What software do you use?

[covertmonkey]

Hey, I'm a HUGE fan of your work.

I'm just curious what software you use to create your models? I'm a 3d CAD technical draftsman. I'm really interested in how you create the textures?

I'm imagining if I were to attempt it, I'd extract a surface and add textures in photoshop.

Thanks!!!

[Dave]

I'm glad you like them.

I use two programs, Photoshop and InDesign.

The process starts by imagining a building. I sometimes sketch them out by hand, but usually I just move straight to Photoshop.

I do everything in 2D. I lay out the cut-and-fold lines in Photoshop one line at a time. Sometimes I print these out and build a test version out of paper just to make sure I like the way it fits together, but not always. I usually have a good idea what the final thing is going to look like just by seeing it in 2D.

Many of my textures begin as photographs. I take digital photos of brick walls, doors, windows, lamps and whatever else I think will look good on a model.

I touch these up in Photoshop, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. I create some objects from scratch if I don't have a good photo to work from. Over the last couple of years I've built up a library of images, bit and pieces that I can assemble in various ways. To blend the different pieces together on the final piece, I do some shading and add in moss and other weathering effects.

Once the textures are complete, if I want to make a multi-layered PDF, I save each of the texture layers as a PNG. (These are high-quality graphics files that preserve transparency.)

Then I use InDesign to build up the multi-layered PDFs, laying the PNG files on top of each other, each on a different InDesign layer. Then I just export the page as a PDF. That's about all there is to it.

I've done some texturing work for digital 3D objects, so I know it's pretty simple to design a 3D building and then export the meshes in 2D. I remember hearing that SketchUp has a plug-in that automatically figures out where the glue-tabs would go on a paper model, but I've never used it.

[WaffleM]

Jun 17, 2010 10:53:17 GMT -9 Dave said:

I'm glad you like them.

I use two programs, Photoshop and InDesign...

...Once the textures are complete, if I want to make a multi-layered PDF, I save each of the texture layers as a PNG. (These are high-quality graphics files that preserve transparency.)

Then I use InDesign to build up the multi-layered PDFs, laying the PNG files on top of each other, each on a different InDesign layer. Then I just export the page as a PDF. That's about all there is to it.
...

Hi Dave! I've been tinkering with a new project using layered PDFs with a bit frustration. Most of my work in done in CorelDraw and then converted to PDFs. I haven't been able to get the layers in Corel to transfer to the PDF, but I have been able to add them in later with Acrobat Pro (I don't have Adobe Indesign) and I've been able to get the transparent backgrounds to work with GIF files (for some reason the PNGs don't work...). Is there a reason not to use GIFs?

One of the annoying things is that I have to add the layer to each page instead of adding the layer as a "master" layer. Do you know if Adobe supports master layers or do you add the layers to each page individually too? Do you have any other tips?

Thanks!-Matt

[Dave]

Aug 23, 2010 6:24:48 GMT -9 WaffleM said:

I haven't been able to get the layers in Corel to transfer to the PDF, but I have been able to add them in later with Acrobat Pro (I don't have Adobe Indesign) and I've been able to get the transparent backgrounds to work with GIF files (for some reason the PNGs don't work...). Is there a reason not to use GIFs?

If GIFs are working for you, that's fine. If your prints look good, that's all that really matters.

I have a few issues with GIFs, but it might just be that I don't know enough about my programs to get around them.

When I Save As a GIF in Photoshop, I'm usually starting with a working PSD file that's 200dpi or 300dpi resolution set up for a 7.5" x 10" sheet. The GIF that gets generated ends up being a 72dpi resolution file set up for about 32" x 42" sheet. There's no real degradation in image quality, but the size is different.

If I Save As a PNG, it just comes out at the original resolution (200 or 300) at the right sheet size (7.5" x 10"). That makes it easy to work with in InDesign.

One of the annoying things is that I have to add the layer to each page instead of adding the layer as a "master" layer. Do you know if Adobe supports master layers or do you add the layers to each page individually too?

I add each layer to each page individually.

[audrey]

Interesting. I was thinking about your buildings the other day, Dave and wondered the same thing, about what programs you used. The example builds on your website look like 3d renderings to me not photos of physical models.

-Audrey

[Dave]

Aug 24, 2010 11:22:16 GMT -9 audrey said:

The example builds on your website look like 3d renderings to me not photos of physical models.

To make my final advert graphics, I start with photos of the black-and-white test models that I've made. With my graphics program I lay on the actual textures I'm using in the PDFs. This gives me complete control over the shading, and shows the exact texture colors that you should see on your screen when you open it.

Doing the model graphics this way lets me avoid any blurring or lighting issues from the photos. It avoids having to go through two generations of image repro (the print, and the photo of the print) which will make the textures less distinct and alter their colors.

It also lets me easily show off two different color schemes without having to print and assemble the model two or three times.

[audrey]

Aug 24, 2010 19:26:34 GMT -9 Dave said:

To make my final advert graphics, I start with photos of the black-and-white test models that I've made. With my graphics program I lay on the actual textures I'm using in the PDFs. This gives me complete control over the shading, and shows the exact texture colors that you should see on your screen when you open it.

Ah, that is smart. I wouldn't have thought of taking the original textures and just using photoshop to lay them over the photo of the white test model.

thanks
-Audrey