So, people might have already asked this a million times, but I'm gonna ask it.
What programs are good to know or use, if I wanted to become an architect, I already know that CAD is one, but is there any other softwares I should start using or playing around with, so I don't stick out like a sore thumb when I start my degree.....cause I'm sure everyone goes into Architecture with some arch knowledge or other.
3D MAX and AutoCAD , the first to model the forms and detail then the second to project the building parts or do the logistics the tradisional way.
The web is usefull for what it is good for.
You could do some Nasty as Flash Presentations, as well as online portfolios....
I heard that a lot of company are considering to start choosing applicants thru video portfolio, such as online resumes. it gives them the opportunity to actually see the person and their work with out having to meet him/ or her. and if they decide that is who the want to hire, they can call them in forr an official interview.
I dont know how true this is, but the world is so digital and advancing so much that I see this becoming a big possibilty.
Microsoft Paint is my favorite, i did my whole portfolio in it....
no really, you'll have plenty of time in school to learn all these programs, there will be countless hours spent using these programs with frequent cursing
Autocad as the basic drafting and modelling software, Architectural Desktop that is now called Autodesk Architecture is more architecture oriented; since it understands that two lines is a wall, Revit is more advanced but i dont use it, As for presentation u have 3dsmax .. and consider plugins like vray and brazil, i don know much about Rhino or maya, Photoshop is a must, Flash is great for more advanced and powerful presentations. T
hat will be all, these are all tools, learn architecture first ... it's not about software, it's about you.
Sketchup, archicad, and cinema 4d is what I use on the computer now. Rhino is nice because it can unfold blobbish objects into 2d kind of like paper-doll clothes, but you don't need to do that until you absolutely have to. Sketchup takes 2 days to learn.
I started the digital path with Illustrator and Photoshop.
I would advise you to not focus on the computer yet. Get these kinds of books instead:
1. a book on hand drawing, rendering perspective, light and shadows.
2. a book on experimental typography (you can learn alot about proportion and how minute details effect the overall look and feel of something).
3. a book on interesting applications of materials, not just in architecture, but in industrial design.
4. a nice architecture picture book for your coffee table.
When you find a particular architect that catches your fancy, get a book about him that has alot of WORDS in it. You will understand everything else much better.
You will have a better handle on everything than your classmates if you take that path as opposed to learning the software.
Know a CAD program. It doesn't matter which one, they are all similar on a basic level. Different schools will use different ones. I find that AutoCAD is the standard, or better yet, AutoCAD Architectural.
Also, learn a rendering program. There are many. Again, it doesn't matter which one. Different schools will use different programs again. I've used VIZ, Max, and Vue.
Photoshop and Illustrator are a must. While they are similar, one is raster based (photoshop), and one is vector based (illustrator) so depending on what you are doing, you can jump back and forth between the programs.
BIM is becoming increasingly popular, so you may want to try some REVIT.
Also, SketchUp is great for down and dirty charretting, but don't make the mistake a lot of people do and think SketchUp is a renderer. Bad Freshman!
Find a good site to bootleg MP3s, and get a good set of wireless headphones.
If you're buying a computer, buy a laptop for obvious portability issues. I built a nice desktop only after the laptop was paid off.
And don't worry about learning everything before you start school. I didn't even touch a computer until my sophmore year (though I already knew a majority of these programs at that point, I'd say I was a bit ahead of the game.)
BTW, most of these programs come with a 30 day (give or take) free trial. Just go to the website and check it out.
p.s. - avoid at all costs starthing a thread with "vs." anywhere in it.
I agree about learning both a CAD tool and a 3D tool. Once you know one of each you will be able to learn pretty much any other CAD or 3D tool. Common ones are AutoCAD (not on Mac) and Vectorworks (on Mac).
Adobe software is really easy to learn, especially for what architects need it for.
I completely disagree about flash - what's the use? If you want to be a real architect learn to use architecture tools. Have someone else do flash for you.
Yeah, I would focus on doing everything by hand first like making physical models, hand renderings, and sketches. Do this a lot and do it until you get very good at it.
The computer stuff will all come in time. I only learned CAD about two years ago, and then learned how to render, and make digital models shortly after. An architecture professor can think of nothing worse than a student yammering about computer jargon when describing their projects. Truse me, if you get too caught up with the computer throughout your architecture education, you will be really looked down upon by your faculty. However, I think it's great to know all this stuff and it's great for future employment too. And that's not to say that many faculty will be fine with digital renderings and drawings, as long as they lend themselves to your project and tell us something about the project in general.
But in the meantime, practice sketching and drawing, and most importantly read, read, and read. Find your champions, take positions, and really become aware of the built environment.
True, but minus Maxwell or the like, SketchUp fails to produce quality renderings. However, many of my peers think SketchUp is some sort of do-all program which, despite Google's marketing efforts, it is not.
Software for Architecture
So, people might have already asked this a million times, but I'm gonna ask it.
What programs are good to know or use, if I wanted to become an architect, I already know that CAD is one, but is there any other softwares I should start using or playing around with, so I don't stick out like a sore thumb when I start my degree.....cause I'm sure everyone goes into Architecture with some arch knowledge or other.
know the ins and outs of archinect
they teach you everything in school save your time, money and effort
learn to use the internet as a research or design tool
that is all paddy one
3D MAX and AutoCAD , the first to model the forms and detail then the second to project the building parts or do the logistics the tradisional way.
The web is usefull for what it is good for.
I'm thinking it'd help to know the adobe creative suite stuff - Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design. Those are good programs to know in general.
there is no faking it here
REVIT......
AND MY FAV.....
RHINOCEROS 3D.(WITH SOME RENDERING PLUGINS)
AUTOCAD..IS STILL A MUST, BUT BUILD UP YOUR SKILLS WITH REVIT.....
another important, one that everyone I know seems to over look Flash..
just curious, what do you use flash for? presentation stuff? i have always wanted to learn it but have never taken the time to do so.
You could do some Nasty as Flash Presentations, as well as online portfolios....
I heard that a lot of company are considering to start choosing applicants thru video portfolio, such as online resumes. it gives them the opportunity to actually see the person and their work with out having to meet him/ or her. and if they decide that is who the want to hire, they can call them in forr an official interview.
I dont know how true this is, but the world is so digital and advancing so much that I see this becoming a big possibilty.
Microsoft Paint is my favorite, i did my whole portfolio in it....
no really, you'll have plenty of time in school to learn all these programs, there will be countless hours spent using these programs with frequent cursing
Autocad as the basic drafting and modelling software, Architectural Desktop that is now called Autodesk Architecture is more architecture oriented; since it understands that two lines is a wall, Revit is more advanced but i dont use it, As for presentation u have 3dsmax .. and consider plugins like vray and brazil, i don know much about Rhino or maya, Photoshop is a must, Flash is great for more advanced and powerful presentations. T
hat will be all, these are all tools, learn architecture first ... it's not about software, it's about you.
Textedit.
Photoshop.
iTunes.
That's where I get all my work done.
Sketchup, archicad, and cinema 4d is what I use on the computer now. Rhino is nice because it can unfold blobbish objects into 2d kind of like paper-doll clothes, but you don't need to do that until you absolutely have to. Sketchup takes 2 days to learn.
I started the digital path with Illustrator and Photoshop.
I would advise you to not focus on the computer yet. Get these kinds of books instead:
1. a book on hand drawing, rendering perspective, light and shadows.
2. a book on experimental typography (you can learn alot about proportion and how minute details effect the overall look and feel of something).
3. a book on interesting applications of materials, not just in architecture, but in industrial design.
4. a nice architecture picture book for your coffee table.
When you find a particular architect that catches your fancy, get a book about him that has alot of WORDS in it. You will understand everything else much better.
You will have a better handle on everything than your classmates if you take that path as opposed to learning the software.
Know a CAD program. It doesn't matter which one, they are all similar on a basic level. Different schools will use different ones. I find that AutoCAD is the standard, or better yet, AutoCAD Architectural.
Also, learn a rendering program. There are many. Again, it doesn't matter which one. Different schools will use different programs again. I've used VIZ, Max, and Vue.
Photoshop and Illustrator are a must. While they are similar, one is raster based (photoshop), and one is vector based (illustrator) so depending on what you are doing, you can jump back and forth between the programs.
BIM is becoming increasingly popular, so you may want to try some REVIT.
Also, SketchUp is great for down and dirty charretting, but don't make the mistake a lot of people do and think SketchUp is a renderer. Bad Freshman!
Find a good site to bootleg MP3s, and get a good set of wireless headphones.
If you're buying a computer, buy a laptop for obvious portability issues. I built a nice desktop only after the laptop was paid off.
And don't worry about learning everything before you start school. I didn't even touch a computer until my sophmore year (though I already knew a majority of these programs at that point, I'd say I was a bit ahead of the game.)
BTW, most of these programs come with a 30 day (give or take) free trial. Just go to the website and check it out.
p.s. - avoid at all costs starthing a thread with "vs." anywhere in it.
Chilli vs. bootleg MP3s
I agree about learning both a CAD tool and a 3D tool. Once you know one of each you will be able to learn pretty much any other CAD or 3D tool. Common ones are AutoCAD (not on Mac) and Vectorworks (on Mac).
Adobe software is really easy to learn, especially for what architects need it for.
I completely disagree about flash - what's the use? If you want to be a real architect learn to use architecture tools. Have someone else do flash for you.
Yeah, I would focus on doing everything by hand first like making physical models, hand renderings, and sketches. Do this a lot and do it until you get very good at it.
The computer stuff will all come in time. I only learned CAD about two years ago, and then learned how to render, and make digital models shortly after. An architecture professor can think of nothing worse than a student yammering about computer jargon when describing their projects. Truse me, if you get too caught up with the computer throughout your architecture education, you will be really looked down upon by your faculty. However, I think it's great to know all this stuff and it's great for future employment too. And that's not to say that many faculty will be fine with digital renderings and drawings, as long as they lend themselves to your project and tell us something about the project in general.
But in the meantime, practice sketching and drawing, and most importantly read, read, and read. Find your champions, take positions, and really become aware of the built environment.
Hope this helps.
Chilli...
Sketch up now....with the help of maxwell Render...
will create supe photorealuistic renderings...
like you said sketch up is not a renderer its a modeler, but with a rendering plugin like maxwell render. sketch up can become your partner in crime
True, but minus Maxwell or the like, SketchUp fails to produce quality renderings. However, many of my peers think SketchUp is some sort of do-all program which, despite Google's marketing efforts, it is not.
agree
Rhinoceros 4 for sure
autocad is not longer a must because of that and Progecad /intellicad
as far as adobe I always make sure to know tools that can do the same stuff its programs can do but are smaller faster and free/cheaper
Paint.net gimp artweaver
render plug-ins are great and a very wide field now with so many choices
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