Most authoring software should allow you to set color to specific types of content, and most will allow you to print/publish with either color or black lines (translating the color to either a grayscale or just black). Also, most PDF software will have an option to convert to B&W (but obviously not into color). My first main point here is that the tools most architects are using these days will allow us to offer both, as long as we make them color in the first place.
Also, when we think about the content we are producing we want to cater it for whoever is consuming it. Is it the older generation plan checker who has reviewed 1000s of plans, is it the younger developer who doesn't really understand how these plans work, or is it a contractor who left the plans out in the sun and now the drawings are a bit faded? Each of these examples require a different approach, and trying to make one solution fit for everyone doesn't really make sense.
Lastly, there should be some thought given to where is the best place to apply color, just like the use of line pattern or line weight. It is simply a third component of line-work or fill. I'm not sure of any standard guidelines spelled out by the AIA for this type of thing (although there is a lot of conversation and it is becoming more common place). My interpretation so far has been:
- B&W for all representations of building components, and color for annotations (text, dimensions, property lines, etc.)
- A simple palette with one main color for important information, and a secondary color for secondary info.
- For diagramming, varying shades and hatches of the primary and secondary color (no other color added)
In conclusion, we should create our drawings in color for those that can use it that way, and convert to B&W as needed. This is very achievable with the existing software we are currently using. We should be making our best effort to accommodate our clients and anyone who requires our drawings to do their job. One solution isn't going to work for everyone, and we are the only ones who have and/or are proficient enough to author the drawings that way. There should be some guiding principles for the use of color in construction docs, considering the fact that adding color to drawings could make them harder to read.
One last thought... Color has always existed in the world, architects have had the ability to add color to drawings for a very long time (There is an AIA standard for layer colors in software, but not in construction documents?), are we really providing the best information to the other stakeholders in our projects by just adding color to our drawings?
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Nicholas Voell-White Assoc. AIA
Director of BIM Implementation
AEC-Technologies
Redondo Beach CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-30-2020 17:37
From: Sherman Aronson
Subject: Color use in Construction Documents?
In our practice a question has arisen about using color in our contract documents. Whether using 2D or 3D software to generate the "working drawings" they usually are issued to the construction community as PDF files. Sometimes they are printed for use on the jobsite, but not always, or maybe just as a "rack set" while the crew uses tablets for everyday access to the files.
So, on the one hand if we used color in the final documents they can be printed now at a minor upcharge over black line prints. If used on PCs and tablets there is no cost to using color.
In this case the idea is not for renderings and 3D images but for simple linework. Drawings would be easier to decipher if, say, the column lines were blue and the dimensions lines were dark red, but the actual walls, doors, fixtures, etc., remained black lines. A test print would have to show that printing in black/white or grayscale is still legible as a working drawing, just in case.
Have any firms experimented with this approach? Has it been successful in practice? Are there unforeseen issues?
Thanks
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Sherman Aronson AIA
Sr. Associate
BLT Architects
Philadelphia PA
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