Rendering of the south elevation of the South Addition to Campbell Hall, 2006 William Sherman, architect; computer rendering by Jeana Ripple Courtesy of William Sherman [only thumbnail size available]

Since AutoCAD (a computer-aided design software program) launched in 1982, many architects have come to rely on computerized drawing technologies rather than hand-drawn techniques. Such programs generate greater numbers of more detailed drawings that are easier to change and share. 

This drawing of the south elevation of the Sherman addition is a computer-generated rendering: it shows the building with artistic interpretations of materials, colors, shades, and shadows. Renderings are often used more publicly than other types of architectural drawings, as they can sometimes be the most accessible. It is easy to tell what the outside of a building will look like from the first glance. Before the computer, renderings could be painstaking productions. With computer programs like AutoCAD, drawings like this are much easier to produce. Two-dimensional images transition into three-dimensional models with ease, giving the client a more complete understanding of the finished building’s appearance.