Steven C. Shell, Architect

Tucson, Arizona

Steven C. Shell, Architect
Tucson, AZ
ph: 520-885-6444
scshell@cox.net

Teaching & Lecturing

Model it the way you build it.

Revit produces the drawings as the end result of your modeling. Poor modeling nets you poor drawings which result in problems conveying your design, higher bids and even more problems during construction.
Revit changes everything. You are no longer drawing or drafting. You are now modeling! The drawings are the result of your modeling efforts. Revit’s amazing beauty, accuracy, efficiency, parametric nature (both the model and the drawing set) are the real pay off!
Your 3D model may be the most amazing model ever produced; however, you will be the only one to see it. You still have to communicate that model in two dimensions on either a piece of paper or a computer screen for everyone else.

Learning Autodesk Revit Architecture®

An Architect’s Method

Let me first state that I am not a traditional Revit® instructor, educator nor am I associated with Autodesk® nor am I a reseller.
What I am is an Architect who has been in private practice for over 28 years, producing all of my drawings and presentations by hand, before discovering Autodesk Revit® in 2003.
Because of this, I have a unique approach to helping individuals and firms learn to use Revit Architecture, which works well when taught in conjunction with conventional Revit training. I can teach how to make Revit look and work the way you want, not how CAD/BIM managers or software developers say you should! Most Revit instruction is very good at teaching what the buttons do and how to make them do what it is that they do. I show you why you should use a certain button, or when (or when not) to use that button.

Graphic Communication Series: Make Your Revit® Drawings and Presentations Look Great

This series of classes will show how to get the most out of Revit’s powerful graphic features incorporating all of the exciting few features in Revit Architecture. You will valuable tips, tricks, and time proven visualization techniques to make your drawings look great. You will learn to enhance non-rendered and rendered views with ‘out of the box’ advanced graphic techniques as well as visually improving the look of trees, plants, and people used in Revit for non-rendered views. You will learn how to add photo backgrounds to renderings using a unique overlay approach, adding fully controllable gradient color (or photo) background behind multiple views as well as tips for improving interior and exterior rendered views. Finally, you will learn how to use ‘old world’ hand drafting techniques to add visual clarity and make your Construction Documents communicate seamlessly by using poches, surface shading patterns, profiling, transparency, and half toning techniques.

Key Learning Objective 1
Explore and take full advantage of Revit’s powerful graphic tools and capabilities which you may not have known even existed.
Key Learning Objective 2
Use a variety of ‘non-Revit like’ presentation techniques to help you develop your own artistic style.
Key Learning Objective 3
Learn unique ‘out of the box’ tips and tricks to prepare better-than-ever presentations more quickly and efficiently.
Key Learning Objective 4
Time proven old world hand drafting techniques to make your construction documents communicate better, and look as beautiful as they are smart.

Switching from AutoCAD® to Revit®
Integration vs Migration….A Different Approach

You have resisted. But you know it’s coming. You know 3D modeling will be an improvement from the way your projects have been presented in the past but change is not only difficult, it can be costly as well.
We have all heard that the best way to make the switch to Revit is to dive in and sink or swim. Perhaps it’s time we take a look at this all or nothing approach. Can you afford to re-train and purchase Revit for your entire staff? Do you know who in your office should or should not learn Revit? Do you have years of great AutoCAD details and drawings which you don’t want to re-draw from scratch? Do you want to retain your current work flow and staffing while trying to incorporate Revit as your new design software?

This presentation will demonstrate unique ideas, workflows, and techniques that can help you address these issues, for a smoother and less painful transition from AutoCAD® to Revit . Remember, Revit is just another pencil in your drawer. Instead of there being one tool that does it all, it can require a combination of tools to create the desired finished project. This class will show you creative ways to have Revit, AutoCAD and your staff, all work together.

Key Learning Objective 1
Explore the possibilities of integrating Revit’s strengths while still retaining your AutoCAD based production work flow and staff.
Key Learning Objective 2
Drawing and presentation techniques using AutoCAD dwg files. (Not recommended for the Revit evangelist in your office!)
Key Learning Objective 3
Who in your office can most benefit from learning and using Revit?
Key Learning Objective 4
Learn Revit’s strengths along with some its weaknesses.

A Revit Project from Start to Finish:

This series of classes are meant to give you a very ‘hands on’, step by step approach to learning to use Revit the way Revit likes to be used. Revit is a game changer. It has been referred to as “Disruptive Technology”. You are no longer drawing. You are modeling. The drawings are the end-product of your modeling efforts and Revit’s amazing beauty, accuracy, efficiency, parametric nature (both the model and the drawing set) are the real pay off!

Basic Project and Template Set Up and Standards:

This class will help you learn how to get a project started right, so you’ll have a more accurate and better model to work with. As we are setting up the project, we will also start setting up your Template

Key Learning Objective 1
Learn how to set up all of your project and graphic settings to make your drawings look and feel the way you want them to.
Key Learning Objective 2
Learn the first steps of starting your project model and avoiding some of the ‘beginner’s traps’.
Key Learning Objective 3
Learn how to use and take advantage of Revit’s powerful Phasing feature, including how to graphically communicate project phases.
Key Learning Objective 4
Learn how to take all of the project and program’s settings and start building your Office Template so that you don’t have to duplicate this work over and over, keeping in mind that your Template is a living and breathing element within Revit and will constantly be growing and evolving as you become more proficient.

Basic Modeling Principals and Techniques:

This class is rarely taught and is probably one of the most important. You will learn what “Model it the way you build it” means. Remember, Revit is not a drafting program. It’s a parametric modeling tool which produces the drawings as an end result of your modeling. Poor modeling nets you poor drawings. We will look at methods and techniques to best model your project so that the model will accurately and easily populate schedules, produce beautiful elevations, sections and other drawings, all based on your model. Even your final detailing will benefit from accurate and correct modeling practices. Along with great working drawings, you will be able to use your model to create amazing early design presentations. Your images and drawing information will only be as good as the model itself.

Key Learning Objective 1
Learn how to set up all of your model’s basic information: Location, Orientation, Phases and other basic project information.
Key Learning Objective 2
Learn the basics of Revit’s site tools including property lines, topography and other related tools
Key Learning Objective 3
Focus on how to model key building elements, starting with Floors, then Walls, Ceilings and Roofs. This is where the idea of “Model it the way you build it.” will start to make sense.
Key Learning Objective 4
Set up your basic project materials (If they had not been set up in the basic modeling task.)

Creating Your Drawings & Presentations:

Your 3 dimensional model may be the most amazing model ever produced, but you’re the only one who will see it. You still have to communicate that model in two dimensions on either a piece of paper or a computer screen for everyone else. I always have said, there are three people who really need to understand the drawings. First and foremost, the Client who is paying for this and should have a really good understanding of the design and the project at all times throughout the design process. Secondly, the City or County Building Officials who review and approve your drawings. And last, but not least, the Contractor who has to build what is in your mind’s eye. How many times have we all started a discussion with, “Well, what I intended….”, or “What I meant to show…..” or “The detail is shown on Sheet …”

The other important subject that we will look at is presentation drawings, both Non-Rendered and Rendered, with all flavors in between. This is how we communicate our design and more importantly, sell our ideas to a Client. I will help you explore Revit’s basic strengths and help you develop your own individual artistic style within Revit, out of the box. Every drawing and image you see on my web site and on this blog site have all been produced using only Revit

Key Learning Objective 1
Learn how to create and set up sheets, including adding your own custom visibility parameters for your Seal and “Preliminary Drawing, Not for Construction” stamp.
Key Learning Objective 2
Learn the basics of setting up attractive cover sheets, creating sheet views and call outs and how to lay them out.
Key Learning Objective 3
Learn ‘old world’ hand drawing techniques which were the graphic standard in the industry for centuries, prior to the computer. To quote Paul Aubin, “When did Line Weight become an I.T. issue?
Key Learning Objective 4
Learn how to create presentations which are extremely artistic and ‘non-Revit like’