Joined: May 12, 2013
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Tools, phone apps + SH3D: dimensions, colours and angles
Location: Phone compass / GPS useful if you do not already know.
Angles: there are some phone apps that will act as a plumb / (spirit) level. Handy when measuring angles (staircases, sloping walls).
Colours are more challenging. The best way to find out an existing paint is probably to go to a local dealer with a paint sample. Usually they will have an instrument to analyse the colour and match it. However, it is unlikely it will be 100% accurate.
Actual paint used on the house: 225,225,221 (#e1e1dd) Local shop sample analysis: 212,212,207 (#d4d4cf) - slightly darker, but similar balance Phone app reading: 219,214,216 (#dbd6d8)
The phone app reading varied, but exaggerated the red (shade on a bright day). I had better results (balance, if not lightness) with indoor tiles. So apps/camera colour balance cannot be counted on for full accuracy and must be checked. Still, I keep using this app for measuring colours. It is closer than my guesswork.
For SH3D rendering, there is of course shades, colour temperature of lightsource etc etc.
All in all, I keep using these apps (along with a laser measure) when drawing, and find them surprisingly useful and timesaving when drafting with SH3D. No view on specific apps, there are several.
Joined: May 12, 2013
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Re: Tools, phone apps + SH3D: dimensions, colours and angles
Just for the heck of it, I went out and took a new camera reading of our wall this evening. This time it was pretty accurate, both in terms of balance and brightness. Evening sun, reading in the shade. It seems my mobile camera balances pretty well in evening/late afternoon and indoor conditions, but gets a bit overwhelmed by full daylight.
Nevertheless, the colour analysis app is really quite useful. And makes it ever so easy to enter colour approximations in the SH3D colour dialogue.
Joined: May 12, 2013
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Re: Tools, phone apps + SH3D: dimensions, colours and angles
After struggling with exact measurements for a bit (see thread 6255), I went out and bought a laser measure a little while back, a proper laser measure at some € 50. So now my drafting/SH3D plan toolkit consists of the laser measure , a laser plumb / level in addition to the tape measure/folding rule and the apps mentioned above.
I cannot even begin to describe the usefulness, a laser measurement tool makes all the difference when drawing a plan. It is faster, more accurate and easier. Do not know why I have not done this a long time ago. Highly recommended as a supplement to SH3D.
ok
PS - I first bought a cheaper ultrasound one with laser guidance, but that was pretty useless in practice.