Visual styles

A visual style is a collection of settings that control the display of 3D solids and surfaces.

The VISUALSTYLES command opens Drawing Explorer > Visual Styles.

Here you can:

  • Edit existing visual styles.
  • Create new visual styles.
  • Delete visual styles.
  • Copy and paste visual styles between open drawings.

Setting the current visual style

The current visual style can be set in the Properties panel: View > Visual style and in the right-click context menu of the LookFrom widget.

Click the desired visual style in the list.

The default options are:

  • 2D Wireframe: entities are displayed by using lines and curves. It is used for 2D drawings.
  • Conceptual: entities are displayed by using smooth shading and the Gooch face style.
  • Hidden: entities are displayed by using wireframe representation and lines representing back faces are hidden.
  • Modeling: entities are displayed by using smooth shading, Realistic face style, Materials and textures and visible edge.
  • Realistic: entities are displayed by using smooth shading, Realistic face style and Materials and textures. Edges are not shown.
  • Shaded: entities are displayed by using smooth shading, Realistic face style and Materials.
  • Shaded with edges: entities are displayed by using smooth shading, Realistic face style, Materials, and visible edges.
  • Shades of gray: entities are displayed by using smooth shading, Realistic face style and monochromatic shades of gray.
  • Sketchy: 2D and 3D entities are displayed with a hand-sketched effect by using the Constant color face style, Line Extensions and textured lines (bpen).
  • Wireframe: 3D entities are displayed by using lines and curves only.
  • X-Ray: entities are displayed by using smooth shading, Realistic face style and Materials and textures with partial transparency.
  • BIM (BIM templates only) : entities are displayed by using smooth shading, Realistic face style, Materials and textures, and Facet Edges (visible edges).
  • Mechanical (Mechanical templates only): entities are displayed by using smooth shading, Realistic face style, Materials and textures and Facet Edges.

In shaded visual styles, faces are illuminated by one distant light source which follows the viewpoint as you move around the model. This default lighting illuminates all faces in the model so the user can identify them. Only when all other lights are turned off, the default lighting is available.