Course Content

Vectorworks Fundamentals: The Essentials (VW1)

The Fundamentals
An introduction to the interface
Adjusting document settings & saving template files
Navigating around your file - zoom/pan/fit to page
Object selection and deletion
Creating a Simple Drawing
Drawing using accurate dimensions
Drawing using object snaps
The object info palette
The basic 2d tools & explaining tool modes
Complex line & shape creation
Project Organisation
Organising your drawing using classes
Changing colours, line types & line thickness
Saving & editing views
Annotating & Printing Your Drawings
Adding text & notes
Adding dimensions
Printing your drawing



Vectorworks Fundamentals: Further Studies (VW2)

Advanced Presentation
The benefits of using sheets & viewports
Creating standard and cropped viewports
Editing and annotating viewports
Understanding viewport display overides & printing sheet layers      
Working efficiently between viewports & design layers
Saving and editing views for quicker navigation
Importing DWG & File Formats
Importing and working efficiently with DWG files
Importing sketches & photos to your drawing
Working More Efficiently
Creating and editing symbols
Managing and organising symbols – the resource browser explained
Working with worksheets, schedules & reports
Creating and managing custom attributes (hatches, gradients & image fills)
Creating custom title blocks
FAQ



Vectorworks Architect: Intelligent Drawing for Architecture & Interior Design (AR1)

Working with Intelligent Walls
Using walls in Vectorworks
Creating custom wall types
Editing walls
Classable wall components & exporting walls to dwg
Working with Intelligent Doors & Windows
Intelligent Door & Window Creation
Using doors & windows in vectorworks
Creating custom doors & windows
Editing doors & windows
Sample Project 1
Automatic Door & Window Schedules
Adding door & window id tags
Worksheets & reports
Sample project 2     
Working with Spaces & Other Architect Object Types                     
Working and designing with spaces – creating room area reports
Converting simple lines into intelligent architectural objects
Sample project 3



Vectorworks Architect: Working More Efficiently-Data Sharing & CAD Management (AR2)

CAD Office Management
Drawing office management - user & workgroup resource folders
A discussion of CAD folder and drawing structures
File Referencing & Working in Teams
Workgroup referencing using design layer viewports
Moving, mirroring and rotating referenced files
Updating references
Nested references
Navigating to referenced files     
Managing symbols in referenced files
Binding references for archiving and exporting
The Rotate Plan Tool
Introducing the rotate plan tool
Tips & tricks for the rotate plan tool
Batch Working
Title blocks & issue management
The batch print command
Creating layered PDF files & batch PDF creation
Batch conversion of older Vectorworks files



Vectorworks Landmark Training Course: Intelligent Planting Plans ( LM1)

Vectorworks Landmark Essentials
Managing & Customising the Plant Database
Installing the uk plant database
Adding your own plant data from 3rd party sources
Creating your favourite plant database lists
Adding sample images to the plant database
Creating Advanced Presentation Drawings and Planting Plans
Creating plant objects with generic & specific Plant information & labels
Controlling Plant graphics using classes
Adding hatches, gradients, images, stipples & transparency
Creating interactive plant lists & schedules
Using Intelligent Landmark Objects
Creating hardscape areas
Creating hardscape reports
Adding property lines, spot height labels, plant & vegetation lines
Converting 2d objects into intelligent landscape objects
Importing, Exporting & Advanced Printing
Importing & exporting dwg files and surveyors data
Exporting pdf files
Batch printing multiple saved views & drawing sheets

Vectorworks Landmark Training Course: Contour Plans & Site Modelling (Ref LM2)

Landscape Terrain Modelling
Importing raw survey points data
Importing existing 2d & 3d contours
Creating 2d & 3d contours within Vectorworks
Creating spot height data manually
Creating a 2d contour plan & 3d terrain model
Editing the look of your terrain
Modifying your terrain & calculating cut & fill values
General 3D Modelling
3d modelling principles in vectorworks
3d hardscape objects
Adding 3d foliage to your terrain and aligning to the surface
Using the massing model tool for quick houses & other buildings Creating walls, windows, doors, roofs & stairs
Adding exterior furniture and fixing

Vectorworks Spotlight Training Course: Intelligent Plots Plans & Designs (SP1)

Creating your venue – 3 methods
importing a scanned drawing
importing an existing cad file (dxf files etc)
drawing using vectorworks walls, windows & doors
Adding light positions, instruments & labels
Adding light positions
Adding instruments
Editing light properties
Focus points
Labels & paperwork
Adding labels
Customising labels – the label legend manager
Paperwork, worksheets & reports
Intelligent spotlight objects
Creating trusses, curtains & furniture
The seating layout tool

Vectorworks 3D Modelling Training Course: Jump into 3D (3D1)

3D Project Setup & Model Structure
The 3D environment in VectorWorks
Understanding layer height levels, layer views & stacking layers            
Creating live elevations & sections from your 3D model
The Building Shell - Walls , Floors & Stairs
Creating and modifying walls
Adding floors
Adding stairs & creating floor openings
The Building Shell – Roofs & Stairs
Creating roofs for contemporary and traditional buildings
Matching wall geometry to roofs & split level foundations
Adding windows & doors
Architectural Plug-ins & Architectural Symbol Libraries
An overview of the architectural symbol libraries available in Vectorworks Architect
An overview of the plug-in objects available in Vectorworks Architect inc. stairs furniture, columns, structural beams



Vectorworks Renderworks Training Course: Visualise Your Designs (RW1)

Views & Lighting
Types of views
The camera view & saved views
What makes a good composition
Lighting – Setting the sun position and shadows
Materials, Colours & Textures
Types of materials
Applying materials through classes, objects & plug-in objects
Controlling texture size
Trees, Plants, People & Backgrounds
Adding your own textures
Rendering trees & plants
Rendering people
Rendering modes & quality
Final rendering, saving & Printing
Saving and printing your rendered image
Personal practice time / Q&A

SketchUp Essentials: (Ref SK1)

The fundamentals
An introduction to the interface
Setting up your document template – units
Navigating around your file – zoom/pan/fit to page/add page
Basic drawing & sketching in 3d – lines, surfaces & objects
Fast modelling techniques
Demonstrating geometry stickiness – push/pull & move elements
Drawing using object snaps & inference snapping
Complex shapes editing – erase tool & adding fillets
Working efficiently
Importing & using 2d cad files
Organising your drawing using layers, groups & components
Duplicating, mirroring & creating arrays           
Finishing touches
Adding text, notes & dimensions
Creating sectional views & models Altering your model using built in styles              



SketchUp Essentials 2: (Ref SK2)

Google Earth & 3D Warehouse
Importing site data from google earth
Embedding sketchup models in google earth
Sharing models in Google earth
Using 3D warehouse
Sandbox Tools
Creating site terrains from imported DXF contours
Creating site terrains from scratch
Cut & fill modifications – adding buildings, roads etc
Using Photographs to create 3D models
An introduction to the photomatch tool
Mapping textures from your photo to your model
Refining your textures   
Presenting your drawings in Layout
An introduction to Layout
Setting up your documents in Layout
Adding annotations
Printing your drawing

Energy Analysis and Sustainability in SketchUp + Photomodelling and Site Modelling in SketchUp: (Ref SK3) (NEW)

Set up & construction
Setting your building construction properties and location
Integrating Google Earth
Constructing your SketchUp model for energy analysis

The simulation process
Setting up shading objects
Dealing with groups and components within the energy model
Identifying rooms and setting room properties
Running the energy analysis simulation

Site Modelling in SketchUp
Importing site data from google earth
Creating site terrains from imported DXF contours
Creating site terrains from scratch
Cut & fill modifications – adding buildings, roads etc
Using Photographs to create 3D models
An introduction to the photomodelling tool
Mapping textures from your photo to your model
Refining your textures   



Energy Analysis and Sustainability in SketchUp: (Ref SK4) (Half Day) (NEW)

Set up & construction
Setting your building construction properties and location
Integrating Google Earth
Constructing your SketchUp model for energy analysis

The simulation process
Setting up shading objects
Dealing with groups and components within the energy model
Identifying rooms and setting room properties
Running the energy analysis simulation

Photomodelling and Site Modelling in SketchUp: (Ref SK5) (Half Day) (NEW)

Site Modelling in SketchUp
Importing site data from Google Earth
Creating site terrains from imported DXF contours
Creating site terrains from scratch
Cut & fill modifications – adding buildings, roads etc
Using Photographs to create 3D models
An introduction to the photomodelling tool
Mapping textures from your photo to your model
Refining your textures