R E V I T : Export Vector Drawings with Shadows

Preparing 3D Perspective Views with Shadows

Step 1 – Open a Plan View from the Project Browser

Step 2 – Create a 3d view using the camera tool (2-clicks) – first click locates the cameras position, second click locates focal point. After you click twice, the 3d view will automatically open.

Step 3 – Navigate to the new 3d view in your Project Browser. Until otherwise specified, Revit will automatically name and place the view (e.g. 3D Views - ??? – 3D View 1). With your new 3d view as your current view, the name will be Bold in the Project Browser.

Step 4 – Orbit and pan until the frame is set to your liking. You can also reposition the camera by selecting the frame in the 3d view. While it’s selected, navigate back to the plan view (control-tab moves to the next view that is open, control-shift-tab goes backwards) and your camera will be visible, move it around to further adjust your 3d views frame

Step 5 – Once you have your frame where you like it, navigate back to your 3d view and right-click the Home icon (top right, above the 3d views frame and above the orbit box) and select Set Current View as Home. By doing this, if you accidentally move your view, you will always be able to click the Home icon to reset to where you were (this will be important when exporting to Adobe in Part 2)

Step 6 – Next, turn Shadows on, then go to your view in the Project Browser and rename it something like [Your Title]-Shadows. Next, right-click the 3d views title in the Project Browser and select Duplicate View-Duplicate with Detailing, then rename the duplicate view to something like [Your Tiltle]-Lines. Now, in the new duplicated view, turn Shadows off

Step 7 – Now print the new view with no shadows (control-P) to bring up the printer dialogue box and select Adobe PDF or PDF Creator in the (each computer and/or printer settings are different, be sure you have PDF printing capabilities installed on your computer)*. Next, click Setup under Settings in the printer dialogue box to bring up the Print Setup dialogue. Choose a Size, such as 11x17, Orientation and Zoom (I use Fit to page when scaling isn’t necessary). Be sure to keep your settings consistent.** Once set, click OK and save the settings if you want, this will help with your consistency. Preview your print and if it looks good, click on Print from the preview window, then click OK from the printer dialogue, title and save the drawing.

*a variety of free PDF printers are available for download, such as Bullzip PDF Printer

**if printing to scale, be sure to select a size that will fit the entire drawing and maintain this size every time you print, even if another drawing is only a portion of the size of the original. This way when exporting and importing your PDFs into Adobe, images will be to scale allowing proper alignment.

Step 8 – Now navigate back to your 3d view with shadows turned on. Select everything in view except for the frame. Right-click and the selection and choose Override Graphics in View-By Element. In the View-Specific Element Graphics dialogue box, select Projection Lines-Color: to bring up the Color dialogue box. Select a true white color, then select OK, then select OK again.

Step 9 – Your drawing should now have nothing but shadows. Print this view now using the same settings established in Step 7. Revit automatically saves the settings that were last used, but its always good practice to double check and make sure they are the same. Preview your print, and select OK to title and save the drawing.