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Create a Custom Visual Style in AutoCAD 2007
November 13, 2006
In 3D drawings, you've had some display options for years:
wireframe, hidden, and various types of shading. These were
the SHADE or SHADEMODE options on the View menu. AutoCAD
2007 introduced a new concept: visual styles. The main
difference is that you can customize them to create your own
visual style.
AutoCAD 2007 comes with several preset visual styles which
are comparable to the old SHADEMODE options:
- 2D Wireframe: Like the 2D Wireframe of previous
versions, it uses the 2D model space background.
- 3D Wireframe: Uses a shaded UCS icon and the new 3D
background, which is gray by default.
- 3D Hidden: Like the old Hidden display.
- Conceptual: Shades objects using the Gooch method of
shading (developed by Bruce and Amy Gooch). A
non-photo-realistic style, using gradations of warm and cool
colors.
Conceptual shading is very pretty. This model is shades of green
and blue because the layer is blue. Try out other colors to see
the results.
- Realistic: Displays materials that you add. Without
materials, it is like the old Gouraud shading with edges.
If you haven't been using the Dashboard, I recommend it for
working with visual styles and 3D views. Just type dashboard
on the command line to open it. Use the Visual Styles section
(called a control panel) and choose a visual style from the
drop-down list.
Follow these steps to create your own visual style.
Ours will be similar to the Conceptual style, but with
heavier outlines, and overhang and jitter effects.
- Create a layer whose color is blue and make it
current. (You can use any color, but black/white
doesn't show off the shading very well.)
- Create the model shown earlier or use one you
have. You'll see the results best if you include
some curved faces.
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- Click the Visual Styles Manager button
in the Visual Styles control panel of the Dashboard. Here you
see the Visual Styles Manager with the Conceptual visual style
active. (The options depend on which visual style you've
selected.)
- Right-click the Conceptual swatch choose Copy.
- Right-click anywhere in the swatch area again and choose Paste.
(To start from scratch, click the Create New Visual Style button
in the palette's toolbar. This creates a style that is similar
to the Realistic visual style.)
- Right-click a third time and choose Edit Name and Description.
Name the visual style Outlined Conceptual and enter a
description. I used Conceptual with outline, overhang, jitter
- Change the Edge Mode's value to None.
- Change the Fast Silhouette Edges-Width setting to 6.
- In the Edge Modifiers section, click the Overhanging Edges and
Jitter Edges buttons
to turn on these features. The Overhang value changes from -6 to
6.
- Select the model.
- From the Dashboard, choose Outlined Conceptual from the Visual
Styles drop-down list.
Note that visual styles are saved with the drawing. In order to
make a visual style available in other drawings, save the
drawing as a template, or open your template and save the visual
style there. In the Visual Styles Manager, there's also a button
to Export the Selected Visual Style to the Tool Palette.
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