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  • 1.  Exhibition planning software

    Posted 06-17-2016 02:13 PM

    I am looking for a software package useful for designing exhibitions--specifically for designing the layout of objects in cases, as well as graphics and text panels. Can anyone recommend a convenient way to do this.  I'd like to be able to produce mock-ups to give staff and interested parties an idea of what exhibits will look like.  Thank you for any suggestions!

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    Erin Sutherland PhD
    St. Louis MO
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    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 2.  RE: Exhibition planning software

    Posted 06-20-2016 12:35 PM

    Designers I have worked with use Google Sketch-up for 3-D modeling and Adobe InDesign for 2-D graphics.  

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    Carmen Vendelin
    Director
    Silver City Museum
    Silver City NM

    Original Message
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 3.  RE: Exhibition planning software

    Posted 06-21-2016 10:23 AM

    Hi

    i use sketch up (owned by Trimble now) for both graphic and artifact placement. There are some good plugins for lighting as well

    good luck!

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    alan ransenberg
    planner/ designer/ owner
    the alchemy of design
    portland or

    Original Message
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 4.  RE: Exhibition planning software

    Posted 06-21-2016 09:48 PM
    Erin,

    Most of the exhibition designers I know use Sketch Up for preliminary design concepts and then develop their designs in Vectorworks. Vectorworks is similar to AutoCAD but less expensive and much easier to learn and use. It also has decent rendering capabilities if you need to prepare presentations.

    The most common software for producing graphics is the Adobe Creative suite of products. Illustrator is great for creating vector artwork and integrates well with Vectorworks, Photoshop is perfect for preparing your photographic assets, and all these graphic elements come together in the layout program InDesign.

    If I had to choose one, and I wasn't doing construction drawings, I would recommend Illustrator. You can use it to create preliminary graphics and case layouts alike. I also find it relatively intuitive to use.

    Having said all that, don't underestimate the value of using resources you likely already have at your disposal. It is easy to spend a lot of time (and money!) learning software instead of focusing on simple methods for getting the ideas out there for others to see. A few napkin sketches coupled with photo references can go a long way to describing your ideas. I've seen case layouts created in Excel spreadsheets and preliminary graphics done in Word. If you can put a reasonable facsimile of your idea out into the world without having to buy and learn expensive software, I say go for it.

    Of course, it depends entirely on your budget, desire to learn software, your available time, and the expectations of your team members, so use your best judgement in this regard.

    All the best,

    Melanie Greenaway
    Exhibition Designer
    Double Dare Design



    Original Message
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 5.  RE: Exhibition planning software

    Posted 06-22-2016 09:31 AM

    Melanie makes a great point about using resources you already have. Never underestimate the value of PowerPoint as a rendering and graphic design tool.

    db

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    Dan Bartlett
    Curator of Exhibits and Education
    Logan Museum of Anthropology - Beloit College
    Beloit WI

    Original Message
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more


  • 6.  RE: Exhibition planning software

    Posted 06-21-2016 11:10 AM

    Wow, thats a big question. 

    There are a lot of different tools to handle a lot of different levels of exhibit design.

    I've been designing exhibits for 25 years, I'd reccomend staying away from sketchup, even if you are new to 3D design, sketchup has its place and  lot of folks use it but, I prefer more professional tools like Vectorworks, or FormZ for 3D design. each of these has a couple of diffent price levels to get you started ther is even a FormZ Free.

    Much of what you mention, case layout and graphics, can be done in 2D. The obvious chouce here is Adobe Illustrator. However, if you are budget minded I have always been a bigger fan of CorelDraw than Adobe products. Lastly there is Inkscape, a free, open source design package similar to Adobe Illustrator.

    Bart

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    Bart Hays
    Senior Exhibition Designer
    Monterey Bay Aquarium
    Monterey CA

    Original Message
    AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo, Baltimore, May 16-19, 2024, click to learn more