Don’t just think about it, start drawing! Let’s talk about the practical tips of 3D signage design drawings

Hey, when it comes to making 3D design drawings for signage guides, the first reaction of many friends who are new to the industry or customers who want to do some design work on their own is that they have a big head and have cool ideas in their heads. Once they enter the software, they feel that their hands are not their own. Don’t panic, this is To put it bluntly, it is a process of "thinking about drawing". It is not that mysterious, but there are indeed some skills that need to be figured out. Today we will put aside those high-level theories and talk about how to draw this picture like a friend chatting.

We have to put the matter of "drawing" in the right place. Drawing 3D pictures is not just to show off your skills. It's all about being fancy. The core of it is just two words.: communicate , who to communicate with? Talk to yourself, your customers, and the back-end production masters. A good 3D drawing can allow you to "see" in advance what the finished product will look like, whether the proportions are correct, whether there are any problems with the structure, and whether the materials are coordinated. ； It allows customers to understand at a glance and reduces the huge gap between “I think” and “you made it” ； The most important thing is that when it comes to the production factory, the masters can understand the size, structure, and assembly relationship to avoid being blinded during production. Before painting, ask yourself: Who is this picture mainly for? What question do you want to solve?

Okay, get your mind right, let’s talk about preparations before taking action, you can’t just open the software and poke around. “Sharpen your knife and keep it from chopping wood” , as the old saying goes, the first step is always “2D final draft”  , on paper or graphic software (such as AI, CDR), determine the graphic layout, copywriting, core graphics, and identification symbols of the sign, as well as the size, font, font size, and color (it is best to mark the Pantone color number if there is one). These are the foundation. The foundation is unstable. No matter how beautiful the 3D construction is, it is useless. It will fall down when the wind blows (it will collapse as soon as the customer changes it). Confirm the two-dimensional graphic draft to death. This is an iron rule.

With the 2D draft in hand and your mind calm, the next step is to choose your "weapon" - software. Beginners should not be greedy for more, as it is easy for them to give up from getting started. SketchUp  It’s quick to get started and the operation is intuitive. You can pull a cuboid and push and pull the thickness. It is very suitable for quickly building the basic volume and scene relationship of the guide board. It is very efficient to show the schematic effect to customers. If you want to play more professionally, the materials, lighting, and rendering are more delicate. 3ds Max  or Cinema 4D  They are frequent visitors in the industry, but their learning curve is steeper, but they are powerful and can do complex surface modeling and realistic rendering. Blender , free and open source, with powerful functions, but the interface and operation logic need to be adapted. Which one should I choose? Depending on your needs and time, SketchUp may be enough for daily splicing of square, round, and special-shaped plates. ； To make a streamlined and sculptural guide, you may have to hire Max or C4D.

Select the software and start painting! Here are a few steps and techniques that I find particularly practical:

1. Start with the "box" ： Regardless of how complicated it is in the end, first imagine it as a splicing of several basic geometries (cuboids, cylinders, spheres), such as a double-sided sign with a base. First pull two flat cuboids as the sign, then pull a slender rectangle as a support column, and finally pull a thicker square as the base. First, stack up a large shape and adjust the proportions.

2. Size is lifeblood ： Must be included in the software Turn on and get used to using dimension input ! To draw a rectangle, instead of dragging it roughly with the mouse, you directly enter the exact millimeters of length, width and height. This is the key to ensuring that the design can be produced on the ground. The thickness of the guide sign, the thickness of the supporting structure, and the gaps reserved for installation must all be based on evidence.

3. Layering, grouping, and naming ： This is a good habit that can save your life. Put different parts into different layers or groups, and give them understandable names._"Front", "Stainless steel support frame", "Light-emitting LED slot", so that when you later modify, hide and view, and export the file, you will come back and thank yourself.

4. Material and texture ： After the model is built, start attaching materials. There is a material library in the software, but don’t use it indiscriminately. Acrylic has the texture of acrylic (a little transparent and reflective), stainless steel has the texture of stainless steel (brushed metal or mirror), and stone has the texture of stone (rough and grainy). (feeling), you can go online to find some high-quality texture materials. When applying materials, pay attention to UV mapping (that is, adjusting the size and direction of the texture on the model). Don’t let the wood grain be distorted or the stone joints too fake. If you miss the texture, the taste will completely change.

5. There’s something special about lighting up ： Why do your pictures look ordinary, while other people's pictures have great atmosphere? Lighting is the key. If it is indoor guidance, think about the effect of the ceiling light. ； If it is outdoors, simulate natural light (sunlight) as the main light source. You can slowly try the main light source, fill light, and backlight. The shadows should not be too dark and have some layers. If it is luminous characters or light boxes, remember to adjust the self-luminous attribute, which is the finishing touch.

6. perspective and scene ： Don’t just render a solitary sign, put it into a simple scene, even if it’s just a piece of ground, a wall or a few simple trees. This will help you better judge its proportion, recognition and coordination in the actual environment. Choose a viewing angle that’s around eye level to give a more immersive experience.

In the process of painting, you will definitely encounter problems: How to build a curved surface? How to make the transition between rounded corners natural? How to create the hollow word effect? At this time, don’t hold back, Make good use of search , there are too many tutorials now, and you can almost find video or graphic answers to the specific operations of a certain software. You are not doing scientific research, you are solving problems, and just use the fastest way to find the answer.

Render the image, set the resolution and output format, and show it to the customer. You may need a large high-definition image or even a simple animated rotation display. ； For the factory, in addition to renderings, it is best to also include key structures. Three views (front, side, top)  and Dimensioning drawing , so that they can process it clearly.

After all, drawing a 3D design drawing for signage guidance is a Technical life is more of a thinking life , it forces you to constantly think about the structure, craftsmanship, material and final effect before and during the process. It may be slow and ugly at first, but the more you draw a few more times and step on a few more pits, the feel will improve. Don’t be afraid of imperfections. Complete it first and then improve it. When you see the sign you designed from a picture to a real thing standing there, the sense of accomplishment is definitely worth every night you stay up for drawing (still try to stay up as few nights as possible).

Okay, so much verbosity, I hope it can help you bring "drawing" from the "cloud" back to the "ground". The tools are there, and the ideas are given. All that's left is to open the software and start your first "push and pull", let's do it!