Autocad drawings look too abstract

[checkers]

Hi I'm Cat and in 2nd yr, new here.
Anyway I have had tutors tell me my Architectural drawings (plans, sections) look too abstract. It could be my lineweights and they do look un-technical.
Is there any resources/sites/books which can help with making my drawings look more real. Particularly what to include & correct line weights for parts.

[ghost]

Hi, Cat. I want to make sure that the software you use is AutoCAD.
If you do not print them out, the line weights can be changed via managing layer's properties. You can set parts of different line weights in different layers.
Or if you want to print them out, you can change line weights when printing in the printer's properties.

[checkers]

Thanks for replying. It's AutoCAD.
Yeah I'm doing all that stuff mentioned right but I think my problem is I'm not using the correct line weights for say a door and a wall, either it is too thick or thin & I'm not sure what for example the correct line weight to use for a door is, eg. is it .5 or 1.0
Is there somewhere I can get this info?

[Tomek]

Usually use 3 line weights, and if a section or elevation, most use a 2mm thick for the ground line.

Easy peasy; whats closer do thicker, and whats further away use a thinne line.

Abstract looks best if you can still communicate, look at Zaha Hadids for example, simply awesome and become works of art in their own right.

[jrhartley]

my advice would be with plans to make sure you "inhabit" them well with furntiure, maybe do some with textures and colours, similarly show how light would enter. in sections, always put people in, make sure you show light coming through windows. best way is to plot to pdf from autocad so you have the benefits of line weight, then put a human touch on the plans and sections in photoshop though the use of light and shadow, people, etc. makes them look a lot less dry and personal, you generate your own style versus Autocads style. pm me if you want some examples, i can email them to you.

[jrhartley]

[checkers]

Thanks for the help, thats very useful. PM'd you for the examples. Thanks again.

[jrhartley]

i have just sent you a PM (I think) - it didn't come up with an error message but oddly its not in my sent box either. let me know if it doesn't arrive.

[jrhartley]

i have just sent you a PM (I think) - it didn't come up with an error message but oddly its not in my sent box either. let me know if it doesn't arrive.

[king sujeewa]

Hi!
I am an architectural technology student from Sri Lanka.
I can give you instruction on how to improve your Auto cad thicknesses and how it will visible.
I'm not expert in Auto-Cad.but I can give you a brief.

tel me how you formatting your auto cad paper.mean formatting page,unit and layer.B cos there R two way to give thickness.

thank you.

Sujeewa

[AUCKiTECT]

Hello,

It sounds more like you want to understand the pallete of lineweights and how to use them appropriately. Whether your hand drawing (i'm an old fart) or CAD it make your drawings pop and give definition.

You can look at some of Frank Ching's graphic communications books or go to a college library and look up drafting techniques. There are some well established rules for using lineweights, hatching and pocheing. Heaviest lines go on the outside while the lightest lines are used for hatching and interior space details. There is a finese to it, but do the research so you can get an idea of what is thick and what is thin.

- good luck