Revit Tutorial - Wrapping the Base

I could not help but think of this when typing in the title of this post... "Wrappin da Base" ...

Anyways.... You may have run into this in the past.  Have you ever placed a wall base (either using the in-place Wall:Sweep method, or built into the wall method) and could not figure out how to make it wrap at the ends?  For example...

You want this wall....

To look like this wall...?

LEED Daylight Analysis Using Revit

It is very cool to see some analysis tools that will actually HELP with the LEED paperwork process...  Check it out.

Click here to check out the BPA Blog post about it...
Click here to learn about using Revit for Illuminance Simulation...

Click here to get the plugin now!

Free Dynamo Tutorials

Luke, over at What Revit Wants, linked to some awesome resources for using Dynamo with Revit/Vasari.  Some very good looking tutorials and an informative PDF.  Thanks for the post Luke.

Click here for a YouTube playlist of tutorials...
Click here for a bunch of downloadable resources...
Click here to see Luke's original post...

A Week in Review - BIM After Dark

BIM After Dark has now officially been public for one week. So far, the response from this little Revit/BIM community we live in has been fantastic and exceeded my expectations.  You guys and girls rock!  I thought I would share what some notable Revit community members have said about my very first culminated video series:

The infamous Paul Aubin, of the recently released "Renaissance Revit", was kind enough to review the videos and write an great post about it:

"If you just finished your first Revit project, but found the graphics just fell a little flat, this course is perfect for you. And if you are a Revit expert, there is certainly some little gems in there for you too. I picked up more than a few such tidbits myself." ... Continue reading Paul's post...

Luke Johnson, of What Revit Wants (if you don't follow him... you should), published a very nice piece about BIM After Dark after he reviewed the videos.  Luke talks about the sample files:

"The plethora of included content and samples are also of very high quality, so if you can get access to them, I recommend that you do so. It includes texture, background and entourage images, Revit library files and some Photoshop PSD files too." ... Continue reading Luke's post...

Michael Anonuevo (Club Revit, Little Details Count), who has created a very nice eBook about Revit Family Creation, published a detailed, information packed, review of BIM After Dark.  Michael breaks down the entire process from launching the BIM After Dark website, to purchasing, downloading, and viewing the videos.  He hit most of the points and understood fully how I hoped this first video series would be portrayed.  Some notable quotes:

"...The unique thing about how he explained certain topics is that he left his mistakes (admittedly) such as clicking the wrong menu or inadvertently choosing a wrong option. Thereafter, he explains how to get out of the mistakes. His explanations are detailed and to the point..."

"...I definitely recommend these videos. It is a must have for beginners and a welcome addition to advanced and professional users." ... Continue reading Michael's post....

I am very happy and inspired by the reactions to BIM After Dark and I am looking forward to 2014 as being a big year for The Revit Kid.com.  In addition tot he work I've put in for BIM After Dark, I have plenty of draft posts for the blog.  So look for new content here as well!

I want to thank everyone for their support, feedback, kind words, and encouragement.  You are truly the best blog readers around ;)

Click here if you are interested in BIM After Dark - Volume 1 or would like to download a free sample video today!

BIM After Dark is Live!

Finally, after months of hard work and planning, BIM After Dark is live!  I am extremely excited about my first product and cannot wait to hear what you all think of it. 

For today only, every purchase (any package) will receive a FREE copy of my eBook "First Person BIM: Revit and CryEngine 3".  The eBook will teach you how to convert your Revit models into fully interactive renderings.  I go through the entire process of converting the (old) Revit sample house (click here to see the final product).

Don'tmiss out on this deal.  Head on over to BIM After Dark.com now.

I would also like to thank each and every one of you who emailed me (or joined the email list) with feedback, comments, and encouragement from the day I announced BIM After Dark.  You guys rock!

Already purchased and downloaded BIM After Dark?  Do me a favor and tell your friends:

Click here to Tweet about BIM After Dark.

Click here to share the video via Facebook

Click here to Pin it on Pinterest!

Click here to share BIM After Dark on LinkedIn

Revit Tip - High Definition Renderings

Want to know a very easy way to add some serious depth, quality, and interest to your Revit renderings?  I am about to show you a technique I use in post-production for all of my renderings.

This image is directly exported from Revit.  This image is exported from Revit and then enhanced using Photoshop.  The tool is called HDR Toning and HDR Merge.  HDR Toning only exists in Photoshop CS5 while HDR Merge exists in CS3, CS4, and CS5.  I said "High Definition" in the title but it really stands for High Dynamic Range.  When used wisely, HDR Toning will change your life.

Below is a video segment about HDR Toning extracted from the BIM After Dark Series...

Rendering Tip - A Simple Material Change to Add Realism

There is something that has always bothered me when I render a building.  Glass.  If you were to get in your car and drive around looking at different buildings you may notice the glass always looks  a little different.  Very rarely will the reflection look perfectly flat (as it does on typical rendering).  Usually, there will be a slight convex reflection due to interior air pressure or other factors.

When I render an image using the default glass material in Revit it is so perfectly flat that it can look non-existent.  I came up with a technique that replicates real-world glass. Check out the image below for some comparisons...

Click to enlarge...

Looks pretty cool, huh?  As you can see from the images Revit's cloud rendering results in a slightly different look.  If you are doing an exterior rendering from further away than the images above Revit's native and cloud renderings look pretty similar.

So, you want to know how to create the same effect?

Why Being Proficient is Not Sufficient - Randy Deutsch

Randy Deutsch, the author of BIM and Integrated Design: Strategies for Architectural Practice, published an informative article on his blog. In the article, Randy discusses commonalities seen in emerging architect's resumes and cover letters. If you are looking for a job or have one but like to keep your resume polished I suggest reading it.  Randy has some very interesting ideas about software knowledge and how you should present it to perspective employers...

Click here to read the article "Why Being Proficient is Not Sufficient" on Randy's blog...

Autodesk University 2013 - Live Streaming.

I, unfortunately, will not be attending AU in Las Vegas this year.  To be honest, I had to choose between Autodesk University and Revit Technology Conference... I chose RTC. Fortunately, if you are not attending (like myself) there will be plenty of live-streaming video from the event.   I will be tuning into some of the streams myself.

Click here to view the streaming homepage and sign up now.

Also, there will be plenty of activity via Twitter during the event (most likely using #AU2013).  Some of the "Revit" based guys and girls you will want to follow are: @seandburke, @lynn_allen, @twiceroadsfool, @marcellosgamb, @davewlight, @paulfaubin, @case_inc, and many more...