Creating Renderworks Backgrounds

With the Renderworks product, backgrounds can be added to create a more realistic drawing. Backgrounds, such as clouds, a color or color gradient, or an imported image or panorama, are applied on a per-layer basis. A physical sky background can be combined with a heliodon (Vectorworks Design Series required) to create a realistic sky, correct in appearance for the time of day. In addition, a special lit fog effect can add the illusion of shafts of light in fog (point or spot light required).

Renderworks backgrounds are resources that are created and displayed in the Resource Browser and are saved with the file. A variety of Renderworks backgrounds are provided in libraries (a selected background is automatically imported into the file and displays in the Resource Browser). Several Renderworks styles make use of backgrounds.

To create a background:

1. From the Resource Browser, select New Resource > Renderworks Background from the Resources menu.

The Edit Renderworks Background dialog box opens.

2. Enter the name of the new background and select the type of background to create. Click Options to set specific background parameters.

Click to show/hide the parameters.

Parameter	Description
None	Select this option when creating a lit fog effect without an additional background
Clouds	Specifies a sky background with a background color and clouds
Scale	Specifies the cloud scale (1 – 10); enter a larger value for larger cloud sizes
Background Color	Select a background color for the sky
Cloud Color	Select a cloud color
Detail	Specifies the level of cloud resolution; drag the slider to the right to specify a greater level of detail (requires longer rendering times)
One Color	Specifies a background with one color; click Options to select the color
Two Color	Specifies a background with two colors which blend to form a gradient; click Options to select the colors
Top Color	Select the color for the start of the color gradient at the top of the background
Bottom Color	Select the color for the end of the color gradient at the bottom of the background
Image	Uses a specified image for the background (see Creating Image Backgrounds)
Panoramic Image	Uses a panoramic image file for the background (see Creating Panoramic Image Backgrounds)
Physical Sky	Uses environment lighting to realistically simulate various sky conditions (see Creating Physical Sky Backgrounds )
Lit Fog	Creates volumetric lighting effects, such as a shaft or cone of scattered light in fog, haze, or smoke. A point or spot light object must be inserted in the drawing, and Lit Fog must be selected in the Object Info palette for the light source object. Lit fog cannot be applied to directional, area, or line lights.
Fog Density (%)	Specifies the fog density; enter a larger value to increase the density of the effect
Fog Consistency	Creates either a smooth or uneven fog effect
Receive Shadows	Allows the effect to be blocked by solid objects, creating shadows; for example, when blocking a shaft of light by a table, so that light does not display under the table Use Shadows must also be selected in the rendering options.

OpenGL render mode only displays One Color, Two Color, and Image backgrounds.

Click here for a video tip about this topic (Internet access required).

3. Click OK from the Create Renderworks Background dialog box to create the resource.

The new background resource is listed in the Resource Browser. It is available in the Edit Design Layers dialog box (see Applying Renderworks Backgrounds for information).

A Renderworks background can be quickly edited by pressing Ctrl (Windows) or Option (Mac) and double-clicking on the resource in the Resource Browser.

Backgrounds and lit fog effects can be used together.

Textures and backgrounds that are not used in the drawing file should be purged to reduce file size. See Purging Items from a File.

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Applying Renderworks Backgrounds

Setting Lighting Options

Applying Colors

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