Vectorworks 2010 Getting Started With
Getting Started with
Vectorworks® Spotlight 2010
Vectorworks Spotlight 2010 Getting Started Guide
Klad
Kevin Lee Allen Design (KLAD)
Kevin Lee Allen
56 Woodlawn Avenue
Clifton, NJ 07013
973.744.6352
klad@klad.com
© 2009 Nemetschek North America, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, faxing, emailing, posting online or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior
written permission of the publisher. Published in the U.S.A.
Vectorworks is a registered trademark of Nemetschek North America, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. Windows is a registered
trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.Macintosh is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the
U.S. and other countries. Adobe, Acrobat and Reader are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems in the U.S. and other countries.
The information in this book is distributed on an “as is” basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the
preparation of this book, neither the author nor Nemetschek North America shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect
to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book or by the
computer software described in it.
For more Vectorworks training information, or to purchase more copies of this book, please visit
www.Vectorworks.net/training or call us at (410) 290-5114.
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Vectorworks Spotlight 2010 Getting Started Guide
Table of Contents
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................. 7
How to Use this Manual .......................................................................................................................................... 8
Getting Help ............................................................................................................................................................. 9
The Spotlight Workspace ......................................................................................................................................11
Creating and Editing Workspaces ...................................................................................................................................................... 12
Creating a Template .............................................................................................................................................. 15
Organizing the Drawing ........................................................................................................................................ 17
Working Planes ................................................................................................................................................................................. 19
Locus Points ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 19
Rotated Views. .................................................................................................................................................................................. 19
Layer Plane and Screen Plane .......................................................................................................................................................... 20
Understanding Symbols ....................................................................................................................................... 21
Understanding Symbols .................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Available Resources .......................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Creating Symbols .............................................................................................................................................................................. 21
Creating Image Props ....................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Symbol Types .................................................................................................................................................................................... 26
File Referencing ................................................................................................................................................................................ 27
Primitive Drawing .................................................................................................................................................. 29
Other 2D Shape Tools ....................................................................................................................................................................... 34
Oval ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
Regular Polygon ................................................................................................................................................................................ 34
Polygon and Polyline ......................................................................................................................................................................... 34
Offset ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 35
Fillet and Chamfer ............................................................................................................................................................................. 36
Rotate ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 36
Mirror ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 36
Drawing with Lines and Making Objects ........................................................................................................................................... 36
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Vectorworks Spotlight 2010 Getting Started Guide
Duplicate ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Convert to Polygon and Re-Shaping ................................................................................................................................................. 38
Exercise ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 38
2D – 3D Drawing & Modeling ................................................................................................................................ 39
Sweep ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Extrude Along Path ............................................................................................................................................................................ 42
Chain Extrude .................................................................................................................................................................................... 42
Multiple Extrude ................................................................................................................................................................................. 43
Editing 3D Shapes ............................................................................................................................................................................. 43
Exercise ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 43
3D Modeling ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Manipulating Solids ........................................................................................................................................................................... 44
3D Primitives ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
Project — The Lighthouse ................................................................................................................................................................. 45
Using the Wall Tools .............................................................................................................................................. 47
Wall Tool ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 48
Floors ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 48
Door and Window Tools .................................................................................................................................................................... 48
Curtain Tool ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 49
Create Seating Layout ....................................................................................................................................................................... 50
Curved Wall Tool ............................................................................................................................................................................... 50
Wall Sculpting .................................................................................................................................................................................... 51
Column Tool ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 52
Stair Tools .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 53
Roof Tools ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 55
Drawing a Light Plot .............................................................................................................................................. 57
Label Legends ................................................................................................................................................................................... 57
Focus Point Objects .......................................................................................................................................................................... 58
Lighting Positions .............................................................................................................................................................................. 59
Truss.................................................................................................................................................................................................. 60
Creating Lighting Positions ................................................................................................................................................................ 60
Inserting Instruments ......................................................................................................................................................................... 60
Coloring your Lights .......................................................................................................................................................................... 61
Editing Lights ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 61
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Adding Accessories ........................................................................................................................................................................... 63
Adding Gobos .................................................................................................................................................................................... 63
Vertical Lighting Positions ................................................................................................................................................................. 64
Shutter Cuts for Visualization ............................................................................................................................................................ 64
Projection/Monitor Tools .................................................................................................................................................................... 65
Photometrics/PhotoGrid .................................................................................................................................................................... 65
Scripting ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 66
Creating Custom Lighting Symbols ................................................................................................................................................... 67
Create Plot and Model View .............................................................................................................................................................. 67
Visualizing your Design ........................................................................................................................................ 71
Rendering Modes .............................................................................................................................................................................. 72
Layer Backgrounds ........................................................................................................................................................................... 74
Exercise ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 76
Textures ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 77
Creating Textures .............................................................................................................................................................................. 77
Assigning Textures ............................................................................................................................................................................ 80
Textures and Walls ............................................................................................................................................................................ 80
Textures in the OIP ............................................................................................................................................................................ 80
Mapping ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 81
Attribute Mapping Tool ....................................................................................................................................................................... 81
Decals ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 81
Camera Tool ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 82
Rendering a simple scene ................................................................................................................................................................. 83
Exercise ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 83
Lighting in the 3D World. ...................................................................................................................................... 85
View Menu Options. .......................................................................................................................................................................... 85
Directional Light Mode ....................................................................................................................................................................... 86
Spot Light .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 86
Point Light ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 87
IES Files and Custom Lights ............................................................................................................................................................. 87
Line Lights and Area Lights ............................................................................................................................................................... 87
Lit Fog Option .................................................................................................................................................................................... 87
Exercise ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 88
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Vectorworks Spotlight 2010 Getting Started Guide
Presenting your Drawings .................................................................................................................................... 89
Viewports and Sheet Layers ............................................................................................................................................................. 89
Key to Instrumentation ...................................................................................................................................................................... 91
Dimensions and The Annotation Space ............................................................................................................................................ 92
Drawing Border Tool .......................................................................................................................................................................... 93
Custom Title Blocks ........................................................................................................................................................................... 93
Graphic Scale Tool ............................................................................................................................................................................ 94
Drawing Labels .................................................................................................................................................................................. 94
Viewport Cropping ............................................................................................................................................................................. 95
Section Viewports .............................................................................................................................................................................. 95
Class Overrides ................................................................................................................................................................................. 96
Paperwork ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 96
NURBS .................................................................................................................................................................... 97
NURBS Tools (from the Toolset)........................................................................................................................................................ 97
NURBS Commands (from the 3D Power Pack) ................................................................................................................................ 97
Fillet or Chamfer Edge ...................................................................................................................................................................... 98
Protrusion Cutout .............................................................................................................................................................................. 99
Solid Addition/Loft Tool .................................................................................................................................................................... 101
Revolve with Rail ............................................................................................................................................................................ 102
Surface Thickening/Solid Shell Tool ................................................................................................................................................ 103
Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 103
Exercise ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 103
Links ..................................................................................................................................................................... 104
Bio ........................................................................................................................................................................ 105
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Vectorworks Spotlight 2010 Getting Started Guide
Introduction
This guide is not designed to make you an expert in Vectorworks, Spotlight or Renderworks. It is designed to teach the basics of
working with these software tools. This is one of many possible workows. Your own methods may vary slightly over time. This book
only begins to scrape the surface as to what can be done with Vectorworks Spotlight.
I work on a Macintosh computer; thus all of the screen shots here show the MacOS. Windows users will nd the same information in
the same places. It may look a bit different. From time to time, I have inserted information about keyboard shortcuts. Again, I generally
make reference to the Command Key. On a PC, that usually means the Control Key. There is a complete reference to these shortcuts
in the help les, complete with cross referencing the two OS.
This guide comes as a shorter introduction piece in printed form, and exists in a more thorough form on the accompanying DVD.
When I teach Vectorworks, I stress the architectural concept of Building Information Modeling (BIM). Simply put,this is working and
collaborating in the three-dimensional environment. On a more complex level, BIM allows 2D and 3D representations of objects
connected with data. On a collaborative level, this allows a set designer to provide a void and T
with structure, lighting designers to add instrumentation, sound designers to insert microphones or speakers and video designers to
add screens and gear. BIM in the performing arts allows for a truly collaborative space for the various partners to work and share
information across a series of referenced les.
As a professional, I work this way. I nd that this workow allows me to develop a project from beginning to end, collaborate effectively
and produce both presentational materials and construction documents that evolve with the design.
Working in the 3D space with dynamic links to presentations (sheet layers) keeps the entire project constantly update
echnical Directors to ll parts of that void
Using Metric Units with Exercises
All exercise data set les for this tutorial are set to use imperial units.
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How to Use this Manual
Work through the guide. This is the house that Jack built. Each exercise or process, no matter how simple, leads to the next •
exercise. It helps to have the hands and the mind work through the simple steps before reaching more complex problems.
This manual covers a lot of ground quickly. Yet, you will see it still just skims the surface of a powerful application. Everything is •
here so that you can get up to speed with Vectorworks Spotlight quickly.
Alternate methods are shown for activating/using many tools, commands, and modes.
•
Use what works best for you.
Experiment with different tools and techniques.
•
Watch for SmartCursor cues, which appear as you hover your cursor over signicant drawing object geometry.•
To pan across the drawing at any time (even if a tool or command is active) hold down the Space Bar and drag the cursor. •
I do assume you are familiar with basic computer terms and basic theatrical concepts.•
Save early, save often.•
Establish a back-up ritual.•
Save-As frequently, so you can always access earlier ides and solutions.•
Use symbols, get to know and understand them early.•
Use the Vectorworks auto back-up in addition to your own back up plan.•
Most tools have options, selected in the Tool bar. See the illustration on page 13.•
Don’t be concerned if you do not understand this entire introduction, it will all be explained...•
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Getting Help
Learning software is like learning how
to ride a bicycle. First: learn to fall. Fortunately, Nemetschek North America has made getting back up easy.
First let’s look at the Vectorworks help system. You can select Vectorworks Help from the Help menu, which will open the Help
application or select “What’s This?” which will change your cursor to an arrow with a question mark. You may then use this cursor to
select an object within Vectorworks and you will be sent to the appropriate location within the Vectorworks Help application.
The Vectorworks Help application is a robust depository of information that users are able to modify and adjust to their needs. Like
Vectorworks itself, the application can be automatically updated as information changes.
The Help Application Window is divided into two columns. The left column provides navigation and the right column information. If you
enter search criteria where it says “Enter text to search,” results will be displayed and ranked in the right column. Selecting a search
result will display the search topic.
Search results can be saved as Favorites by clicking on the star icon. Y
We all have trouble committing every detail of a program this complex to memory. It takes repeated use. At http://vectorworks.net it is
possible to access a number of additional learning and informational tools, including user forums, mailing lists, demonstration videos
and other guides (http://www.vectorworks.net/training/guides.php). The Vectorworks online community (http://www.vectorworks.net/
community/index.php) is dynamic and supportive. I strongly suggest membership in the user forums and e-mail lists.
ou may also add comments and other information.
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There are specic lists and forums for theatre and Spotlight, but I would not neglect the general forums and lists. Many issues that arise
in Spotlight are familiar to the larger groups of users. Questions posed to the online community are often answered almost immediately.
Since Vectorworks is used widely internationally, it almost doesn’t matter when you are working; there are other people working around
the world.
You will nd links to the online community as well as RSS feeds in the favorites tab of the Help application. As you explore Vectorworks
online, you can add other links.
Reading online posts is a great way to learn the full capabilities of
Vectorworks. The new user may not immediately grasp all of the
topics, but eventually it will all make sense.
PDF manuals can be accessed from the Help table of contents.
Let’s take a look at what else comes with the application.
Some of the terms used here have not been dened as yet; we’ll get
to them, but it is important to have an early idea about what comes
with the application.
On a Mac, the Vectorworks directory should be in the Applications
folder on your hard drive. On a PC, this directory should be in the
Program Files folder.
The libraries are another important feature that will take time to
explore. The libraries are lled with symbols (pre drawn objects) that
can be used. Critically, the Objects-Entertainment directory contains
symbols for nearly all of the lighting instruments available. There are
also accessories, lighting positions, speaker symbols, and truss
symbols.
There are also libraries for textures (used for ‘painting’ scenic
elements and Gobo Textures).
Symbols are 2D and 3D combined, or ‘Hybrid’ objects, that can be
used repetitively and can have critical information attached to them
via a data record. We’ll discuss symbols throughout this guide.
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The Spotlight Workspace
When rst opening the Vectorworks Spotlight application, if your screen doesn’t look like this, you either don’t have Spotlight or you’re
in the wrong workspace. Go to the Menu and select Tools>Workspaces> Spotlight.
On the left side of your screen you should see the Basic Tool Palette and the Tool Sets Palette which allow you to access additional
tools for particular jobs. The Attributes Palette and the Snapping Palette are also to the left. On the right you should see the Object
Information Palette (OIP), Navigation Palette, Visualization Palette and Resource Browser.
At the top of the active window, you will see the View bar and the Tool Bar. The Tool Bar displays different options available for each
tool selected from the Basic Tool Set or one of the task specic Tool Sets. The View bar allows ready access to a number of important
functions. View bar functions can be hidden and displayed from the drop-down list on the right of the View bar.We will cover most of the
View bar elsewhere, but from the left you will see forward and backward arrows; clicking on these will take you back and forth between
recent document views. Skip to the center right and you will see two magnifying glass icons that take you a view of either a selected
item or to a view of all items in the visible drawing (if nothing is selected). Command-6 on a Mac and Control-6 on a PC have the
same functionality.
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There is a drop down menu for your view of the drawing. Typically, set to Top/Plan (Command-5) which is the 2D view from overhead.
Top is a 3D overhead view, and the others should all make logical sense. You can also access each of these views from your numeric
keypad with 5 being Plan, 2 being Front, etc.
The OIP (Object Information Palette) is a critical design control point; every object selected in Vectorworks can be manipulated via the
OIP. When you can’t gure out how to modify something, look here rst. The OIP has three tabs: Shape, Data and Render. Shape
affects size, location, and specic parameters associated with different types of objects. Data references information associated with
the object for use in worksheets, and Render affects the look of 3D objects in presentations.
The Resource Browser allows access to symbols, textures, and other data within your le and other les that may or may not be open.
Select the disclosure arrow at the top right of the Resource Browser and select Add New Favorite Files. Navigate to the Vectorworks
directory and add the following les toyour favorites:
Libraries>Defaults>Renderwoks - Textures>Textures_Default.vwx
•
Libraries>Objects-Entertainment>Lighting-ETC.vwx•
Libraries>Textures-Gobo>Rosco-Gobos>Rosco Abstract.vwx•
Libraries>Objects-Entertainment>Lighting Positions Imp.vwx•
The Navigation and Visualization palettes will be covered later as we
begin to use their specic functionality. The Navigation Palette will be
covered in Organizing the Drawing on page 17, and the Visualization
Palette in Drawing a Light Plot on page 57.
Creating and Editing Workspaces
As I’ve mentioned, Vectorworks is completely customizeable. This may be premature to mention, but you can always come back to this
information after you have worked in the program for awhile. It makes linear sense to address these options here.
Go to Tools>Workspaces> Workspace Editor and you will have several choices:
•
Edit the current workspace
Edit a copy of the current workspace•
Create a new workspace.•
I am going to suggest that you avoid creating a new workspace and
I am going to advise against editing one of the workspaces that are
provided in the installation process. Creating a new workspace
essentially gives you a blank slate. You may nd this a daunting task.
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Making a copy of the Spotlight Workspace gives you an excellent foundation on which to build and you always have the original to go
back to for reference. You can name the copy whatever you like to differentiate your workspace from the original.
Most users have several of their own workspaces. Typically at least one for use on a laptop and one for use with a larger screen. Many
lighting designers like to gather all of the lighting commands into a single top level menu.
Over time you may nd additional tools or plug-ins that you would like to add to Vectorworks. Some come with their own workspace.
Other add-ons need to be, well, added-on to any workspace where you might want to use them.
For example, lighting designers, may be interested in utilizing the
visualization capabilities of ESP Vision (http://espvision.com) and
would want to modify a workspace. If you work in television or
corporate theatre, you will notice (soon), the Video Screen
capabilities available in the Spotlight Toolset. Developer Andrew
Dunning also offers a more powerful commercial version, and if this
is your eld...
From the workspace editor, we will make a copy of the Spotlight
Workspace just to see how this is done. You will now have a
window with 3 tabs that allow you to edit the Menus, Tool sets and
Miscellaneous Keys.
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Grab the New Menu from the left column and drag over to the right.
Name it. Note that you can readily rename the other menus just as
you can rename a le. You can also delete a Menu by selecting and
hitting the delete key.
Once you have a new menu, you can drag other items from the left
column into your new menu, and arrange them as you like.
You can also edit the contextual menus to readily access an often
used tool from the right mouse button.
From the Tools Tab, you can modify your palettes in much the same
way. You can totally reorganize the tool sets to meet your work ow
and needs.
In both cases, you can alter the keystrokes required to bring up a
specic tool. In Miscellaneous Keys, you can adjust other
commands, some of which we’ll discuss a bit later.
Experiment a bit with editing a copy of a workspace. Make sure that
you have your original Spotlight workspace to go back to, at least
until you nish working through this book.
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Creating a Template
As mentioned, Vectorworks is completely customizable. We’re going to begin by looking at some of those customizations, just to get a
basic setup established.
Go to File>New to create a new document; you will have a choice between selecting a Blank Document or using a Template. A
Template le has various predetermined characteristics. Select Create blank document and we will determine our own parameters.
Go to File>Page Setup. Here we can establish the size of the page
and select a printer. The printer does not need to be selected now if
you will be printing from a PDF, which I recommend. Draw on a
sheet size that is the same as the size on which you plan to print.
Let’s establish an Architectural size D sheet (24” by 36”). If you are
not connected to a plotter, you will have to check “Choose size
unavailable in printer setup” on the top right and then US Arch D
from the drop down menu. On the left select “Show page boundary”
and de-select “Show page breaks.” Showing breaks will clutter your
drawing area with division markers, likely dividing the 24 x 36
pages into 8 ½ x 11 chunks.
Click OK and now we will begin to make some specic settings.
Go to File>Document Settings> Document Preferences; you will
see three tabs. We will leave the left and right tabs set to the
default; select the Dimensions tab. Make sure the three check
boxes are checked and that the drop down menu is set to Arch.
Click OK.
Go to File>Document Settings>Units and be sure that your
document is set to feet and inches or metric units, as appropriate.
Of course, if you design the show in one system, you can go back
later and convert the document from imperial to metric, or vice
versa. Click OK.
OK, remember the View bar? Now we’re going to use it. There
should be a data eld that says, 1:1 and next to that, on the right, a
ruler icon. If not, select Layer Scale from the View bar menu. Click
on the ruler and set the scale to 1/2”=1’-0” and select OK.
Select Tools>Options>Line Thickness... and review the default settings. Right now, this guide is about awareness; as we progress,
you will need to experiment with these settings.
Let’s select and set a default font. With nothing selected on the page, go to Text>Font and select your preferred font. This should be
something generally readable and if you will be sharing les, something that is cross platform and likely installed on your colleagues’
systems. You can make adjustments to text later in the OIP or Text menu.
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Let’s adjust, or at least begin to become familiar with, the
application preferences. On a Mac go to Vectorworks>
Preferences; on a PC go to Tools>Options>Vectorworks
Preferences. The document preferences you adjusted before
only apply to a specic le, butVectorworks preferences apply
to all les. There are seven tabs:
In general, we will stay with the default settings. Select Autosave
and be sure that Autosave is selected and set to Autosave backups.
You may want to consider putting all of your backups in one folder
so you can easily nd and edit them later. Select Interactive and
note that you can adjust the cursor and highlighting settings to your
liking, and by selecting Interactive Appearance Settings you can
adjust the selection colors. Select User Folders. A user folder
creates a directory hierarchy similar to the Vectorworks application
directory and is a location to store your personal modications to
the program. Click OK.
Now, let’s save the tile settings as a template le. Go to File>Save
as Template and the Save as Vectorworks Drawing Template dialog
box will open and suggest that the le Default.sta be saved in the
Templates folder of your User folder. ClickSave. All new documents,
unless you select another template, will have the attributes you
have specied set by default. You will likely need to save over this
Default.sta le several times as you further adjust to the program.
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Organizing the Drawing
Vectorworks documents use several conventions
for organization:
•
Design Layers
Classes•
Saved Views•
Viewports•
Sheet Layers•
Let’s look at the Organization dialogue box.
Select Tools>Organization.
The design layer is the basic level of organization.; Some people think of layers as sheets of vellum on a table; architects use layers to
distinguish oors of a building. Many theatrical designers create layers for the theatre, the set, the light plot, and the sound plot. Each
design layer layer can have a different scale.
the theatre architecture
•
the set•
the light plot•
the sound plot•
Each design layer can have a different scale. Layers can
be used to help keep your screen clear and to adjust focus
in presentations.
I have included a document so that you can examine my base
class structure and another that shows my basic layers needed for
every drawing.
I usually have a tracing layer with a PDF or a JPEG of the theatre,
ballroom or television studio architecture. On top of that I will have
an architecture layer and a master layer for my set and other
information. I then use design layers to create specic scenic
elements. I save those as symbols that are placed in the layer with
the architecture. Eventually the le gets ‘saved as’ and the tracing
is discarded unless I want it for part of my presentation.
Often when working in a team, with assistants or just to keep my les smaller, I will develop dif
use the File Referencing features to gather things together. More on that ahead.
ferent scenic elements in different les
I class everything, usually by nish or scenic element. I carefully plan my class structure before beginning to work. This saves drawing
time as I assign classes as I create.
In addition to line weight and dash, I use classes to assign textures to scenic models.
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Classes can be used for objects on different layers; like layers,
they can be used to control what is visible. Vectorworks starts by
giving you two Classes: Dimension and None. Begin by editing the
Dimension class. Check Use at Creation and set the ll color to
none so that your Dimension text does not conceal another detail.
Create the Normal Weight and Section Style classes as illustrated
and re-save your Default.sta document.
Classes truly allow full use of Vectorworks and as a best practice no
object should be drawn without having a class assigned.
Going further, consider that your theatre walls may have one color
and your set wall to have another color. By using classes to assign
these attributes, when the color of the set changes, you can change
all of the walls at once. Similarly, you would want different classes to
distinguish the Grand Drape from the masking.
Saved Views (in the View Bar) allow you to revert to saved views quickly at any time. There may be an area of detail that you
continually need to return to in plan; a Saved View will allow that. Views can have different layers and classes visible. Saved Views are
also very useful for looking at scenes rendered with lights focused, lighting levels set, and gobos.
I have included a document that has my own class structure; examine it and consider how it might
apply to your workow. Do not yet expect for everything to make sense.
We’ll discuss Viewports and Sheet Layers for presentations in Presenting your Drawings on page 89.
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Working Planes
Got to Window>Palettes>Working Planes and you will see another palette. I think of working planes as a bit outside of Getting
Started, so I am not going to go into any depth here. Nonetheless, I want to be sure that you are aware of this function.
Simply explained, working planes allow you to change the base plane on which you are drawing. T
horizontal plane. If you have a raked set and you have objects that are perpendicular to that rake, you will likely want to add a new
working plane that angles your working area to the rake angle.
Multiple raked set pieces at different rakes require multiple working planes.
ypically, the base plane is a at
Locus Points
Vectorworks has two tools for adding locus points, These are also called ‘datum’ if you have ever worked with a British company.
There is a 2D Locus Tool in the Basic Tool Palette and a 3D Locus Tool in the 3D Modeling Tool Set.
We’ll use a 2D Datum in a bit to draw a theatre space.
Rotated Views
Rotated Views are very useful when dealing with scenery which is
very often not set at right angles, or if you have angled electrics.
From the Top/Plan view select View>Rotate Plan, or click Rotate
Plan from the View bar. Adjust as necessary, all other views will
reect the rotation.
Rotated Views can be saved in the Saved Views dialogue.
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Layer Plane and Screen Plane
Not a drawing modes, but planar modes. Is the opposite of what is
written. Layer plane will rotate 2D objects in space. Screen Plan 2d
object will not rotate.
This can be useful when preparing to extrude an object from
2D into 3D.
The Layer Plane is indicated by a pink box, unless you have
changed the color in your preferences.
Experiment with these tools a bit, but they are more
advanced topics.
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Understanding Symbols
Symbols are great things, they are specically intended for items that repeat, but I also use them for one-off objects. It helps in
my organization.
Symbols can be 2D, 3D or Hybrid. Hybrid symbols include both 2D and 3D data. In the T
represented. In the other views, the 3D representation is shown. The lighting Instruments we looked at earlier are hybrid symbols. I
draw all of my scenic elements as Hybrids.
Symbols help control the size of your le. A symbol denition is stored only once in your le. If you edit a symbol, all instances of that
symbol will be updated. Data can be attached to a symbol.
Any object can be saved as a symbol and will be stored for your access via the Resource Browser. You can then readily edit the symbol
by right clicking on the symbol in the RB.
Elements within symbols can be given classes for rendering and line weight. The symbol itself can also be classed, in this case
DO NOT CHECK the “Use at Creation” box and assign no attributes.
If you have moving scenery, you can have multiple instances of the same symbol with different classes to show the unit on stage
and in storage.
op/Plan view only the simple 2D is
Available Resources
Go Back to your Vectorworks application directory and look at the many libraries provided. You can add more as favorites so their
contents can be accessible via the RB or you can open some of these les and then access via the RB. In the latter case, you can right
click on a symbol and either ‘import’ or ‘reference’ the symbol. We’ll get to what a ‘reference’ is in just a bit.
Take some time to look through the valuable content that NNA has assembled. In addition to the audio gear and lighting equipment you
will nd furniture, hardware and xtures that will prove useful.
Creating Symbols
Since we haven’t begun to draw, let’s see how a hybrid symbol is made by taking one apart. Start a new document, select a larger layer
scale (like 1”=1’-0”) in the View Bar and import a Source 4 - 36° degree instrument. By importing the instrument we will not risk
destroying the original.
Double click on the symbol in the RB of your active document. Note the drop down menu at the top of the RB that allows you to select
the active document, other documents that are open and any favorites.
Since this symbol contains lighting data, Vectorworks knows that you are inserting an instrument and the Instrument Insertion Tool in
the Spotlight Toolset becomes active. There is a 2D Symbol insertion tool in the Basic Tool Set and a 3D Symbol Insertion Tool in the
3D Modeling Tool Set.
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Note: To insert the light click once and you are then free to rotate the
light. Click a second time to lock down the rotation. Double click on
insertion if you do not want to rotate at this time.
Practice.
Note: That symbols and plug in objects can typically only be inserted
in the Top/Plan View.
Right click on the symbol in the RB with your test le active, click
Edit. You will then have the option of editing the 2D, 3D, 3D wall hole
or insertion Options. Look at the 2D and the 3D. Rotate the 3D with
the Flyover Tool from the Basic Tool palette. Note that the 2D object
sits exactly over the 3D object.
To create a Hybrid symbol, create a 3D object, select it and
go to Modify>Create Symbol. Edit the symbol to add the
2D representation.
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Creating Image Props
Image props are largely an image editing project. There are many applications that will do the work.
I use image props for a variety of things, but mostly to add people/gures to my renderings. The same technique can be used for trees
and small objects that would be complex too model or consume too much memory, like a toaster on a counter. Especially if you are
designing a television commercial and want to be sure that the client’s toaster looks just like the client’s toaster.
Vectorworks ships with a number of great Image Props in the Library for you to work with immediately. If you have the Designer
package or Landmark module you will nd a number of additional Tree Image Props in your Library and I would also suggest
investigating VBvisual Plant tool in the Visualization Tool Set available in all modules only requires RW..
Keep your image le small, larger graphics les can cause Renderworks to work slowly.
In print graphics, les are usually created at the size they need to be printed by 300 DPI. Y
ou will more likely be using a desktop ink jet
printer which works well with 100-150 DPI.
We’ll actually be working with pixels, not DPI, 300 DPI x 3” tall is 900 pixels.
How big is your person going to be when printed? If you will only be outputting to a letter size page, your person may only end up as an
inch or two tall.
Here is where this gets a bit tricky. I create my gures as ‘actual size’ in my photo editor. So a 6’ tall man is a 6’ tall image le but, I set
my DPI very low to keep the le size as small as possible. Usually 5-20 DPI. I determine the DPI by estimating how large the gure will
be in my presentation. Say he will be 2” tall, I need a le that is 300 DPI or 300 pixels tall. I set the pixel height/DPI appropriately.
Although as you will see you can do some of this within Vectorworks, I nd this method eliminates a possibility of error. Generally
speaking, I try to keep most image les under 1MB.
When making an image prop, Vectorworks allows you to mask out the background in a couple of ways. Again, this is often a chore
best tackled in an image editor. In Photoshop and Corel Painter you can create an image mask or channel that Vectorworks can nd
and use as a mask. Alternately you can add a solid color around the gure and mask that color. In both cases, two caveats; 1) be sure
that masking color is also not on the gure or you will have holes in your people and 2) consider the color against which you are going
to place the gure. If you have a dark brown set and you mask out your gure using white, most image editors will ‘anti-alias’ the edge.
That is they don’t just paint white, but they blend the white into the adjacent color; your gure. So if you mask with white and place in a
dark environment, your gure will have a white or light gray outline. Mask your gure in a color close to the background.
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I created the conceptual drawing at right with my colleague,
lighting designer Shawn Kaufman. The image is my model with
Shawn’s use of the Spotlight Tools to light the model. This concept
was developed quickly and evolved. I masked some of the fashion
gures with white and then changed the background, so you see a
bit of the white outline.
If you save with a channel or a mask, you cannot use the JPEG
le format. Consider .PNG or .PSD formats.
OK, now you have an image you can work with, we need to bring
that image into Vectorworks.
Go to Model>Create Image Prop and you will see a standard
open le dialogue. Find your le and select it. Notice that if you
saved your le as actual size, Vectorworks knows this. Also notice
that you adjust the size of the image prop at this time.
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Check ‘Use Mask’ and then ‘Create Mask’ nally select ‘This Prop’s
Color.’ I have an image with an Alpha Channel, if you do not an Alpha
Channel select “Transparent Color’ and follow the prompts.
Grayscale Pixels is for other effects.
Does not appear in plan. Appears fuller in 3D views. Crossed planes
also helps to create proper cast shadows. This is some of the magic
in Image Props. Auto Rotates allow the prop to always ‘face the
camera’ when rendered. You will see how this looks when we nish
and you see the IP in plan. Select Constant Reectivity (which we’ll
look at more closely later) which means that the image will not have
a shadow of itself in place when rendered. Select Create Plug-in
Object, Auto Rotate to Viewer and Create Symbol. We’ll discuss
those things below.
I now have this person rendered in Final Quality Renderworks. If I
had a light in place and a oor surface, she would cast a shadow with
the same prole.
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Notice in the illustration at right that I have selected transparent color
and have tried to drop out the white background, not the Alpha
channel I made in the image editor application. Here not only has the
background been masked, but parts of the model’s clothes as well.
So I can take the costume designer’s sketches and put them into my
set to be viewed together. What I do not get from this technique is
how the lighting design impacts the costumes. We can look at those
possibilities later.
At far right, an image prop from the same collection inserted into
a rendering.
Symbol Types
I’ve mentioned Plug-in Objects a bit. Plug-in objects (PIO or PIO’s)
are like standard symbols, but customizable. You will see that doors
and windows are PIO’s and can be varied within a single drawing.
PIO’s are modied in the OIP or other dialogues.
The most common type of symbol is the ‘black’ symbol, changes
made to the symbol affect all instances of the symbol.
A ‘blue’ symbol is made when at symbol creation, Convert to Group is
selected. When placed, this type of symbol is converted to an editable
group. Changes made to the symbol later have no effect on the group.
A ‘red’ symbol is a symbol converted to a PIO. Note that the changes
you can make to your lighting instrument are changes that impact the
data records. With your person, you change their height or width.
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File Referencing
Another thing that I have mentioned and deferred discussing. It
is very difcult to be linear when going through so many options.
Go to Tools>Organization and open the Organization
dialogue. Select the References tab on the far right. There
will be nothing there.
References are the key to collaboration. If one member of the
team draws the studio, theatre or ballroom space and saves it as
a symbol, other members of the team can ‘reference’ that symbol
and if it is modied all drawings associated with that reference
will be updated. Similarly, the set designer can save the scenic
elements as symbols and as the design is developed, all
members of the team have updated information. A scenic studio can add structure to the set by inserting another symbol.
Again, this is a topic that is a bit beyond getting started, but something every user should know about for future projects.
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The image above makes extensive use of Image Props. In addition to the people we have just discussed, the statuary, fountain and
fountain water are also all Image Props. While these items could have been modeled, that process would have added considerably to
the development time and the rendering time.
The foreground palm leaves were added later in an image editor.
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Primitive Drawing
Vectorworks has many ways to draw. For the user, it is a matter of
choice to determine what works best for him or her and/or specic
scenarios. Flexibility in drawing is one of the many great reasons
to use Vectorworks.
Let’s begin by selecting the Rectangle tool. Notice the options
in the Tool Bar have changed. These options will vary with the
tool selected.
You can simply begin to draw by clicking and dragging. As soon
as you begin to draw, you will note the appearance of the Floating
Data Bar (FDB). Hit the Tab key to select the rst eld in the
FDB and enter a specic dimension, tab to the next eld, repeat
and click the mouse button. You have created a specically-
sized shape!
Draw a few rectangles and note the highlight color when you
hover over a shape and the change in color when you select a
shape. You can select multiple objects by pressing and holding
the Shift key or doing a marquee selection (click and drag with
the 2D Selection Tool).
Select an existing rectangle and note that you can move it or resize
it interactively with the mouse. Also note that you can change its
size and location in the OIP.
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Select the rectangle tool and hover the cursor near another rectangle.
Note the smart cursor hints and alignments indicated. Align with a
corner, indicated by the red extension line and hit the “T” key to lock
in that alignment.
Try this again. When hovering near a snap point, hit the “Z” key to
enable the snap loupe which allows you to zoom in close until you
click the mouse. You can also use the snap loupe when you want to
nish drawing a shape if aligning to another point.
Select All (command-A) and delete the various rectangles.
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