Jim Leggitt / Drawing Shortcuts

Creating a Night Scene from a Daytime Drawing

This a a simple method of taking a hand drawing and turning it into a night scene using Photoshop and a couple of very quick digital modifications. I’ve always struggled to simulate a night time scene with traditional hand drawings. I found it nearly impossible to render the evening illumination from storefronts and the dramatic contrast between dark shadows and lighted spaces....until now!

A quick and effective way of creating the wonderful quality of evening light is to layer over your hand drawing with a transparent black overlay in Photoshop, then erase portions of it where the light occurs. I created this sketch for a recent studioINSITE project and turned my original hand drawing of a daytime scene into the night scene for the title slide in a PowerPoint presentation. My step-by-step process is explained below:

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Initial Overlay and Trace Drawing

Step 1: Digital Photograph. I composed this photo specifically to generate a hand drawing showing what a temporary widening of the sidewalk might look like if the parallel parking was replaced with an outdoor seating area constructed just for the summer months.

Step 2-3: Overlay and Trace Hand Drawing. I printed the photo on 11”x17” paper and blocked out the scene with red pencil on tracing paper. On a second sheet of tracing paper, I sketched the scene with a Pentel Sign Pen. Notice that my linework has no tone or texture - which was added later in the coloring step.

Step 4: Final Marker and Pencil Color. After making a record scan (300dpi) of my line drawing, I colored the scene with Chartpak AD markers and Prismacolor pencils. Colored pencils were great tool for developing the different gradations in the sky, adding texture to the ground plane and delineating the brick on building facades. I scanned the final artwork at 300dpi and saved a jpeg.

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Digital Modification in Photoshop

 

Step 5-6: Photoshop Overlay. I created a new layer in Photoshop that was colored black and then given a 50% transparency. I selected the “multiply” blending mode and then picked a white paintbrush to begin “digital painting” the illuminated portions of the street scene. The paint brush I used had a soft edge to simulate the filtered light.

Step 7: Spot Digital Painting. This entire process did not require any special hardware other than my laptop and mouse. As you can see in this interim step, by painting with the color white, I basically removed the gray color where I wanted to emphasize where the light was being sourced from the storefronts, street lights and signage. 

Step 8: Final Digital Effects. I completed the digital modifications in less than ten minutes, saved a .psd file and an extra jpeg of the scene. I slightly darkened the jpeg to increase the illusion of the evening scene. This technique was a great shortcut for converting a day time scene into an evening scene. If needed, you could always add some yellow and orange colors to the scene to reinforce the color of storefront lighting. Try this method with one of your drawings and see if you can achieve the same results!

Look for other interesting articles on my blog, visit my website www.drawingshortcuts.com and read my new book Drawing Shortcuts Second Edition. 

 

 

 

The 2010 Blog Collection , a 116-page catalog of my best blog posts from 2010 is now available on Blurb! 

 

Street Revitalization with Quick Sketches

It is quite enjoyable to take an existing building or an entire streetscape and show its future potential through hand drawn sketches a some imagination. Just for fun, go out and photograph an old building or retail storefront, make a print of the digital photo and draw over it onto tracing paper - adding new facade detail and activities.

I recently visited a historic neighborhood in the heart of Denver and took a series of photographs of the existing blocks. I then selected a few interesting views, traced over them and created several hand drawings that show “before and after” examples of a restoration, an addition above a storefront, and an entirely new gateway element. My three-stepped process is explained below:

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Sketch 1: Storefront Addition

This handsome line of shall historic storefronts was a good subject to explore a facade upgrade and second floor addition. I printed the digital photograph on 8 1/2x11” paper and traced over the image adding new architectural treatment and street trees. I blocked out the drawing in red pencil (not shown) and then created the ink line drawing with a Pilot Fineliner pen.

After scanning the black and white pen drawing (a good step to take if you want a backup copy in case your coloring turns out poorly), I added about ten different colored markers to the original artwork. The color was just enough to give the drawing a sense of materials and depth. The use of a dark gray marker really helped highlight the shadows and 3-dimensional forms.

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Sketch 2: Neighborhood Gateway Signage

I stood in the center of the one-way street (always watching for oncoming cars) and photographed this scene with the intent of developing a sketch for a possible gateway element to the neighborhood. I followed the same process as I had previously done with Storefront Addition sketch.

Compare the digital photo with the sketch. Notice how I waited for a car to pass in front of me to capture the vehicle’s shape. I also waited for a person to walk by to establish the right scale for people in the drawing.

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Sketch 3: Historic Building Restoration

This last sketch involved taking a digital photograph of a fully restored neighborhood building and a similar photograph of a historic structure that had not yet been restored. Again, I used the exact same method of tracing and illustrating the building.

I incorporated enlarged windows to the upper level and an active ground level patio space in front of the building as an outdoor cafe with awnings, tables and chairs, lots of people and new street trees.

Final marker color was added after I made a record scan of the line drawing. If you ever have the opportunity to take and existing building and show what it might look like renovated or added onto, this overlay and trace method is quick, easy to do, very colorful and quite an effective process for getting people excited.  Try it

Look for other interesting articles on my blog, visit my website www.drawingshortcuts.com and read my new book Drawing Shortcuts Second Edition. 

 

 

 

The 2010 Blog Collection , a 116-page catalog of my best blog posts from 2010 is now available on Blurb! 

 

Adding Context and Entourage to SketchUp Models

Many architects are so focused on representing their building designs with SketchUp models that they often fail to put those models into the context of their surroundings or even add critical elements (entourage) to the models such as landscaping, people, furnishings and more.  The following studioINSITE project illustrates how simple strategic decisions about SketchUp modeling can enhance models and communicate overall concepts more effectively.

This project represents a very quick charrette for envisioning the addition of a new pavilion to an existing country club swimming pool. My modeling process is explained as follows:

Stakeholder Charrette. Our team met with the country club leadership group and held an afternoon workshop to develop different plan alternatives and arrive at a preferred option to extend the pool deck to the west (left) which was hand drawn and colored with markers. This plan was the basis for constructing the SketchUp concept model.

Google Earth Base Image. I saved a jpeg of the site with a reference line of 250’ placed at the lower portion of the image. The measured line was necessary to help scale theSketchUp model I constructed of the site using the photograph as the model base.

Photographing the Existing Building. In order to construct a SketchUp model of the country club building, I took a series of digital photographs of each facade section of the structure. I used my digital camera with a semi-telephoto lens setting and photographed each section of the facade with as little perspective as possible. This made applying the photographs to each face of the model with minimal distortion. 

SketchUp Site Context Model. It took me about two hours to construct the basic site model with the building massing, site photograph and some minor terracing of the site. I prepared the model in advance of the shareholder charrette. Without adding too much detail, this model placed the pool area in “context” of the country club showing its basic relationship to the architecture and site topography without investing too much time as our project budget was limited.

Concept SketchUp Model. This model view simulates what one would see from the upper level balcony of the existing country club building. I selected the view to emphasize the adjacencies of the new pavilion, existing swimming pool and the main building.

Adding SketchUp Entourage. Although the swimming pool established the basic scale of the overall space and deck, I inserted numerous people and furniture components into the model to portray an active space and to verify the size of the deck to accommodate five or more tables and umbrellas.

Creating a Dramatic Overlook. By adding a slope to the site base model, I could model the new deck and pavilion overlooking the existing tennis courts and 18th green below. The SketchUp view was composed to emphasize the retaining wall and dramatic position of the new space.

Model View with Distant Building. This model view placed the new pavilion in relationship with the existing country club. Notice how the fence, furniture and people add scale to the space. Noticeably absent from this model is any landscape components such as plants or trees. The new pavilion and deck extension was modeled during the charrette and I simply did not have time to add those entourage elements to the model. 

Selecting the Right Entourage Components. The people components I inserted into the model during the charrette are shown in the left image. Notice how they are the basic 2D and 3D SketchUp components that are usually added to models. Now observe the same view on the right and how much more improved the scene becomes with the addition of both illustrated people and photographic people components.

Always be aware of ways in which you can enhance your SketchUp model with components such as furniture, people, plants and trees, lighting, fencing and lots more. They really improve your model and give clients a better understanding of the context and your overall design intent!

Look for other interesting articles on my blog, visit my website www.drawingshortcuts.com and read my new book Drawing Shortcuts Second Edition. 

 

 

 

The 2010 Blog Collection , a 116-page catalog of my best blog posts from 2010 is now available on Blurb! 

 

Drawing Over SketchUp Models

Integrating SketchUp models into the conceptual design phase of projects has become an industry standard. I find it very efffectuve building a study model with minimal detail and then using the model view as a basis for a sketch.

The studioINSITE project shown below was for concept design of a mixed-use project on an existing city block just north of a public park.  I used two different methods of drawing over a SketchUp model view: 1) the Composite Method (drawing directly onto a print of the model scene), and 2) Overlay and Trace Method (drawing on trace paper). My step-by-step process is as follows;

Base Photograph of the Site. I saved a jpeg of the site from Google Earth and imported it into SketchUp. Note: whenever saving Google Earth images, remember to include a measured line of a certain distance before exporting the image. This will help establish the correct model scale in SketchUp. The yellow line at the bottom of the image was measured at 1000 feet.

SketchUp Massing Model. This “block” model was quickly constructed on the site base photograph to help visualize some massing for a mid-rise residential development and the higher massing of a hotel overlooking the park. Once the model had the basic massing, I exported a couple of 2D images.

Drawing Directly on a Print. I printed each model view 11”x17” on a mat finish paper using an ink jet printer. I chose a few colored markers and a graphite pencil to draw and color directly onto the paper print. Notice how rough the illustration is and how I used minimal color and detail. This was intended as a “first look” at an idea and purposefully did not have a lot of time invested in the drawing.

Second View using the same composite method of drawing directly onto the print.

Client Worksession. Our team developed several different development options for the block and as you can see in the photograph above, the massing model was a very effective tool for communicating different ideas to the group. Once we narrowed the concepts to a preferred scheme, we then developed a slightly more detailed model of the building.

Final Massing Model. This white model was built over a very rough hand drawn site plan. I added some linework to the building exterior in order to establish an organized window pattern and floor heights. It is always wise to know when to stop adding detail to a SketchUp model that could consume valuable time. Remember, all of this effort was happening during our client charrette. Time could not be wasted!

Overlay and Trace Method. I printed the SketchUp view 11”x17”, taped a piece of tracing paper over the print and then quickly sketched over the view adding more detail to the building and putting a lot of effort into the site landscaping. The sketch took only about thirty minutes to draw and another fifteen minutes to add the colored markers. The final sketch was successful in giving our client a good feel for the overall building concept and how it related to the existing block and adjacent public park. 

If you are in a similar work session with your client and want to really get people engaged in a design conversation, use 3D massing models to establish the placement, scale and massing of your design ideas but don’t stop with just the computer model - add some hand drawing to your design “toolbox” by either sketching directly on a print or by creating an overlay and trace drawing. The results are still quite loose and conceptual but a loaded with character and emotion. Good luck!

 

Look for other interesting articles on my blog, visit my website www.drawingshortcuts.com and read my new book Drawing Shortcuts Second Edition. 

 

 

 

The 2010 Blog Collection , a 116-page catalog of my best blog posts from 2010 is now available on Blurb!

Repurposed Aspen Alley Sketch

Before                                           After

Take a digital photo, print it, sketch over it and present your design idea - all within two hours! I created this sketch for one of my studioINSITE projects in Aspen, Colorado. Our client wanted to understand the possibilities of converting an existing downtown alley for active uses during their summer arts festival and other cultural and sporting events. 

Using the digital photograph as the basis for my sketch, I simply created an “overlay and trace” perspective and generated interest in the alley repurposing concept with local stakeholders. Here is my step-by-step process:

Step 1 - Digital Photograph. Knowing that I would generate a “before and after” sketch, I took several eye level photographs of the alley, selected the best view and printed it on 8 1/2”x11” paper.

Step 2 - Red Pencil Mockup. I taped a sheet of tracing paper over the photographic print and sketched site elements such as signage posts, overhead banners, tents, kiosk, tables and chairs, people and graphics. This was where all of my creative ideas originated and when the drawing composition took shape.

Step 3 - Ink Line Drawing (not shown). Once the red pencil mockup was complete, I taped another sheet of tracing paper over the artwork and illustrated the final drawing using a Pilot Fineliner pen. I usually scan the linework prior to coloring but due to limited time, I bypassed that scanning step. With all drawing projects, I recommend scanning each individual step of the process in color at 300dpi.

Step 4- Colored Marker. Because the ink line drawing was done with a water-based pen, I could color directly onto the original artwork with alcohol-based markers and not have any smearing of the ink lines (water and alcohol do not react to each other). Using less than ten Chartpak AD markers, I added color to the drawing with brighter colors to emphasize people and graphics.

Final Alley Sketch. Notice all of the elements of the drawing that help establish it as an active and vibrant space - I inserted five art tents, four pairs of overhead banner poles, vertical “arts” banners, a foreground information kiosk, people sitting at tables and chairs, kids, people (maybe elderly) sitting on a low wall, and a hint of artwork in the foreground artist booths. Next drawing you create, try your best to incorporate lots of people and entourage to give your illustration a human scale and sense of activity!

Look for other interesting articles on my blog, visit my website www.drawingshortcuts.com and read my new book Drawing Shortcuts Second Edition. 

 

 

 

The 2010 Blog Collection , a 116-page catalog of my best blog posts from 2010 is now available on Blurb!