Canin How-To: A Quick Hand-Colored Elevation

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A quick marketing image can be created and used at any stage of the design process. An architectural rendering can assist in giving the client an understanding of the building or concepts of the design that can only be explained in shadow and/or color. By creating the image by hand, the client can visualize the project and add comments without feeling locked in to a photo-realistic computer-generated image.

Creating a hand-drawn elevation is a great way to flex those design muscles that may be a little rusty and to create a unique stamp for your personal and company brands. Below, you’ll find our six easy steps to go from blank paper to colored rendering, which we also collected in an infographic.

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Tools used:

  • Pilot razor point pen (linework)
  • Staedtler lumocolor B (heavy ground line)
  • Prismacolor Cool Grey 30% and French Grey 40% (shadows and window poche)
  • Chartpak assorted colors
  • Total time: 30-45 minutes

 

Step 1: Creating Your Linework

Using a light table or trace paper, sketch a new elevation.  A single line weight is fine for this style of rendering.  If you want a more detailed or realistic quality use multiple line weights.  Depending on the scale and desired level of detail, do not overdo the details and material renderings. A heavy ground line gives the images a strong base since it will not be framed

 

Step 2:  Establish Landscape and Context

For this image, trees and shrubs will give the home context. Aim for balance and by paying attention to the overall composition.  Again, do not lose yourself in drawing every leaf or branch; go for outlines and texture, the detail can be added later or with color

 

Step 3:  Window Poche and Step 4:  Building Shadows

Windows when viewed in sunlight are actually relatively dark. However, you can add dimension to your window poche (the filling in of windows) by creating a soft gradient from darkest at the bottom. For shadows, establish your sun location and angle. This will also give you your shadows for when you add color. A simple trick is to place the shadow on the artist’s dominant side: for righties, the shadows are on the right and bottom, for lefties on the left and bottom.

 

Step 5:  Base Color

Test all colors on a separate sheet of the same paper. This way you know exactly how it will show up and can juxtapose the color variations quickly without having to lay a lot of color down on the image. Start with one flat base layer of color.  As a rule of thumb, have two or three hues per piece, for example three greens for the trees, three pinks/reds for the shrubs, and so on. For a smoother transition of color, you can add a second layer of the same color before changing to a different marker.

 

Step 6:  Add more color and you’re finished!

Use the same sun location you established when you did the building shadows in grey for your colors. This will keep the image consistent and still give an air of realism. Frame the building with a soft sky color, fading from darkest at the horizon line.

If you want, the shadows and window poche can be added after coloring, since the markers act like watercolors and allow a multiplying effect. Feel free to combine a hand-rendering technique with computer software for a more crisp that still has a lot of personality. This style can be used on any 2D image, plan, or elevation, as well as for 3D perspective views. It’s quick and simple, but still creates a great marketing image and branding style for you or your architectural office.

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Architectural Case Study: Designing a Semi-Custom Home

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Often times, our clients come to us with a specific design challenge. In the case of Magnolia Park, our client wanted to demonstrate that high quality and a great price are not mutually exclusive. Below, we take a closer look at our design process for this semi-custom home.

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Challenge

For Magnolia Park, we were commissioned to create a builder-friendly floorplan with striking elevations that stands apart from the competition. Because of that, our design for this semi-custom home needed to maximize value while adhering to a specific price point. Working within these design criteria posed a unique challenge as there were few precedents as reference.

 

Solution

To meet our client’s needs, we focused on smart design solutions that added value to the home without overcomplicating the footprint or the structure. We provided flexible living spaces and expansion options, created a layout that allowed for a spa-inspired master suite, and made sure that the entire house was tech-ready.

A hallmark of the home’s flexible living space is its seamless indoor-outdoor relationship. Inside, this grand entertaining space features vaulted ceilings and an eat-in kitchen with an island. Then, by simply opening the oversized glass doors, this great room becomes even more spacious by connecting directly to the outdoor living space.

The design’s openness is met only by its flexibility: The office has a full-sized closet and access to the hall bathroom, making it an ideal fourth bedroom. The garage was designed to allow for standard parking and ample storage around, with an additional 300 square feet of open attic—perfect for seasonal decorations. For even more space, an optional 576-square-foot flex room or guest suite can be added above the garage, creating an additional getaway or multigenerational living space.

Meanwhile, technology is integrated throughout the house: The master bathroom boasts a large shower room complete with hydrotherapy tub, the kitchen features a special iRobot storage cabinet, and an optional smart thermostat controls the home’s climate.

 

Product

The resulting Magnolia Park semi-custom home features a cutting-edge, dynamic floorplan that is demographically neutral. The home lends itself to all ages, from single-women buyers and couples to young families and baby boomers, while offering high quality at a reasonable price.