Customer Reviews

Enhancing CAD Drawings with Photoshop

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am very very pleased with this book. It is exactly what I have been looking for. I first purchased a DVD by the same author called *Photoshop for Architects* which I felt was so well done that I decided to buy the book. Having both is a real asset for they work in unison. Buying the book and the DVD, in my opinion, is a necessity. Each stands alone but they compliment each other. The DVD provides comprehensive coverage without going into every small detail. The book parallels the same information on the DVD but goes into greater detail. I am Architecturally educated but with limited computer experience and I have only recently purchased a first ADOBE product which is ADOBE CS. I imagine this book would be an excellent tool for anyone new to PS no matter what the intended use of PS will eventually be. The book starts with some general, but relevant, tech info without scientific overload. It step by step moves one through a real project from beginning to end so you learn most of the tools, how to set things up, various ways of accomplishing the same things and what to do in finishing out a project. I consider the presentation style to be superb for learning.

I am currently working my way through a real project and learning a lot which has not easily come together for me, in total, when reading other books which explain how to do this or that little thing but seem unrelated, in a comprehensive way, to a total project of substance. Working from and by referencing back to the CD that comes with the book and the separately available DVD, I feel that I have more quickly learned and also taken an interest in certain important basics. I have learned many tools very quickly, discovered alternate ways of doing things (plus reason why) which causes me to realize the value of investigating multiple PS capabilities, reasons for things needing to be done in specific ways and the limitations of doing things in cetain ways etc. I like the fact that I can use the book and DVD to step through a real project from beginning to completion.

This book and DVD is the best and most enjoyable learning tool I have found for learning PS and I have looked at many and purchased all from Adobe that relate to each part of Adobe CS. What this author offers is exactly what we have been looking for and I am hoping he will be creating similar documents for Adobe Illustrator and other Adobe products (for Architects) as our interest and abilities develop. If anything better exist I sure would like to know what it is.

First of all, if your life involves CAD and Photoshop, you should probably buy this book: It's very useful. Part of the reason it's useful is because there are not a lot books on this subject.

One of the greatest features about this book is its greatest flaw: the enclosed LISP program that turns AutoCad layers into Photoshop layers. What promise that has! It works great with the tiny 8.5 x11 drawings on the enclosed disc. But when you try to use that with a real drawing, say in 36" by 24" format, the drawing crashes.

I'm a little disappointed with this book. I got it as an architecture student looking for some inspiration and helpful tips on producing better drawings. Unfortunately, this book focuses more on technical aspects than graphic ideas. Only a few pages are in color, and there's even a section on tweaking image color that uses black and white images as examples(!). It covers a lot of things I already know about photoshop and provides lots of useless information that won't actually enhance my work.

Many of the examples aren't 'Architectural' and come off as cheesy, I'd be ashamed to pin some of them up. This is not 'Architecture' with a capitol A, this is the kind of stuff I'd expect to see at the open house for a cheap cookie cutter housing development. In fact, I'd consider many of the 'enhanced' plans to be inferior to the original CAD drawings. Lastly, Adobe Illustrator should really be included. Its a crucial link between AutoCAD and Photoshop and this book ignores it. I'll use this thing as a reference periodically when I'm in need of technical assistance, but I wouldn't recommend it. When you already know what you want your drawings to look like this book could help you with the software, but it will not teach you how to produce good work!

I thought I knew Photoshop but I was wrong. I borrowed this book from the library but it was so good I decided to buy it.

This book had many parts out of date. The Lisp program was not to be found in my photoshop CS 3 educational version. Autodesk VIZ is not in use anymore, the method works the same in differnt 3d programs. The calibrationsystem for the monitor was not to be found in the package Adobe offered for free download on the homepage. It is not included in Adobe gamma anylonger. The cad system is 2005 but this is ok because it is possible to find the topics in the helpmenu of Autodesk. The essential photoshop technics are very useful. Enhancing CAD Drawings with Photoshop

I would pay some more money and buy the new book by Omura called Photoshop for architects instead of this book.

This book does use AutoLisp,but it is not "obsolete" as one reviewer had it.
The editor is built into AutoCad and the program is supplied by the author.
It is very, very simple. Non-plus.
I know Photoshop and am finding the education of it really
interesting and detailed.
This is a rare kind of tutorial book in that you retain the information
and yes, you will be able to apply what you learn to your own CAD programs.
And, I am having a lot of fun with it.

The school booklist posted the wrong book for the class. Had to order another book.
Tried to contact seller for return information before the return deadline by email. Never heard back.
Now I am stuck with a book that I do not want. Will never order from this seller again.

I am really amazed by the way the author delivers the information to readers. Even for Photoshop CS4 and CS5 users (the book tutorials are applied to CS version) there is no problems to understand the contest even for a moment. Great visual explanations and clear complete context arrangement. In addition, English is my second language, it is a great benefit for foreign students. Fast, easy and interesting way to learn new skills.

Scott Onstott has a wealth of experience in architectural graphics and with many related 2D and 3D software. In this book he offers practical advice to enhance plans, elevations, etc. from CAD software such as Autocad using Photoshop techniques.

I'm teaching a course on Architectural Digital Illustration and found this book to be an excellent text book material.