ArkiHacks

Add a comment

Written By: Raven Ferry & Eugene Dizon

As all successful men became to be, one way or another, admittedly or not, cheating or going against the book is a key factor in achieving a certain goal. True it may be that such acts could lead to great disasters and failures. However, with proper guidance and a fully packed bag of confidence, outsmarting life can do you a lot of favor. So let’s dive in and see our top list of suggested Architecture Student Hacks!

Screenshot_20181031-211732

Hack 1: Scale on Paper

As we create the magnificent drawings and plans in our industry, accuracy is a highly necessary feature. Thus, in terms of scale, we use metric scale rulers, fan scales and such. But having to look for certain measurements over and over again with your ruler can take a bit of time. Personally, I tend to get a small frustration going in my nerves when I have to get my metric scale again just to get the measurements of a frequently drawn element.

To ease yourself and save time, what you can do is prepare a small paper, board or folder cut and put lines on the edges that correspond to frequently used measurements like walls, columns, doors or whichever you find always needed. Label each with what the measurement is and make sure to use one scale only per paper or on each edge. write the scale also, of course. Feel free to make as much as you want just make sure you can quickly determine which is which. You can also mark each scale group with colored markers or pen so you can easily identify which paper or board has the scale you need. Compile them on one end with single paper fasteners if desired.

In this course, the little time savers matter greatly. Just like how your Arch. Pineda stated before, that total number of seconds can become minutes and can also be converted to time of sleeping. Maximize sleeping time!

 

Hack 2: Counter Smudge

In manual drafting, tools and equipment aid us in order to accurately draw our presentations. Triangles and rulers are needed here whether you like it or not (but you should like it because you’re in this course). But sometimes, no matter how much you clean your tools and even get the markings disappear due to continuous use of rubbing alcohols just to ensure cleanliness of the items, dark disgusting dirt marks still appear on your plates. It is quite frustrating and is embarrassing if you pass that to your professor. Oh man, your professor won’t like that at all.

A quick tip in solving this is to tape slightly thick boards onto the bottom part of the triangle or ruler ends thus avoiding your tools to contact your paper.

 

Screenshot_20181031-211953

Hack 3: Pen Color Code

Sometimes, having to look for the label of your tech pen in order to know its point can take a second or two. Working with great focus is so essential and having to set your mind on looking for something can get a bit in the way. Very little this problem can be, but there’s always a solution especially to the small discomfort.

Simply take colored papers or tapes if you have, and wrap it around the top end of your tech pen. Wrap with transparent tape if you will use colored papers. Simply place a color onto a certain corresponding point of your choice. You can always customize these with your desired design and you can also use this for pencils since some pencil labels tend to fade.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Hack 4: Quick Print Trace

Face the truth, cramming will come no matter what you do; unless you’re so loved by the gods they choose to wake you up early and remind you of all the things you need to do ahead.

Having to draw a certain image on your plate or research work can take a lot of time especially if it would include you drawing highly detailed buildings or other images. An easy solution yet illegal would be to print the image on a paper horizontally flipped (the right side being at the left and vice versa). After printing the flipped image, place the paper on your plate with the printed side touching your other paper. Dab cotton balls with rubbing alcohol over the other back of the paper so that the ink of the print would magically transfer onto your working sheet. This will not fully capture your image but will give you the general shape, outline and color depending on your printed image. This can be used also after creating a Sketchup rendered image and transferring onto your plate.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Hack 5: Wax on Corner

Taping your plates onto your drafting board or table is highly necessary. Some may disagree but your professors have a good reason for teaching you to do that. Having your plates taped will avoid the paper going out of the parallel state from your table edge thus making you inaccurately use your t-square.

However, after working, you’ll need to remove the tape and unfortunately find that your corner has been shaved thin with some being taken by the tape.

An easy solution would be to stick the tape somewhere before onto your paper. But this could lead to capturing dirt and transferring it to your paper. The best thing to do is to have a wax candle and rub it onto the corner before applying your tape. This will avoid getting your paper ripped off and ensure its cleanness.

 

Hack 6: Watercolor and Wax

Continuing with the use of the candle.

In rendering with watercolor, you may find it troublesome to create a light glare on your windows and glasses. Say no more though for we’ve got the solution for you. By applying streaks of lines of the wax candle edge, you are creating spots or lines which cannot be touched by the watercolor since wax and water don’t mix. This will produce the illusion of light reflections making your work much more presentable and realistic if you will.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Hack 7: Perspective Guides

In creating perspective drawings, having to place your rulers on your vanishings points can be a hassle. In order to save time, here’s an easy prep tip.

First of all, prepare thumbtacks, your masking tape, 2 rulers, and 2 binder clips. First, lessen the stick of the masking tape by sticking and removing it on your clothes. Avoid getting dirt in the process. After that, punch the thumbtacks onto the sticky side of the tape and place it over your vanishing points. The thumbtack points now act as your vanishing points. Now, in installing the ruler into your system, simply wrap the end of your ruler with tape leaving about 10 mm flap at one end with no sticky sides visible. With that flap, put it onto your installed thumbtacks so that they become guides fro projection lines. Make sure to place binder clips onto your thumbtack points so you won’t end up hurting yourself.

This hard rock tip will save you time and effort in doing your perspectives.

 

Hack 8: Sketchup to Photoshop

Have you had a hard time putting trees into sketchup, as it lags your very own laptop? Well, try using photoshop. Once you’ve finished your project in sketchup, you can use photoshop to add the other details you wish to place. In placing details, such as trees, people, cars, and other entourage elements, photoshop is the help you need. It doesn’t much lag compared to putting entourage elements in sketchup. So, for finishing details use photoshop.

 

 

 

References:

Leave a comment