Camera
Example – Camera shot in room scene
This example is of a camera being used in a room in which several chairs, stools and tables have been placed. Start by constructing one of the chairs.
Constructing one of the chairs
1. In a Top view construct a polyline from an ellipse (after setting pedit to 1), trimmed in half, then offset and formed into a single pline using pedit.
2. Construct a polyline from a similar ellipse, trimmed in half, then formed into a single pline using pedit.
3. Extrude both plines to suitable heights to form the chair frame and its cushion seat.
4. In a Right view, construct plines for the holes through the chair and extrude them to a suitable height and subtract them from the extrusion of the chair frame.
5. Add suitable materials and render the result (Fig. 15.38).
Fig. 15.38 Stages in constructing a chair
Constructing one of the stools
1. In the Front view and working to suitable sizes, construct a pline outline for one-quarter of the stool.
2. Extrude the pline to a suitable height.
3. Mirror the extrusion, followed by forming a union of the two mirrored parts.
4. In the Top view, copy the union, rotate the copy through 90 degrees, move it into a position across the original and form a union of the two.
5. Add a cylindrical cushion and render (Fig. 15.39).
Fig. 15.39 Stages in constructing a stool
Constructing one of the tables
1. In the Top view and working to suitable sizes, construct a cylinder for the tabletop.
2. Construct two cylinders for the table rail and subtract the smaller from the larger.
3. Construct an ellipse from which a leg can be extruded and copy the extrusion 3 times to form the four legs.
4. In the Front view, move the parts to their correct positions relative to each other.
5. Add suitable materials and render (Fig. 15.40).
Fig. 15.40 A Conceptual shading of one of a table Constructing walls, doors and window
Working to suitable sizes, construct walls, floor, doors and window using the Box tool (Fig. 15.41).
Fig. 15.41 A Conceptual style view of the walls, floor, doors and window
Using a camera
Inserting the furniture
In the Top view:
1. Insert the chair, copy it 3 times and move the copies to suitable positions.
2. Insert the stool, copy it 3 times and move the copies to suitable positions.
3. Insert the table, copy it 3 times and move the copies to suitable positions (Fig. 15.42).
Fig. 15.42 Top view of the furniture inserted, copies and places in position
Adding lights
1. Place a 59 W 8 ft fluorescent light central to the room just below the top of the wall height.
2. Place a Point light in the bottom right-hand central corner of the room (Fig. 15.43).
Fig. 15.43 Two lights placed in the room
Placing a camera
1. Place the scene in the Front view.
2. Select Create Camera from the Render/Camera panel or from the View drop-down menu (Fig. 15.44). The command line shows:
And the camera will be seen in position (Fig. 15.45).
Fig. 15.44 Selecting Create Camera from the View drop-down menu
Fig. 15.45 The camera in position
3. At the command line enter view.
The View Manager dialog appears (Fig. 15.46). In the Views list click Camera1, followed by a click on the Set Current button, then the OK button. A view of the camera view fills the AutoCAD drawing area.
4. If not satisfied with the scene it can be amended in several ways from the Camera/Swivel command (View drop-down menu) and its right-click menu (Fig. 15.47).
The camera view (Conceptual) after amendment and before render is shown in Fig. 15.48.
Fig. 15.46 Selecting Camera1 from the View Manager
Fig. 15.47 Selecting Camera/Swivel from the View drop-down menu
Fig. 15.48 The camera view (Conceptual) after amendment and before render
Other features of this scene
1. A fair number of materials were attached to objects as shown in the Materials Browser palette associated with the scene (Fig. 15.49).
Fig. 15.49 The materials in the scene as seen in the Materials palette
2. Changing the lens to different lens lengths can make appreciable differences to the scene. One rendering of the same room scene taken with a lens of 55 mm is shown in Fig. 15.50 and another with a 100 mm lens is shown in Fig. 15.51.
Fig. 15.50 The rendering of the scene taken with a 55 mm lens
Fig. 15.51 The rendering of a scene taken with a 100 mm lens camera
REVISION NOTES
1. 3D models can be constructed in any of the workspaces – 2D Design & Annotation, 3D Basics or 3D Modeling. In Part 2 of this topic 3D models are constructed in either the 3D Basics or the 3D Modeling workspace.
2. 3D model drawings can be constructed in either a Parallel projection or a Perspective projection layout.
3. Material and light palettes can be selected from the Render panels.
4. Materials can be modified from the Materials Editor palette.
5. In this topic lighting of a scene with 3D models is mostly by placing two distant lights in front of and above the models, with one positioned to the left and the other to the right, and a point light above the centre of the scene.
6. There are many other methods of lighting a scene, in particular using default lighting or sun lighting.
7. Several Render preset methods of rendering are available, from Draft to Presentation.
8. The use of the Orbit tools allows a 3D model to be presented in any position.
9. Plotting or printing of either Model or Layout windows is possible.
10. Hardcopy can be from a single viewport or from multiple viewports. When printing or plotting 3D model drawings Visual Style layouts print as they appear on screen.
