Photo to drawing software? does it exsist?

[nuzuki]

Hi guys,
Im wanting to do a barn conversion and wanted to take a picture of how it is now then drag and drop things in like windows and a lawn. Does a program like this exsist? Its not going to be submitted to planners but will just be for use by me to get an idea of what the finished project will look like.

Any pointers are greatly appreciated

 

[rjm2k]

Just use a standard paint program and cut/paste.

 

[nuzuki]

Thanks fror the reply. I did try ms paint but it looked shocking lol is that what you meant?
I was hoping there is a website out there where you upload your photo then drag and drop things over the top of it and can angle windows etc to keep the drawing in perspective.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Photoshop

or GIMP

 

[nuzuki]

Thanks, yeah its looking like a photoshop situation. I wish id taken up that course many years ago now.

 

[^woody^]

There are programs to convert images to cad files, but won't be able to download pirated copies off the net

 

[nuzuki]

Do you know the name of them? Im sure its cheaper to buy that than to hire an architect?

Thanks

 

[OwainDIYer]

Image-to-CAD convert images of line drawings to vector line drawings.

For what you apparently want, to manipulate a photo, you need photo manipulation software.

Find a graphics design student who wants some beer (or lambrusco) money.

 

[cjard]

Paint.NET is a free and capable paint program... But I'd actually seriously recommend that you download and learn Goole Sketchup. It's a free 3D drawing program, it has a bit of a learning curve but there are loads of tutorials on youtube and google provide a good set too

Depending on the complexity you want to go to you can even take photos of the walls and use them as textures on the model. You can spin your model around and look from any angle. Best that you take 10 mins out to watch this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPkv9tRuO-c

If you don't get to the end of that video and think "that was cool, I want to try that app" I'll be amazed

You could then watch the "Match Photo" videos to give an idea of where to go.. essentially you take a photo from a particular perspective, import it into sketchup and tell sketchup where the axes of the perspective are.. then sketch your building on top of the photo and ask sketchup to then cut the photo up and apply the textures from the photo to the surfaces you have created

 

[cjard]

note , best thing about SU is that it is dimensionally accurate so when you draw a rectangle you then type "2000,1000" and (if you're working in mm) a rectangle exactly 2 metres by 1 metres appears. You could even type "2ft,12in" and the program will convert the units and draw a rectangle 609.6 by 304.8 mm

Later you can annotate the model with dimensions, switch to top/side views and turn off perspective and presto - 2D plans! 2 birds with one free stone

It was intended for use to draw buildings to be rendered in Google Earth and then later used by the community. There's a store full of free models that people have drawn, so if you want to bash a hole in your wall and drop in a set of bifolding doors just search the store for them, add to model and stretch to fit the hole

You'll get to the point where you think "building will be like this in future, some nerd with a laptop and a massive 3d printer will come along and spend a few hours sketching up and printing a house".. and what a fantastic day that'll be!

 

[OwainDIYer]

You'll get to the point where you think "building will be like this in future, some nerd with a laptop and a massive 3d printer will come along and spend a few hours sketching up and printing a house".. and what a fantastic day that'll be!

They've already done that in Grand Designs, two mature lady academics had a shipping container with a CNC machine inside turn up and build them a flat-pack house out of plywood.

 

[cjard]

i was thinking more like a huge one of these: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfbhdZKPHro