Blender 3D. Importing blueprints FAST!

[TomiL]

Software: Blender

Author: TomiL

Hey!

After watching this great tutorial by Andrew Price Quick Tip: Import Textures Like a Boss | Blender Guru I got an idea. What if I use that method to load blueprints!

It works great!

Step 1:

Go to File -> User Preferences -> Add-ons -> from the Categories menu -> Import, Export and then find add-on called "Import Images as Planes" and check the box. Then Save as Default. See 1st attachment picture.

Step 2:

Go to File -> Import -> Images as Planes. Search your blueprint and see it apparear into the top view, with automatically correct plane sizes etc... COOL! Now the plane seems to be white but hit Alt+Z and the texture will be shown in 3D viewport. See 2nd picture

Now there´s a problem. If you select viewport shading as Solid-mode to start modeling, the texture will disapparer. Fix that by pressing N and from the Display menu find and check "Textured Solid". See 3rd pic.

Oh and if your plane is textured from the both sides, which makes seeing the front or back blueprint impossible. Go to Edit mode, select all faces (A), go to Object Data panel, find a Texture Face drop down meny and uncheck "Two-Side". Repeat that for every blueprint plane! See 4th pic.!

Happy modeling! I hope this little tutorial makes adding blueprints alot easyer and most important - faster!

[CgBee]

Small problem... When I press 'Z' to go into the transparent wireframe edit mode the textures disappear. Is there a way to limit the 'Z' key to a single object?

[TomiL]

Small problem... When I press 'Z' to go into the transparent wireframe edit mode the textures disappear. Is there a way to limit the 'Z' key to a single object?

I dont know. I actually strugle with the same problem... But it is possible to make the object transparent in Solid mode (and in edit-mode solid) and you can then see the blueprint. Just make your material transparent and then apply transparency in object data panel.

[CgBee]

If you look at this file... Blend Swap » Bugatti Veyron (Round 1)
The person has set the blueprints up so that the texture is both transparent and also stays visible while in wireframe mode. This is exactly how I would like it. Is that what you mean?

[TomiL]

Umm.. no.
I like that the model itself is a little transparent and the blueprints stay solid. You have to be in a Textured-mode to get the transparency working. And when you go into edit mode you will see the mesh wireframe and the blueprint behind it. So then there is no need to go into the transparent wireframe edit mode.

Uh, I´m so bad at explaining things.