Schematic Drawings

[Irish_Guy]

Hey guys,

I'm trying to liven up some equipment drawings for a current architecture by doing something similar to the image below. I have the CAD linework and a SketchUp model ai can render if necessary. Any tips about how best to go about this?

 

[Tom Mann]

Are you concerned that the default leader and dimension lines produced by programs such as AutoCAD and SketchUp look too engineering-like and you want to re-do them in PS, or are you more concerned about adding the leaves, other images, plus some sketch-like / shadow efx, maybe some softer colors?

Tom M

 

[Irish_Guy]

Are you concerned that the default leader and dimension lines produced by programs such as AutoCAD and SketchUp look too engineering-like and you want to re-do them in PS, or are you more concerned about adding the leaves, other images, plus some sketch-like / shadow efx, maybe some softer colors?

Tom M

Yeah basically I want to add a bit of colour and a sketchier quality to the drawings to make them a bit more atmospheric and visually bold. I really like the style here, with the sketchy construction lines, and the painted/marker pen colouring style. I'm not too worried about the images on the side, it's the main pot still drawing I'm trying to emulate.

Cheers

 

[dv8_fx]

Yeah basically I want to add a bit of colour and a sketchier quality to the drawings to make them a bit more atmospheric and visually bold. I really like the style here, with the sketchy construction lines, and the painted/marker pen colouring style. I'm not too worried about the images on the side, it's the main pot still drawing I'm trying to emulate.

Cheers

You can export the Cad or SketchUp plans as EPS or AI format which you can import into Photoshop.

If it contain dimension lines and are able to edit it in the application used to create it, you can simply change the line weight to make it thinner and change it's fill to a lighter shade before doing the export.

If not, you'll have to use the pencil tool or line tools to create the dimension lines and symbols on a new layer in the imported drawing opened in Photoshop.

You could also add additional sketch lines, use the eraser tool set to airbrush with a lower pressure to fade certain parts of the drawings (like the top end part of the input tube in your sample), use the gradient tool to color the model (this is done on separate layers below the line drawing layer, add sketchy shadow/background or smudged look with the smudge and burn tool and whatever blemishes on the model you may need to give it a sketchy, hand drawn look.

 

[ALB68]

You might try some filters also. This one was made with Topaz Simplify 4.

 

[dv8_fx]

I couldn't find the the final art I did for this after the color work done a few months back. But this will give an idea...

Its originally from Autocad but I first opened this in Corel Draw to add in the blue pipes and reworked a bit on the tank before exporting to PS. There I added the grainy shadow and in the missing FA added faint sketch lines, darker smudged shadows and a sketchy washed out look to added color gradients with a bit of mapped in textures (slightly grunge like) .



I don't use Topaz that Larry has, but I believe applying it on the image can do more for it.....

 

[IamSam]

A simple "Crosshatch" filter from Ps might work for the drawing look...

before


After