Skip to main content

Paper Overview

Turn your live Giraffe model into annotated drawing sheets

Written by Holly Conrad Smith

Create a classic architectural sheet set, with plans, elevations, sections, 3D and axonometric views that stay linked to the model. You lay tiles out on paper-sized sheets, annotate them, and export to PDF.

This app is available to anyone with a valid Giraffe license.

Paper is in open beta. Send feedback and feature requests to us!

Add the App

Click the Plus sign in the app tool palette to access the app selector.

Search for Paper

Then, click "Add"

Paper UI

  1. Sheet - a paper-sized frame

  2. Toolbar with select, text and draw tools.

  3. Insert tools for adding viewports, sheets, titles, north arrows, and levels

  4. Insert tools for map canvas dimensions and section markers

  5. Sheet size settings

  6. Draw tool color picker

  7. AI data and rendering

  8. Settings

  9. Save changes to paper project

  10. Export a PDF

  11. Paper canvas zoom amount

  12. Keyboard shortcuts

Paper Canvas

To navigate the paper canvas, use the mouse scrollwheel.

  • Scroll to move the canvas up/down

  • Click and hold to pan

  • ctrl + scroll to zoom

Quick start

  1. Add a sheet with + Sheet. Set the size and orientation from the top-right Paper size / Landscape · Portrait selectors.

  2. Drop a view onto the sheet with + View → pick Plan, an elevation, Axonometric or 3D Perspective.

  3. Select the tile to reveal its floating controls: change mode, shading, scale, visible layers, RLs and more.

  4. Annotate: turn on section levels & dimensions, add a title block, north arrow or tables.

  5. Export everything with PDF, and Save to store the layout in the Giraffe cloud.

The model shown in paper viewports is live. Paper viewports auto-update when you change the Giraffe model — unless you freeze a viewport.

Did this answer your question?