design software

[brin831]

guys advice on what 3d design software a beginner should learn on ... been in the industry for many years and have collected many hats from system tech, monitors, ld, eic (for the broadcast folks), it, etc. but interested in learning some modeling software for renders ... sketch up is free and seems fairly powerful for freeware, I know it can produce files vector works can use ish.

this is my own dime, so thoughts? looking for room layouts, stage renders, small set builds etc.

could I start in sketch up and move later after I've honed some basic skills and can prove I know what I'm doing to vector works or other platform?

 

[Amiers]

I've found Sketch Up a bit sketchy. I would start with AutoCad and work your way to VectorWorks

 

[Judge]

Sketchup is amazing. I know lots of lighting and rigging people who use it for massive structure drawings. Its just different from your traditional CAD stuff. Its is also simple enough to get to grips with and has enough complexity to keep you going for most projects.

AutoCad is a very big hammer to crack a small nut. If you are designing a bridge or an office block its ideal though.

 

[allenj2489]

You should use VectorWorks - it is pretty much the industry standard for entertainment and it interfaces with LightWright, and now Vision for previz. AND FREE TO EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS!!!
We do our ground plans in VW then export to Sketchup for finishing. Sketcuhup IS NOT a CAD program and as a result you will not get accurate measurements in scale like in VW. Also the benefit of this is that your set will be in a program that your lighting person can use to design. At the last USITT in the Sketchup session most of the designers said they start in VW then to Sketchup.

 

[Van]

SketchUp is a Great way to get your feet wet. I know multi-million dollar corps that use it along with AI to do their initial design work and renderings. That being said it is NOT a CAD program. It can be used that way, but it takes a lot more time to create Sections and dimension them and notate them than in AutoCAD. And, Yes, Vectorworks is great for lighting, and some theatre design, in the construction AutoCAD, Revit and compatibles are still the standard.

 

[ethan_19d]

I recommend VectorWorks as well. Sketch-up is for sketching IMO - VectorWorks is for building actual items.
AutoCad is big with the scenic teams as it talks well to CNC machines. But it is a bit behind the times in terms of events.

VectorWorks allows me to design & create schedules at the same time (Pipe & Drape, Furniture Rental, etc ...)

my 2 cents

 

[Robert Books]

you can also download a free 30 day trial of Vectorworks to try it out and see if it will work for you before you drop the cash on the software.
it is a program that you can do many things in and has some associated programs, not necessarily owned by the company that are great for lighting designers (I knew of Lightwrite long before I heard of Vectorworks).

 

[allenj2489]

When designing my set up is with three monitors. VW on one, LightWright one, Vision one, and ETC Nomad on my laptop screen. As I create the light plot the info is automatically entered live into Lightwright. Once i have it pretty much done LightWright will export the patch to Nomad, and I send the plot to Vision. Now i can play and see in real time how my design will look. If i go back to VW to change positions is will correct the LightWright paperwork - I can resend to plot to Vision and take another look. It also allows me to show the director what i am thinking, and be able to make quick changes. I don't know of any other programs that would work this efficiently.

 

[EWCguy]

I started on AutoCAD for our college (no theatre program, yet an auditorium with events) but that quickly became expensive to maintain. I have since moved to the education version of CorelCAD (like $30). A friend of mine who designs for theme parks uses SketchUp almost exclusively. Thanks for the notes on VectorWorks - I might try that as I work with high school students for their state drama competition.