Date: 12–13 August 2026
Time: 9:30 AM–5:00 PM AEST
Cost: $510 + GST per person, per day
Location: 13/60 Margaret Street, Sydney NSW 2000
WEDNESDAY 12 AUGUST: BASIC 3D MODELLING AND RENDERING
Build on your core Vectorworks skills with a full day focused on fundamental 3D modelling techniques in the morning and an accessible introduction to rendering in the afternoon. This day is ideal for users who are comfortable with 2D drafting and are ready to move confidently into 3D and presentation workflows. This session introduces rendering in Vectorworks so you can turn your models into compelling visual output for clients and collaborators. You will learn how to choose appropriate render modes, set up textures and lighting, and produce rendered views suitable for presentations.
Topics Covered:
- What are Layer Plane objects, setting and managing Working Planes, including the Align Plane tool
- Creating volume with Extrudes, the Push/Pull tool, and other free-form tools
- Using Multiple View Panes to navigate and edit your model efficiently
- Shaping geometry with the Deform tool
- Multiple Extrudes for more complex forms
- Creating Sweeps for circular elements
- Extrude Along Path for profiles that follow edges and curves
- Using the Extract tool to derive new geometry from existing surfaces
- Overview of rendering modes: Shaded, Polygonal, and Sketch Rendering
- Introduction to Renderworks, Artistic Renderworks, and Custom Renderworks options
- Using Renderworks Styles for consistent presentations
- Render Bitmap tool for quick, viewport-independent test renders
- Creating, importing, and applying textures to 3D objects
- Using Shaders to build custom textures and materials
- Mapping textures and using the 3D Attribute Mapping tool for precise control
- Managing textures and appearances with classes and rendering by class
- Lighting a scene with light objects and environmental lighting
- Working with the Visualisation palette to manage lights and render settings
- Exporting rendered views for use in documents, presentations, or external applications
THURSDAY 13 AUGUST: ADVANCED 3D MODELLING AND RENDERING
Build on your existing 3D knowledge and explore the specialised tools that unlock complex, organic, and highly detailed geometry in Vectorworks. This session focuses on efficient workflows for concept development, freeform modelling, and preparing models for rendering and documentation. In the afternoon, take your visual output to the next level with advanced rendering techniques in Renderworks and built in Redshift. This session focuses on lighting, environment, and material settings that dramatically improve realism, while maintaining efficient workflows for test renders and final output. This does not include the external Maxon Redshift program.
Topics Covered:
- Difference between NURBS and 3D polygons, NURBS curves and surfaces
- Meshes and 3D loci
- Loft Surface with rails, Birail Loft creation
- Contour and Project tools, Offset Edge tool
- Creating helix spirals
- 3D text
- Surface Array for concept development
- The Subdivision tool
- Using High Definition Rendering Images (HDRI)
- Environmental lighting
- Indirect lighting
- Custom Renderworks
- Renderworks Styles and Redshift
- Ambient Occlusion
- Image Props
- Fog and achieving lighting beams
- Displacement mapping
- Grass shaders
Additional Information
All sessions are held in a fully equipped computer lab with Windows desktop computers and monitors.
Refund and Cancellation policy
Due to limited seating, class registration fees are non-refundable. However, upon request, your purchase can be used towards purchasing a future class. Classes may be subject to cancellation. Cancellations are determined by five (5) business days before the class starts. Registrants will be notified by email, and a full refund will be issued in the event of a cancellation.
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Please note that the spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis.