Page 6 - Enhancing CAD Drawings with Photoshop

4386FM.fm Page v Tuesday, November 16, 2004 10:00 PM

Foreword

Adobe Photoshop has made an enormous impact on the way architects work. We can now experi-
ment with color schemes with a click of the mouse and have complete control over the colors we use.
We can combine computer-generated 3D models with actual site photos to see how a design will look
when it’s in place. When combined with AutoCAD, presentation material can be generated faster and
with greater accuracy. Cut-away views of 3D plans can be rendered and colored in hours instead of
in days.
But Photoshop is a complex program with a lot of depth. Until now, the unique methods that archi-
tects need to employ with Photoshop had to be learned through trial and error, or by gathering
knowledge from disparate sources. Enter Scott Onstott’s Enhancing CAD Drawings with Photoshop.
When I first heard about this project, I was very excited because it’s the book I’ve been wanting in
my own library for some time. And having worked with Scott, I have no worries about the quality and
content; I know how Scott works, and he leaves no stone unturned. His writing is thorough yet easy
to understand. Those qualities combined with his professional experience using Photoshop in an
architectural setting make Enhancing CAD Drawings with Photoshop a killer book. I don’t think anyone
could have found a better combination of knowledge, experience, and writing skill for this project.
He starts out with a chapter for complete beginners, to help you understand how Photoshop
works and how it differs from CAD software. Next, he delves into the all-important topic of color and
all its ramifications. This chapter alone is worth the price of admission as it covers color calibration;
understanding calibration can save your office hundreds of hours in wasted time. Next, Scott shows
you the tools that let you fine-tune color, sharpness, and other effects. Chapter 4 covers one of my
favorite topics, entourage, where you learn how to add life to a computer-generated 3D model. Later
chapters discuss methods for rendering 2D images from CAD plans, such as floor plans and eleva-
tions, and get into the nitty gritty details of combining images from different sources. Scott presents
some great information on alpha channels and layers—key tools when combining 3D and 2D images.
Finally, Chapter 9 covers the all-important methods for getting consistently great hard-copy output.
If you are an architect looking to get the most out of Photoshop, look no further; it’s all here in
Scott’s book. You could probably buy five or six other general Photoshop books and still not find the
gems that are pressed between these pages. Great work, Scott!
Regards,
George Omura
Author, Mastering AutoCAD 2005 and AutoCAD LT 2005