, in most cases, conceptualize fast enough or efficiently enough in 3d or photo manipulation. Because of this drawing is essential. Another question is do I create my presentation graphics/ perspectives in 2d or 3d. Well that is a matter of taste, skill in various mediums, and desire for a realistic image. I am very biased against using sketch up for final images. They look fake and life less. Its fine to layout accurate dimensions and if you are uncomfortable with perspective drawing ( which I feel it’s faster to know perspective drawing rather than modeling). In my opinion the whole point of a 3d render is realism which can only be achieved by more advanced software which is normally the job of architectural illustrators because of the time and skill it takes for 3d.

[Adam Joseph Shramek]

Not right now lol

[Adam Joseph Shramek]

I find it more of an pain than anything else directly importing CAD data into a 3d app so I use the plans and elevs that I model from. I dont know which 3d app you use but normally to set 2d images up for 2d reference They are called something like ‘image plane” withing the 3d program. If you happen to use maya or 3ds i can probably walk you through it. Check attached file for visual

[Adam Joseph Shramek]

I think first you might need to clarify digital rendering. Like Brandon infers below below, digital painting is hand rendering. However I feel you may be referring to photo collage (also known as matte painting in the VFX world) or 3d. Anyway back to your question; sketch for 30 min every day is a great place to start. If you are talking about getting better with value( color/lighting) I would recommend just searching digital painting tutorials on google. For free tutorials melissaclifton.com is a good intro to painting in PS. Some other great places to start are 3dtotal.com/turoials and the gnomon workshop. Both do have moderate fees for downloadable tutorials (~ $13.00 and 40.00 respectively). They do require payment but they are all taught by master painters, industrial designers, and concept artists.

[Adam Joseph Shramek]

I think this is a great topic, and I know you use both Nick so don’t think it’s directed at you. In all honesty though I think we as landscape architects are a bit behind the times in our thinking. Why do we think that digital drawing and analog have to be, or are separate things? With modern technology we can literally hand render on a computer.

High end digital hand illustration and painting have been around for well over a decade. Industries such as the automotive, film, game developers, and book illustrators are creating amazing work with out ever using paper. (Check out martiniere.com, conceptart.org, cgsociety.org, imaginefx.com, ect). Many design professionals try to argue that “technology isn’t there yet”, but the specifics of the argument are weak at best. They claim a computer can’t match a hand and writing utensil. It seem everyone has either forgot about a little thing called a tablet and pen or they are living in a cave. It works just like a pencil and is pressure, distance, and angle sensitive. I realize a lot of traditionalist people are at first uncomfortable looking at a screen instead of at the tip of the pen, but that is a taste issue not a performance issue.

If we look at performance we see photoshop’s layers system is faster, cleaner, and more organized than a million sheets of trace. Heck you can even create custom brushes that look like pencil and paint so the argument about digital not having character is mute. You have huge amounts of tweaking options that allow for greater freedom to make adjustment. Often these would take too long or be impossible with traditional media. Finally we have the one of the greatest assets to designers and artists ever be invented; ctrl+z!

I use traditional mediums. I also draw, paint, and conceptualize on a computer. And yes I can lay out a two or three point perspective with out 3d software. Drawing, composition, and lighting do not change no matter if you create digitally of on paper because the principals are the same. If you can do it in one environment you can in another you just have to learn the quirks of each (Color pencil, water color, corel painter). I guess what I am saying is that how you draw is this is more of a taste issue not a “which is better” issue.

The real problem is that an increasing number of designers and students who can not draw. They have to model something so that they can trace it first. That is a huge problem because of three main issues; 1) 3d is still slower than hand 2) what do you do if you don’t have a computer on you and 3) working on 1 design with multiple people is a mess. Not to mention any skilled modeler knows you work from drawings to build a model

Ok sorry about my rant, but I think that we stop fearing technology so long as it is potentially helpful. Do I think everyone should be all digital? No, I believe people work in different ways. Some mostly analog, some more digital, and some a combination. It all comes down to being able to draw and it doesn’t matter on what canvas it is. Drawing skills are what matters!

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