Question Best Representation of Clear Glass in Proof Drawings (or tinted glass)

[rukh03]

What is your most effective technique for representing clear glass on a layout drawing?

When I don't have a photo of the window, I usually represent the glass as a dark gray. (or a gradient of blue & dk gray) This is the most consistently accurate technique I have found so far, but I realize it does feel somewhat counter intuitive to clients. (Because the paper is white and glass is clear, intuitively the glass should be white)
I am always on the look out for a way to better represent glass both intuitively & accurately. So I was curious as to what techniques you all prefer.

Thank you
-Ben (rukh03)

Edit: I should also mention I often have clients request black or dark colored text because it offers great contrast to the white of the paper. However, most of the time on clear glass it's white text that offers the best contrast.

 

[Chasez]

For clear glass I will just leave a small black outline around the edge of the glass and have // marks in an upper and lower corner to represent the clear glass. Don't even worry about showing tinted glass here, if we are tinting the glass I will just put a note stating it gets tinted with a specific product.

Chaz

 

[bannertime]

Dark grey would be the way to go, UNLESS they have light colored blinds or curtains behind them. I've never had a customer get confused about what the dark grey was.

 

[kanini]

Dark grey maybe with a gradient to a slightly different shade of grey if you want to fancy it...

 

[signbrad]

I also use a dark gray gradient. For the gradient colors I have sampled from bitmaps. I have also clipped from actual window photos if they lend themselves well, resizing them for the drawing. I keep a file of nothing but window fills.

To help a client understand, I can point across the street from the shop to the windows in the buildings. They are an obvious "black" or dark gray gradient.

Brad

 

[Pauly]

90% of our work is glass.
What our clients get is sheet "preview" with their glass size in a black box and inside the black box is the image or text.
If there's white text, the text will be shown as black but written as "white" on the preview. All of our prints are done on "low iron" (correct term) glass.

If the job is requested on "clear glass" (correct term for green glass, used for 90% of glass applications) Or any form of Tinted glass, the preview stays the same, with a note that it's on clear glass. We request that our client gets a sample provided from us with a small fee to ensure they know how the image will look.

We never add the tint in our previews as it can cause confusion at times, the tint in the preview may not be the same as the actual tint and can cause confusion. We dont add no special lines indicating it's glass as that also can cause confusion with what is being put onto the glass. That's why we recommend to receive a 300mm x 300mm sample piece which will be discussed with our client to what is going to be printed. Most of the time we do a 150x300 cropped full size image scaled down to fit and a 150mm x 300mm full size cropped image to show the client if their image will have any pixelation.

 

[Johnny Best]

For doing vinyl etch on office glass.

 

[Billct2]

if I don't have a photo I use a dark grey gradient. I just love explaining for the 1000th time that dark vinyl won't show up on glass (unless there is white curtains or blinds behind it).
When they have a hard time comprehending I tell them to tape a piece of whatever color they want and a white paper in the window and look at it from the outside.
Whenever I can I try to do the install on the outside of the glass, though you have to be careful, in some towns that changes how zoning see it.

 

[shoresigns]

The dark grey represents the relatively dark colour of most windows as viewed from the exterior in daylight, and the gradient visually references the glare and/or reflections on the glass.

It works well because if you put white or black lettering on the drawing, it gives a relatively accurate impression of how much visual contrast you'll have in real life.

We do often draw mockups directly on a photo as well. With a bit of practice it's pretty quick and easy to make a photorealistic mockup including reflections, perspective, lighting, etc.

 

[T_K]

Since most of my designs on glass are for 1) commercial windows that tend to be darker tinted, and 2) white vinyl text, I use a dark grey like most of the guys here. I've tried the "white" glass and black image for where white vinyl would be, but my customers have been more confused by that method. Of course, some still get confused when I have the dark grey for windows. In my experience, no matter what you do, customers will make proofing complicated.

 

[rukh03]

Thank you all for the responses & great ideas!
-Ben