08/21/2026
One of the things I love about architectural drawings is how much information can be communicated in a single image.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a traditional black-and-white or hand-drawn elevation — architects have communicated buildings that way for generations. But adding color and materials can make it much easier for someone who doesn’t look at drawings every day to immediately understand what they’re seeing.
I’ve been refining a process that lets me turn elevations into color presentations with just a few extra steps, making this kind of visualization practical for projects of almost any size. The same process can work for site plans, details, and other drawings too.
For me, that little bit of extra time is well worth it. **The easier a design is to understand, the easier it is to make good decisions before anything gets built.**
And a shout out to Matt Miller and the fine folks at The Fine Carpentry Co., LLC. — always appreciate the opportunity to work alongside good people doing good work.
A little before & after. 👇
