Open Forum

As an exhibition designer, I primarily use vectorworks software to create accurate plans and elevations of exhibition installations, within existing architecture. I know many others (including non-designers) use Sketch-up to create 3d renderings, and some use both depending on the project.

Exhibition designers: which program do you prefer and why? Do you use one for 3d renderings and the other for 2d schematics?

To those who employ the services of exhibition designers (or any type of 3d designer): do you have a preference between Sketch-up or Vectorworks/other CAD software? Do you notice a difference in the end product? Are you wanting to access and edit the files you receive from the designer or is your preference based on visual aesthetics?

Many thanks, in advance, for your responses. If you can, please respond to the thread and not to me directly, so that we can continue this dialogue with others.

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Skye Malish-Olson
Exhibition Designer
Dallas Museum of Art
Dallas TX
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Hi,

I was a VectorWorks power user for 20 years and was able to create both renderings and construction drawings from the same file - which to me is the most important feature.

Now, though, I find that my clients aren't really looking for a photo-realistic view of an exhibition. The amount of time I might spend tweaking the lighting and textures was really not paying off. I switched to SketchUp a few years ago and find that together with LayOut, I can make any drawing as precise as VectorWorks in about half the time at a fraction of price. Almost everything you can do with viewports and symbols in VW you can do with SU, admittedly in a different way. When I need a rendering or sketch, SU serves well to get the point across. I would think about V-Ray or some other 3rd-party rendering extension, but again, I haven't needed it.

Above all, I think the best program is the one that saves you time. Drawing in one program to do one thing and re-drawing in another to do something else seems odd.

My 2¢!

Michael

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Michael Lapthorn
Exhibition Designer
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Minneapolis MN
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Original Message:
Sent: 06-12-2018 12:23 PM
From: Skye Malish-Olson
Subject: Vectorworks vs. Sketchup

As an exhibition designer, I primarily use vectorworks software to create accurate plans and elevations of exhibition installations, within existing architecture. I know many others (including non-designers) use Sketch-up to create 3d renderings, and some use both depending on the project.

Exhibition designers: which program do you prefer and why? Do you use one for 3d renderings and the other for 2d schematics?

To those who employ the services of exhibition designers (or any type of 3d designer): do you have a preference between Sketch-up or Vectorworks/other CAD software? Do you notice a difference in the end product? Are you wanting to access and edit the files you receive from the designer or is your preference based on visual aesthetics?

Many thanks, in advance, for your responses. If you can, please respond to the thread and not to me directly, so that we can continue this dialogue with others.

------------------------------
Skye Malish-Olson
Exhibition Designer
Dallas Museum of Art
Dallas TX
------------------------------