6 Time-Saving Tricks for Chief Architect Beginners
You’ve decided to introduce Chief Architect renderings into your interior design services and you’re thrilled to offer your clients a virtual snapshot of their finished product.
The benefits of realistic interior renderings are endless. You cut down on the back and forth during the decision making process. You have the ability to sell more when the consumer can visualize what the products will look like in their space. You gain the confidence of your clients when they understand how everything will come together in a fully developed design.
Time-Saving Tricks for Chief Architect Beginners
But, where do you start when learning the ins and outs of Chief Architect? Getting acclimated to new software always has a learning curve, so I’m sharing with you a few tricks to get ahead quickly and save time as a Chief Architect beginner.
Sign Up for One-on-One Chief Architect and Home Designer Training: When the Tutorial (noted below) just aren’t enough, the next best step would be to hire a tutor, and that’s exactly what this is. The training sessions are tailored to YOUR individual needs as an Interior Designer. Using my year of experience with the software, along with extensive history of design and rendering projects, I know the ins and outs most beneficial to the ID industry and what you need to get the ball rolling with Chief Architect and Home Designer.
Bookmark Chief Architect’s Tutorials Page OR Join MY Facebook Group: Sometimes it’s best to go straight to the source. Start at the very beginning or search for your particular question. Learn the basics of floor plans, how to navigate stairs, and more––there is a straightforward, informative video on every topic imaginable via the Chief Architect website. If that isn’t enough, or may be too broad in content for your particular needs, join my Facebook Group, Presentation By Design, to get more in-depth training specifically for Interior Designers using Chief Architect and Home Designer Pro (along with many other informative training, discussions, and material useful for impressing your clients and making more money).
Set Hotkeys: As you familiarize yourself with Chief Architect and get a feel for the commands that you use often, you can set hotkeys to pull up a task with the click of a button (or two). Whether it’s simply setting a command to get you to the help menu or to build a wall, hotkeys are an essential shortcut. And, while saving a few keystrokes may not seem like much, seconds count when producing intricate renderings.
Create a Library of Frequently Used Custom Items: Whether you’re working on continuing project or find yourself referring back to custom items you designed for a prior client, creating a library of frequently used custom items allows you to save time and energy. There’s no need to build custom bookcases or cabinets from scratch if you’ve already gone through the effort once before. Save these items to your library and find them at a later date with a quick search.
Add in Standards for Your Regular Clients and Your Own Business: Chief Architect is a one stop shop when it comes to drafting, modeling, and design. You can save all of the standards, including graphics and permits, for your regular clients within the program itself. You’ll never dig through files again once you’ve stored everything in one place!
When You’re Short on Time, Bypass Ray Tracing for Physically Based Rendering: Not every project requires the hyper-realistic process of Ray Tracing, so when you need to meet a rapidly approaching deadline, consider Physically Based Rendering, or “PBR,” as an option. You’ll still get the 3D view and basic line drawings, so it’s the perfect tool when your client just wants to sign off on a quick review of their space.
Interested in More Chief Architect Training?
These 5 time-saving tips will get you on the road to building efficient and successful Chief Architect renderings for your interior design business. However, if you need a bit more personalized attention to walk you through the basics and find shortcuts that work for you, sign up for a Training Session (or two…or three) specifically tailored to YOUR needs on my training site VirtualDesignMentor.com. Last but not least, I’ve created the first Chief Architect for Interior Designers “learn at your own pace” online course hosted on Teachable! This is a 4 Course Bundle launching in 2021. The first course “Getting Started” will be launching January 28th, with the other 3 courses following by March 2021. Check it out here.
