Clean looking documents in Chief Architect / Layout

[reedie2000]

I came to Chief Architect from a background doing graphic design (along with marketing, writing proposals etc.) at large architecture firms. One issue I struggle with is Chief Architect's cartoonish plan documents. 

 

I've been able to make dimension lines more professional looking, but the font characters don't seem to be properly spaced and the line widths are not well controlled or something...I can't quite figure out why my plans never look clean. I've uploaded some of my better examples.

 

There are so many great CAD or Revit templates out there, but I just can't seem to put together nice clean, modern looking documents. Is anyone really proud of their documents? What is your secret sauce? Is upgrading to the newest version helpful in this respect?

[para-CAD]

Legibility is paramount to me.  

I'm a framer and I like clean, factual documentation.

 

I dislike the fake hand written fonts.  

Scuffed up paper plans often get difficult to read dimensions when the font choice is nostalgia from the drafting table days and the plans are ever wet or folded.

 

I'm also leaning more into 3D details and annotating with a Note schedule over just 2D and leaders.

I can add so much more information in a note schedule and keep the detail clean with only the reference call outs.

 

Alaskan Son set me up with the ability to use alphabetic letters (both lower case and UPPER case) instead of only using numbers.

 

If your focus is on making the trades jobs easier and more accurate then your plans and rep will benefit.

 

 

[jtcapa1]

It depends on what your background is.

I came from an old school Architectural office where all the documents were tightly controlled and scripted, back in the days of hand drafting ink on mylar.

It was very tedious and often frustrating.

Many old architects are rolling over in their graves at the sight of COLOR in permit and construction documents! *gasp*

 

It took me a few years of working in Autocad once it started using color as a visual tool to distinguish line weights, when I started to wonder 'why not use color in my documents'?

might help the permit reviewer's and contractors see things more clearly.

 

It worked well and I never looked back.  I really don't give a damn if someone thinks my drawings are cartoonish. Color brings a lot more information to the documents when combined with textures and materials. I stopped designing on paper and switched to designing using 3d models, as CA is fast and easy when it comes to playing around with ideas.

 

Companies like CA and ACAD have worked hard to force the computer to look less like a computer rendered and more human, but I don't really think that is necessary.

We need to evolve with the technology, and I honestly believe that the future of our work will not be ported down into 'dumb' 2d documents.  Those will soon become a thing of the past.

Keep an open mind and look forward, not backward.

 

Cheers,

-=JT=- 

[Gawdzira]

I think the graphic quality of the physically based rendering has improved dramatically since x14. I lean on that a lot in my presentations and con docs. These plans (partial set) are for a planning submission. I think stopping using those simulated hand drawing styles is important for clarity. The only real reason to use a hand drawn font style is if you hand carry a set of drawings in for a submission and need to write a note and make it blend in (assuming you were properly trained on how to letter for architectural drawings). Otherwise, I want my drawings as readable as possible so I only use Arial font. Avoid using both Rich Text and regular Text. Make a choice and stick with it. I have chosen regular Text since it more easily allows for global changes. Text line weights for the printer that will be used. It is a bit strange now that we often need a hard copy of the set on a site but the majority of viewing of the document is done on a screen. 

NORD PLN V1 temp pages.pdf

[para-CAD]

YES.

 

Color and 3D convey more information.  

Since most trades now have the PDF on their phone or tablet, color is where I am headed.

 

I'm hoping to one day have chief modify the Notes feature so I can have colored fills, by individual note in a schedule.

 

[mtldesigns]

27 minutes ago, jtcapa1 said:

future of our work will not be ported down into 'dumb' 2d documents.

I think your right on this John, esp. on the trades side.  Where I worked before (day job) was Newport News Shipbuilding, working on the Ford Class.  That big bada$$ ship was design in a 3D model, down to the screws on the light covers.. the trades use a little of the 2D stuff, but now they are equipped with a notepad and they are in the model, taking their measurements from that model.  I left before this was fully implemented, and this ships are being built.  So must be working ok.   We are slowly getting our shop to load the model (read only) here at GD (day job) and provide just enough docs more for engineering sign off.  

 

33 minutes ago, para-CAD said:

3D details and annotating with a Note schedule over just 2D and leaders.

Ditto here...  leaders just clutter IMO. 

[jtcapa1]

1 hour ago, mtldesigns said:

I think your right on this John, esp. on the trades side.  Where I worked before (day job) was Newport News Shipbuilding, working on the Ford Class.  That big bada$$ ship was design in a 3D model, down to the screws on the light covers.. the trades use a little of the 2D stuff, but now they are equipped with a notepad and they are in the model, taking their measurements from that model.  I left before this was fully implemented, and this ships are being built.  So must be working ok.   We are slowly getting our shop to load the model (read only) here at GD (day job) and provide just enough docs more for engineering sign off.  

That is very interesting Michael,

I didn't think anybody was actually doing that.  I've been offering 3d framing models to all my GC's or their guys in the field, but very few have used it.  Partly because of the poorly written CA cloud viewer.  I understand it evolved from a different idea, but if you have the right kind of viewing software and a powerful enough notepad, then it would be a great tool in the field.  There is so much more information I've crammed into my models that never gets into the "clean" 2d documents.

I'm convinced that as portable VR merges with AI very soon that is the only way they will be viewing our drawings and models.  It is not quite there yet, but I'd love to see CA at the front of that technology line.

[Rich_Winsor]

@reedie2000You should take a look at @joey_martin's Con Docs.

 

[raltd9245]

21 hours ago, jtcapa1 said:

It depends on what your background is.

I came from an old school Architectural office where all the documents were tightly controlled and scripted, back in the days of hand drafting ink on mylar.

It was very tedious and often frustrating.

Many old architects are rolling over in their graves at the sight of COLOR in permit and construction documents! *gasp*

 

It took me a few years of working in Autocad once it started using color as a visual tool to distinguish line weights, when I started to wonder 'why not use color in my documents'?

might help the permit reviewer's and contractors see things more clearly.

 

It worked well and I never looked back.  I really don't give a damn if someone thinks my drawings are cartoonish. Color brings a lot more information to the documents when combined with textures and materials. I stopped designing on paper and switched to designing using 3d models, as CA is fast and easy when it comes to playing around with ideas.

 

Companies like CA and ACAD have worked hard to force the computer to look less like a computer rendered and more human, but I don't really think that is necessary.

We need to evolve with the technology, and I honestly believe that the future of our work will not be ported down into 'dumb' 2d documents.  Those will soon become a thing of the past.

Keep an open mind and look forward, not backward.

 

Cheers,

-=JT=- 

Nothing as changed: The Main job is to put one's ideas to paper so they can be followed to produce the dream of the designer.

I feel that todays tools sometimes offer way to much latitude. It's time to get back to basics.

One very old mans opinion. (FYI I started with vcad 2d after years of  hand drafting, including mylar and ink, at the end of the day its the same chore

making your thoughts clear enough for someone to follow and BUILD).I went to the same old school as U.

The worst thing that has happened to computer drafting is AUTOCAD. Who remembers hem giving the program away to gain customers, that killed all the better companies that refused give for FREE.

[Michael_Gia]

On 6/10/2025 at 7:31 PM, Gawdzira said:

I want my drawings as readable as possible so I only use Arial font

 

These are absolutely gorgeous! Nice work.

 

Arial all-caps.  I don't know why I never thought of that?

 

I switched to Arial a while ago but never thought of all-caps.  Very clean and readable.

 

I also like the water colour with lines.  It looks more professional than my less than stellar PBR's.  

 

I should quite trying to impress with "realistic' renderings.  leave that to the pros.

[Gawdzira]

@Michael_Gia Thanks. The renderings are PBR with the line overlay. I set the line to either .25 or .35. The rendering completely changes when the line overlay is set up so it is sort of a standard render mode plus. I guess writing in all caps is a carry over from hand drawings for me. 

[CAmichael240114]

Agree, been using Arial fonts and a numbering system for years for clarity, no messy writting all over the plans, keep plans uncluttered clean and simple.

Attached a basic as-built plan as an example.

As-Built Plan Amd Deck Bracing 24.09.2024.pdf