Architectural Technologist – Vectorworks Essentials Tutorial Manual

Image by Scays via Flickr

After a long week keeping up with things I have finaly sat down to review the Vectorworks Essentials Tutorial Manual by Jonathan Pickup, as I mentioned before, this book is one that should be read. It does not matter if your a new Vectorworks user or a seasoned pro, do not and I repeat, DO NOT SKIM, so many times I have read through Jons excellent manuals and come to a bit I thought I new all about, and skipped it. Only to ring Jon way later to ask him how to do something and his first reply is “it’s in the manual”, or in other words I have skimmed that section. So read it all.

Although the manual is set out into 5 distinct sections I think that the first 3 are what I call the essential reading overview. Chapters 1, 2 & 3 are where Jon looks at the program and the basic way it works. Chapters 1 and 2 are the layout and feel of the screen realestate, and what each of the different pallets consist of and do,

Chapter three then goes into organising information, and this is again required reading because in it, Jon set out how Vectorworks differs from all other programs in the way design layers are used together with viewports, again an excellent tutorial and loads of pictures and Video to peruse. and it’s one very one should read, time and time again, it’s an essential read., as it’s here Jon picks up on the basic 3D concept and BIM.

Chapter 4 is a catch up chapter with an exercise showing how something so simple as a bracket can be made into a 3D unti. My advise is try the written text first, then use the video.

The second major part, chapter 5 and onwards is were Jon pulls it all together and demos so much of what you should have learned and adds more concepts such as the wall tool and inserting symbols such as windows and doors, and finishes off the section with a little intro into BIM with worksheets (Vectorworks Spreadsheets), plus general drawing techniques. This is 3D almost in it’s entirety, and quite rightly so, I know I keep on about 2D, but BIM to be used properly on larger more complex projects, then 3D is a must.

Jon makes use of three distinct types of media, written text, short and to the point instructions on the use of Vectorworks, screen grabs of the point he is making and best of all video, which shows just what he is describing, which come in the PDF version of the book via a disk at the back of the book, and are accessed via the movie symbol. seen dotted about the book.

Experienced users of Vectorworks should not think that this book is not for them, Vectorworks has changed over the last few issues, with the stepping up of BIM, and 3D use. I can highly recommend this book to any beginner of Vectorworks CAD, its essential reading, and lays the way open for the more advanced Architect and 3D tutorial books which I shall review in detail later. More experienced users should also read this book, it wil bring you back on path with the changes in Vectorworks and perhaps highlite areas where you should really look into.

If you can’t get a copy from your own dealer, go to the Nemetschek site and order or please contact me I am now a Vectorworks dealer and can supply any number, especially the UK users. To come clean, I was sent these books free, to review, but had I not liked them I would have reviewd them as such, but in all honesty I could not, they are excellent and well worth the expenditure. The link above to the Nemetschek site will also have the other excellent tutorial books by other others such as Kevin Lee Allen’s just released Entertainment and Lighting Design with Vectorworks Spotlight.

As for CPD, well there is a gold mine here, you could easily add 3 or 4 hours just reading through with some basic practice. The picture is again one of Jon’s online practice session models.I did make other shots of the books on my desk, but Flickr was to slow in linking them to Zemanta so Jon’s model came to the rescue.

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