Are you using Ambient Shadows on your 3D views?

For 3D views we have a number of Visual Styles available to us to view the Model.

However we also have a couple other options which I have found makes viewing and understanding the model easier.

We are all familiar with the Hidden Line setting:

Or Hidden Line with Shadowsturned on:

These two settings are great, especially if you don’t want the colour shaded view and just need black and white.

However they can appear to be a little too “Harsh”….

  

Here is an alternative…….

Under the Graphic Display Options dialog box turn on Show Ambient Shadows.

This will give you the following effect….which is a little softer on the eyes and gives you more perception of depth.

Sc.

Locking 3D Views

So with the new 2012 version of Revit Architecture we now have the ability to lock our 3D views.

Autodesk is promoting this as part of the process for placing tags and keynotes now in 3D views but I really like this tool just for the ability to have multiple 3D views that I want to save and not inadvertently change the view angle I want.

There's three options when locking 3D views:

· Save Orientation and Lock View: Locks the view at the current orientation. You cannot orbit the model in this mode.

 · Restore Orientation and Lock View: Restores an unlocked, reoriented view to its previously locked orientation. Any tags and keynotes placed at the original orientation will display.
 
· Unlock View: Unlocks the current orientation, allowing you to navigate and orbit the 3D view. Any tags or keynotes placed in the view do not display until you click the Restore Orientation and Lock View command.