looking for "sketch" filter advice

PJ
Posted By
Pat_Jones
Dec 21, 2003
Views
667
Replies
7
Status
Closed
Hi;

I have several Auto Cad generated TIFFs of building elevations that look too "digital" for my needs. I need to make them look more hand drawn but at the same time need to preserve much of the detail the CAD images provide. The various artistic and sketch filters in PS 7 take out too much of the detail for use in sales brochures. I’ve tried Adobe Streamline, but that also removes too much detail and softens the images too much. Are there any add-ins or 3rd party filters available that can help turn CAD drawings into hand drawn sketches ?

Thanks;
Pat

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O
Ol__Whozit
Dec 22, 2003
Try a search for "sketch" in any of a thousand places. Here, Adobe knowledge base, the web in general, Google in specific…
There are some actions out there that simulate variable length stokes to simulate a sketch effect….For God’s Sakes, Man LOOK!!!!
You’re not the first, you won’t be the last. If you don’t like what Adobe offers, you again are not the first. Do a search and you’ll find the answers others before you have.
G
graffiti
Dec 22, 2003
If you don’t like what Adobe offers, you again are not the first.

Uh…Did Pat say that he/she wasn’t happy? I must have missed that part.
SG
shecky_greene
Dec 22, 2003
Uh…Did Pat say that he/she wasn’t happy? I must have missed that part.

Well, Pat did write "…take out too much of the detail …" so I suppose that’s an implication that Pat wasn’t happy with them. If Pat were happy with them, Pat wouldn’t be looking for other solutions.
BO
Burton_Ogden
Dec 22, 2003
Pat,

I have several Auto Cad generated TIFFs of building elevations that look too "digital" for my needs. I need to make them look more hand drawn but at the same time need to preserve much of the detail the CAD images provide… Are there any add-ins or 3rd party filters available that can help turn CAD drawings into hand drawn sketches ?

I realize it is probably overkill for what you want, but the program called Piranesi from Informatix Software International (a UK company I believe) is probably the leading tool for producing artistic architectural renderings. For a gallery of Piranesi work, see:

<http://www.informatix.co.uk/piranesi/gallery.shtml>

<http://www.informatix.co.uk/piranesi/gallery_2.shtml>

<http://www.informatix.co.uk/piranesi/gallery_3.shtml>

<http://www.informatix.co.uk/piranesi/gallery_4.shtml>

<http://www.informatix.co.uk/piranesi/gallery_5.shtml>

<http://www.informatix.co.uk/piranesi/gallery_6.shtml>

For reviews of Piranesi, see:

<http://www.informatix.co.uk/piranesi/reviews.shtml>

Although Piranesi is primarily meant to work with 3D programs such as 3D Studio MAX and VIZ, Architectural Desktop, ArchiCAD, Art*lantis, Autocad, CINEMA 4D R8, Form*Z, Lightwave, MicroStation, MicroGDS, NavisWorks, SketchUp, and Vectorworks, the new version 3 of Piranesi can probably work with the TIFF drawings that you have. The following is a quotation from the Piranesi site:

As of Piranesi version 3, you don’t even need a 3D model!

Piranesi 3 allows you to import any plan or elevation image as a starting point. Many of Piranesi’s effects will work without depth and material information. Because Piranesi knows that the image is plan or elevation, depth and material information can be added by constructing new planes and adding cutouts.

Piranesi will let you begin with any PNG, TIF, BMP, or JPG image – all you have to do is tell Piranesi whether to regard it as a plan or elevation. Many of Piranesi’s effects will work without depth and material information. Because Piranesi knows that the image is plan or elevation, depth and material information can be added by constructing new planes and adding cutouts.

For direct view of that quotation and other information, see:

< http://www.informatix.co.uk/piranesi/product_information_fea tures.shtml>

There is a limited capability 30-day demo of Piranesi available at the Informatix website. If you are working in the architectural field, there is a good chance your competition is using Piranesi.

— Burton — (not associated with Informatix Software International or Piranesi)
SG
shecky_greene
Dec 22, 2003
I realize it is probably overkill for what you want, but the program called Piranesi….

Reminds me of the time I mentioned Piranesi on this forum and critisism I received for doing so.
DR
Danny_Raphael
Dec 22, 2003
Pat:

I’ve not yet run across a 3rd party plug-in that renders the effect you’re looking for. While Ol’ Whozit’s right about the plethora of past discussions on this topic and endless hits you’d get with a Google search, I think I can help you cut to the chase by recommending a free Photoshop action (Insta-sketch ‘beta’) available here (bottom right of page):

<http://homepages.slingshot.co.nz/~mikefinn/action.html>

It renders two layers (pencil and watercolor). In this case I’d just turn off the watercolor layer and would apply a Levels adjustment layer to the sketch layer. Adjust the sliders to squeeze out most of the midtone noise.

I would copy the original background into the sketch image (top layer) and lower the opacity to about 50%.

These steps were the basis of what I did here.

Before: <http://www.pbase.com/image/24346445>
Insta-sketch output: <http://www.pbase.com/image/24346448> Color added: <http://www.pbase.com/image/24346458>

If this is somewhere in the ballpark of what you’re looking for, send me e-mail at dannyraphael at yahoo dot com and I can fill you in on the rest of the gory details.

Cheers…
~Danny~
BO
Burton_Ogden
Dec 22, 2003
Shecky,

Reminds me of the time I mentioned Piranesi on this forum and the criticism I received for doing so.

No good deed shall go unpunished (grin).

— Burton —

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