Make2D - depth awareness

Yes. So if there is infinite space behind an object that is the thickest line weight (the objects edge). Next would be if there is an object that occludes another the distance between can be expressed in the line weight relative to the other objects in the scene. Therefore if there is an object in space that is forward in the scene and out on its own, but still occluding other objects, it would have a heavier object out line then an object of the same size near a wall behind them. Material changes could be the next highest line weight. Lastly corners or edges are most often showing folds in material and should be the lightest.

Part of what I am talking about has to do with how it is displayed on the screen but I would be more interested in being able to get these pieces on separate layers so I would have more control in illustrator after make 2D.

I also would not mind diagramming what I have gone through get some of these pieces on separate layers and sending you a pdf of what I am talking about?

Sending examples would be great. Diagramming is helpful, as would be sending the final 3DM file. Thanks!

Great. Could I email you directly?

Jordan Squires_Make 2Der.pdf (174.9 KB)

Hi Brian, please let me know if this attached PDF makes any sense?

You can click my icon in any of my posts and private message me. I’d like to keep the conversation public so other people can participate, unless you have sensitive data that you can’t share.

Yes, it makes sense. It looks like you’re looking not only for “scene silhouettes” but also “object silhouettes” on separate layers. Is that correct?

In this case there are four objects - would you want the layer structure to look like:

Make2D
  Scene Silhouette
  Object1
    Visible
      Silhouette
      Curves
      Tangent Edges
    Hidden
      Curves
      Tangent Edges
  Object2
    Visible
      Silhouette
      Curves
      Tangent Edges
    Hidden
      Curves
      Tangent Edges
  Object3
    Visible
      Silhouette
      Curves
      Tangent Edges
    Hidden
      Curves
      Tangent Edges
  Object4
    Visible
      Silhouette
      Curves
      Tangent Edges
    Hidden
      Curves
      Tangent Edges

Or do you just expect one more layer called ObjectSilhouettes?

I did a drawing using this method with over a thousand pieces so I don’t think that sub layers per object is the best answer.

For a perspective drawing I would ideally like specify a picture plane and key distances or ratios.

Objects beyond picture plane
Visible
Object Silhouettes
Curves
Tangent Edges
Hidden
Curves
Tangent Edges

Objects at (near) picture plane
Visible
Object Silhouettes
Curves
Tangent Edges
Hidden
Curves
Tangent Edges

Objects 75% of the distance between the camera lens and the picture plane
Visible
Object Silhouettes
Curves
Tangent Edges
Hidden
Curves
Tangent Edges

Objects 50% of the distance between the camera lens and the picture plane
Visible
Object Silhouettes
Curves
Tangent Edges
Hidden
Curves
Tangent Edges

Objects less than 25% of the distance between the camera lens and the picture plane
Visible
Object Silhouettes
Curves
Tangent Edges
Hidden
Curves
Tangent Edges

For orthogonal drawings I would like to specify separate groups of object outlines by distance behind the object to the next object. I would like to input ranges from 0-10ft ends up on one layer 10ft-20ft ends up on another… Kind of like when you input a distance for the short crv command.

Objects 10ft-20ft infront of any other object
Visible
Object Silhouettes
Curves
Tangent Edges
Hidden
Curves
Tangent Edges

There are other issues along this line of thought and I will make another PDF to show how I think it could work.

Depth-aware visual hierarchy would be a game changer for architecture… The big guy$ can’t even do this…

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I’m curious - if a long object were to be orientated to view such that one end is close to the camera and the other end in the distance, how is the line weight handled?

Can I also add a wish to the pile, should depth-awareness come to fruition?: A user controllable offset ‘mask’ outboard of object silhouettes to provide cut-offs of lines that run behind the object.

The long object assumes the foreground lineweight…

You could do a feathered line? But I think that might be strange… Might test it in illustrator though because I’m curious.

How would you specify such mask? Is it a curve you draw in the viewport you’re Make2ding? Can you post a 3DM file with the model, the current Make2D result, and the results you want - including whatever geometry you think would specify the mask?