Visual Explanations 

course notes - June 8th, 2011

Situations

Review drawings

Explain an idea

Confirm understanding following meeting

Better explanation of industry standards

Visualize alternatives

Map based visualization

Sources

Google Maps - road map, terrain, cycling, satellite, 45° aerial, street view

Google Earth - 3d buildings, panoramio

Bing Maps - road map, satellite, birds-eye, streetside

PortlandMaps - GIS portal for taxlot & urban infrastructure details

iStockPhoto - low cost option for royalty free photos and illustrations

Flickr - another good source for location specific photos

Ped/bike info center - searchable photo archive

Metropolitan Design Center - Univ Minnesota program, TOD projects

Perry Castañeda Library map collection - University of Texas Austin

ODOT county maps / high quality Oregon road maps by county

ORMAP - Statewide taxmaps online

ODOT Digital Video Log - state highways from a driver’s perspective

Historic Photo Archive - includes roads and bridges all over US

Tools

Print Screen (Windows)

Screen Capture (MacOS)

Skitch (MacOS)

Jing (Windows/MacOS)

Aviary (Browser-based) - screen capture, markup, image editing

Adobe Reader (Windows/MacOS) - simple markups

PowerPoint (Windows/MacOS) - presentation and simple page layout

Keynote (MacOS) - presentation and simple page layout

iShowU (MacOS) - real time screen capture

SnagIt (Windows/MacOS) - still image and video screen capture

Windows Movie Maker (Windows)

Gimp - Cross platform image manipulation (photoshop alternative)

Adobe Acrobat - professional PDF file editing

Taking it further (a few examples of what is possible with bit of 3d modeling)

• Utility Tunnel: 3d model used to present logistics and phasing plan for urban campus project.

• Williams Bikeway: Animation shows perspective of a driver, cyclist, and pedestrian.

• Portland Stormwater: Cutaway diagrams explain how the sewer system handles stormwater.