Studio-Swaim provides our clients with an easy to follow and understandable process from concept to completion.

What to expect when working with Studio-Swaim

What we are not: Studio-Swaim is not an outsourcing operation. Unlike some other studios, we do not outsource all our work overseas and claim the work as our own. We do not mislead our clients to believe we are personally working on their project, while in reality we are periodically checking in on it’s progress from an overseas operation that we have sent the project to.

What we are: Studio-Swaim is a United States-based architectural illustration studio that works side by side with the client to create the specified product the client needs. All of our work is completed in house and is original art to insure quality standards for our clients. We are flexible and easy to communicate with, making the client artist relationship a user friendly experience.

The Process

Contact

The process to a completed illustration or presentation package always starts with the initial contact. Usually it is an e-mail or phone call in which the parameters of the project and the client’s specific needs are discussed. After a quick overview of the project, the deadline and Studio-Swaim’s schedule, the client sends the necessary files  to us so a proposal can be drafted and sent back for client approval. Once Studio-Swaim has received the signed proposal back, the project is then added to the schedule.

Files

Just as different clients have different needs, different clients are sometimes at different stages of development in their project. Whether it be roughed-out sketches (see “CLIENT SKETCH TO FINAL PRESENTATION” link below) or a full set of working drawings, Studio-Swaim can, and has worked from them. Ultimately, the better the information provided, the more accurate the finished rendering will be. You can send plans, sketches, and project notes via email, dropbox, Fedex, courier, or U.S. mail. The preferred method would be e-mailed pdf and dwg files of the floor plans, elevations, site plan and roof plan if available. Other forms of digital 2d and 3d modeling formats accepted are .ai, .psd, .eps, .fmz, .fml, .fact, .obj, .lwo, .dae, .dxf, 3ds, and .skp plus a number of others. When sending dxf or dwg files, please exclude any unnecessary information.  For example, items such as interior furniture, ceilings, unnecessary text, etc., would not be needed for a rendering of an exterior view. These unneeded items take time to sort out and will  slow down the process. If your files are of a size that can’t be compressed for e-mail purposes, we suggest using file transfer sites such as wetransfer.com or dropbox.

Proposal

Once Studio-Swaim has received all necessary information and has had a chance to review it, a proposal that outlines the services requested and the terms for those services, will be sent to you within 24 hours. The job will not be started nor a place on the schedule held for the project until the approved proposal is signed and returned.

Preliminary Sketch

After the terms outlined in the proposal have been agreed upon, the project will be added to the schedule and the preliminary sketch will be started. Once the preliminary is completed you will have the opportunity to review the project’s progress at this early stage. It is at this stage that minor view adjustments, additions and corrections should be made.

Color selection

Color selections for all the necessary structures and objects in the rendering can be provided at any time, although, a good time to start finalizing the color selections is soon after the completion of the preliminary sketch. There are numerous ways to communicate what you have envisioned in terms of colors. The most popular and easiest way is a simple color by numbers process using Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore paint chips. Simply indicate by SW# or BM # what objects or materials will be the specified color. Photos, web links, and material samples are also easy ways to present your color selections.

Final illustration

Once the preliminary sketch has been approved and we have received all the color and material information, the final illustration will commence. The final color rendering will be completed and sent via digital download within 24 hours of completion. All illustrations are provided in a hi-res digital format.

CLIENT SKETCH TO FINAL PRESENTATION