Incredibly helpful. As a PM in live events, the scenic department has been the biggest learning curve. I use Vectorworks daily & tend to get complimented on plan quality. However, learning from a video like this will help me standardise my process & ensure the chippies have everything they need on site to deliver for the client!
I've been learning vectoworks for some time now to help me as a theatre designer, and not until now have I found a single video, so well explained, concise, and not too slow that it becomes annoying to follow! Thank you!
Stupendous tutorial! By far, the very best tutorial available on You Tube on how to use VW. Concise, snappy, practical advice, covering the whole gamut of the process to get a deliverable product out of the door - from beginning to end, and pointing out the inevitable gotchas that can flummox beginners for days. You are a born teacher, and your presentation style sets the Gold Standard (for me anyway) on how it should be done. Seems quite a few other YT presenters (incl VW themselves!) can pickup (um) some pointers here! Hope to see MANY more videos from you. Perhaps you could also consider doing a few shortform videos (
Thank you! I'm glad you found it so useful! I am planning more Vectorworks content, among other videos too so do keep an eye out! Been very busy with life stuff for a lot of this year, but will be returning with more videos soon!
Thanks for the detailed breakdown, it’s a lot of fun to see the full workflow. I’d love to see a follow up on the vault door detail, I’m curious how in depth the detail drawings can get. If this set didn’t have a more detailed element like the vault door, would this set of drawings be enough to get the set built, or would you need supporting drawings like finish schedules, lighting schedules, etc?
I'm using the same workflow, Sketchup and Indigo renderer, few people who know the power of indigo and even there is no regular updates but Indigo in my opinion is the black horse in my workflow, It's amazing how this render is fast and smart plus the ultra quality I get from it in exterior & interior .... Recently I purchased Vectorworks and start to put it in my workflow ... as you mentioned that Layout has limitation but it's a good add to sketchup in small projects.
Thank you so much! This video is much more helpful than the official ones. I struggled to find how to put the measurements on the sections (I work in German version, and looking for smth without knowing exactly what function and where you are looking for is a disaster 😅)
Hi, thank you for your video. I'm having problems when I create sections in vectorworks. The result shows me as a floor plan and not as a section, even if I follow all the steps showed in your video. Do you have any recommendations ? Thank you so much for your help
Hi Greg, thanks for the upload very useful indeed. Just want to ask what your settings are when you are importing the 3D model from sketchup? I switched my model into the Shaded mode hoping it would show me a rendered model like you are showing on yours, but it just give me a wireframe look. Also when I am doing my secitons view ports, it gives me the sections like a see through version of the model, i.e. I can see all the hidden lines through my model which is abit hard for me to read the image. Would you do a video on this please? Thanks.
If you select your viewports, look in the info panel for the "background render setting" bit and you should be able to switch it to shaded there. Forgive me if you've already done this.
Hiya, I'm an art assistant and have learnt to model in Sketchup and then lay out plans in Layout. I've been told that this is a bit clunky to do and not really industry-standard. I've looked into VW and Rhino and am wondering which is best to learn as they are both very expensive compared to Sketchup. What would you say is the best workflow for an assistant who is looking to step up into draughting roles? Cheers!
It's hard to say exactly which is the best as things are changing all the time. Both Vectorworks and Rhino are indeed a big step-up in cost from Sketchup so you'll have to see it as an investment. Vectorworks has a great suite of tools for the entertainment industry and is great for doing architectural modelling (ie. Sets). Rhino is cheaper overall and is great for more organic shapes for model making (props). Both have trial periods you can use to learn the software and see its benefits.
I have a question.. If we import 2 story house model ( sketchup ), is it possible for VW to schedule all door and window base on the imported model. Thanks
I'm not 100% sure about that. I believe if you outline your Sketchup model with all your doors and windows labeled under the correct "tags" in sketchup, it will import with those tags converted into "classes" in VWX. That should at least save you a bit of time. Hope that's helpful!
Hey Greg...really interesting content (and generous) but I have a quick question. Why do you not take your SketchUp model straight to Layout? Is it because you prefer using Vectorworks? I am a bit confused as you can model in Vectorworks? Again is it just preference? I suppose SketchUp is a cheaper software to pay for if people are trying to figure out what is best to specialise in. Just wondering what you thoughts are tbh as to what you choose to work in. :)
I find that Layout has a lot of limitations, especially if I want to do anything like CNC cutting, also Vectorworks is popular with project managers/construction firms and lighting directors on big LE shows. For these reasons, I generally draw in VW. However, I find my combo of Sketchup/Indigo is what works best for visuals and initially blocking out the set. It's not the most cost-effective way, but it's the workflow I've ended up using... Something I'm trying to do with the channel is break down the false pretenses of an "industry standard" as there are a bunch of different workflows and situations which involve all sorts of different softwares. Long story short: beginners should pick up Sketchup first, then move onto Vectorworks or Rhino when they want to make the dive. ...also there will be a Layout tutorial and a Vectorworks 3D modelling tutorial further down the road. I might even mess with Rhino too!
Hi Greg, Is there some advantages using Vectorworks instead of AutoCAD? Well i’m korean and we use AutoCAD for plans in common. I’m sorry for my short English😂
For general design and modelling, AutoCAD and Vwx are very similar. Vectorworks is largely used in the entertainment industry in the UK and US because it has a load of tools for stage/set design, rigging and lighting. AutoCAD is used by some people though!
Hey Greg, love the video! I've been struggling to learn Sketch-Up and Vectorworks for a while as there is very little content out there that is set-design specific - your series has proved immensely useful, so thank you!! I'm considering using your workflow (I have both SketchUp and student Vectorworks). However the only thing that seems to be a big advantage of using SketchUp with Layout is that the two are dynamically linked - i.e you can tinker with the model and it updates the drawings. Is there a way of doing this with SketchUp and Vectorworks? Or do you have to redo the drawings again? Say the production designer told you that they wanted you to make some changes, a different style of vault door for instance. How would you go about doing this? Thanks!
I don't think there's a "bridge" between Skp and Vwx that allows you to do that, so annoyingly you'd probably just have to model up a new door either in Vwx, or in Skp and re-import it. In Vectorworks you can always model your new door in one layer, make it a "symbol" and drop it into the main model layer and that'll update your drawings much like in layout.
i see! thank you, i have this burning desire to use SketchUp more in my work. New to the interior design industry, I have been doing renderings for an interior design firm however its inconsistent work, and would love to use Sketchup as a primary tool. I love it so much but seems so hard to really get into either industries without loads of experience. Could someone get a job in set design solely base don a portfolio of renderings and concepts? @@SetDesignChannel
Incredibly helpful. As a PM in live events, the scenic department has been the biggest learning curve. I use Vectorworks daily & tend to get complimented on plan quality. However, learning from a video like this will help me standardise my process & ensure the chippies have everything they need on site to deliver for the client!
Good to hear the videos are proving useful to industry professionals!
I've been learning vectoworks for some time now to help me as a theatre designer, and not until now have I found a single video, so well explained, concise, and not too slow that it becomes annoying to follow! Thank you!
Thanks! Glad you've enjoyed it. There will be more eventually!
Stupendous tutorial!
By far, the very best tutorial available on You Tube on how to use VW. Concise, snappy, practical advice, covering the whole gamut of the process to get a deliverable product out of the door - from beginning to end, and pointing out the inevitable gotchas that can flummox beginners for days. You are a born teacher, and your presentation style sets the Gold Standard (for me anyway) on how it should be done.
Seems quite a few other YT presenters (incl VW themselves!) can pickup (um) some pointers here! Hope to see MANY more videos from you. Perhaps you could also consider doing a few shortform videos (
Thank you! I'm glad you found it so useful! I am planning more Vectorworks content, among other videos too so do keep an eye out! Been very busy with life stuff for a lot of this year, but will be returning with more videos soon!
Thank you! At last a video that I dont have to speed it up.
Glad you found it useful!
This was a lovely find. I am building sets in UE5 for the next few years 🎉
Thanks! I've seen your work online! I've been using Unreal Engine for animatics and pre-viz and will be making some videos on it at some point.
Nice video man!
Very informative and practical, Thanks a lot
Glad it was useful!
So happy that I found this channel. Thanks for the helpful content! Keep em coming!
Thanks! Glad you're enjoying it!
Thanks for the detailed breakdown, it’s a lot of fun to see the full workflow. I’d love to see a follow up on the vault door detail, I’m curious how in depth the detail drawings can get. If this set didn’t have a more detailed element like the vault door, would this set of drawings be enough to get the set built, or would you need supporting drawings like finish schedules, lighting schedules, etc?
You'd usually go as far as detailing the windows and the like. The finishes would often just be specified on this set of drawings.
A really fun and informative video. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it! Will be working on some more when I get a chance!
Keep up the good work.
I'm using the same workflow, Sketchup and Indigo renderer, few people who know the power of indigo and even there is no regular updates but Indigo in my opinion is the black horse in my workflow, It's amazing how this render is fast and smart plus the ultra quality I get from it in exterior & interior .... Recently I purchased Vectorworks and start to put it in my workflow ... as you mentioned that Layout has limitation but it's a good add to sketchup in small projects.
Yeah! Indigo's great! I really love how it captures light.
Thank you so much! This video is much more helpful than the official ones. I struggled to find how to put the measurements on the sections (I work in German version, and looking for smth without knowing exactly what function and where you are looking for is a disaster 😅)
I'm glad you found this so useful! I will be making more Vectorworks videos in future when I get a chance.
Amazing video Thank you
Glad you found it useful!
Nice work!
Thanks!
Hi, thank you for your video. I'm having problems when I create sections in vectorworks. The result shows me as a floor plan and not as a section, even if I follow all the steps showed in your video. Do you have any recommendations ? Thank you so much for your help
Ah, that's annoying! Sorry about that! Can you give me a timecode for the bit you're talking about so I can check the video?
@@SetDesignChannel thank you for your response. I fixed, was because I haven’t check the option "show flattened" in my section properties
Hi Greg, thanks for the upload very useful indeed. Just want to ask what your settings are when you are importing the 3D model from sketchup? I switched my model into the Shaded mode hoping it would show me a rendered model like you are showing on yours, but it just give me a wireframe look. Also when I am doing my secitons view ports, it gives me the sections like a see through version of the model, i.e. I can see all the hidden lines through my model which is abit hard for me to read the image. Would you do a video on this please? Thanks.
If you select your viewports, look in the info panel for the "background render setting" bit and you should be able to switch it to shaded there. Forgive me if you've already done this.
Hiya, I'm an art assistant and have learnt to model in Sketchup and then lay out plans in Layout. I've been told that this is a bit clunky to do and not really industry-standard. I've looked into VW and Rhino and am wondering which is best to learn as they are both very expensive compared to Sketchup. What would you say is the best workflow for an assistant who is looking to step up into draughting roles? Cheers!
It's hard to say exactly which is the best as things are changing all the time. Both Vectorworks and Rhino are indeed a big step-up in cost from Sketchup so you'll have to see it as an investment.
Vectorworks has a great suite of tools for the entertainment industry and is great for doing architectural modelling (ie. Sets).
Rhino is cheaper overall and is great for more organic shapes for model making (props).
Both have trial periods you can use to learn the software and see its benefits.
I have a question.. If we import 2 story house model ( sketchup ), is it possible for VW to schedule all door and window base on the imported model. Thanks
I'm not 100% sure about that. I believe if you outline your Sketchup model with all your doors and windows labeled under the correct "tags" in sketchup, it will import with those tags converted into "classes" in VWX. That should at least save you a bit of time. Hope that's helpful!
@@SetDesignChannel Owh I see.. Im gonna give it a try then.. Thanks mate.
Hey Greg...really interesting content (and generous) but I have a quick question. Why do you not take your SketchUp model straight to Layout? Is it because you prefer using Vectorworks? I am a bit confused as you can model in Vectorworks? Again is it just preference? I suppose SketchUp is a cheaper software to pay for if people are trying to figure out what is best to specialise in. Just wondering what you thoughts are tbh as to what you choose to work in. :)
I find that Layout has a lot of limitations, especially if I want to do anything like CNC cutting, also Vectorworks is popular with project managers/construction firms and lighting directors on big LE shows. For these reasons, I generally draw in VW. However, I find my combo of Sketchup/Indigo is what works best for visuals and initially blocking out the set. It's not the most cost-effective way, but it's the workflow I've ended up using...
Something I'm trying to do with the channel is break down the false pretenses of an "industry standard" as there are a bunch of different workflows and situations which involve all sorts of different softwares.
Long story short: beginners should pick up Sketchup first, then move onto Vectorworks or Rhino when they want to make the dive.
...also there will be a Layout tutorial and a Vectorworks 3D modelling tutorial further down the road. I might even mess with Rhino too!
Hi Greg, Is there some advantages using Vectorworks instead of AutoCAD? Well i’m korean and we use AutoCAD for plans in common. I’m sorry for my short English😂
For general design and modelling, AutoCAD and Vwx are very similar. Vectorworks is largely used in the entertainment industry in the UK and US because it has a load of tools for stage/set design, rigging and lighting. AutoCAD is used by some people though!
@@SetDesignChannel Thank you!
Hey Greg, love the video! I've been struggling to learn Sketch-Up and Vectorworks for a while as there is very little content out there that is set-design specific - your series has proved immensely useful, so thank you!!
I'm considering using your workflow (I have both SketchUp and student Vectorworks). However the only thing that seems to be a big advantage of using SketchUp with Layout is that the two are dynamically linked - i.e you can tinker with the model and it updates the drawings. Is there a way of doing this with SketchUp and Vectorworks? Or do you have to redo the drawings again?
Say the production designer told you that they wanted you to make some changes, a different style of vault door for instance. How would you go about doing this? Thanks!
I don't think there's a "bridge" between Skp and Vwx that allows you to do that, so annoyingly you'd probably just have to model up a new door either in Vwx, or in Skp and re-import it.
In Vectorworks you can always model your new door in one layer, make it a "symbol" and drop it into the main model layer and that'll update your drawings much like in layout.
I love this. Do you need a degree in architecture to get a job designing sets for films?
Not strictly, but it can certainly help! Sets above a certain scale will need a structural engineer to sign off for safety reasons though.
i see! thank you, i have this burning desire to use SketchUp more in my work. New to the interior design industry, I have been doing renderings for an interior design firm however its inconsistent work, and would love to use Sketchup as a primary tool. I love it so much but seems so hard to really get into either industries without loads of experience. Could someone get a job in set design solely base don a portfolio of renderings and concepts? @@SetDesignChannel