SketchUp 7.1 for architectural visualization beginner's guide: create stunning photo-realistic and artistic visuals of your SketchUp models. - Includes index 9781847199461, 1847199461

Table of contents :
Cover......Page 1
Copyright......Page 3
Credits......Page 4
About the Author......Page 6
About the Reviewers......Page 7
Table of Contents......Page 12
Preface......Page 22
Chapter 1: Quick Start Tutorial......Page 28
Can SketchUp really produce pro visuals?......Page 29
Time for action – model the room in SketchUp......Page 31
Time for action – setting up the camera......Page 34
Time for action – setting up the sun......Page 35
Add simple ceiling lights......Page 36
Materials......Page 37
Time for action – timber flooring materials......Page 38
Modeling the window......Page 39
Photo images......Page 42
Time for action – setting up the scenery backdrop......Page 43
Time for action – hanging digital art......Page 44
Exporting to the render application......Page 47
Modifying materials in Kerkythea quickly......Page 48
Time for action – Kerkythea materials......Page 49
Reflective floors......Page 50
Rendering in Kerkythea......Page 51
Summary......Page 53
Chapter 2: How to Collect an Arsenal Rambo Would Be Proud of......Page 54
How is free software so good?......Page 55
Time for action – restoring the collection to its rightful place......Page 56
Why do I need Google Earth?......Page 58
Additional export formats with SketchUp Pro......Page 59
SketchUp's hidden features......Page 60
Time for action – enabling the organic modeling tools......Page 61
The importance of layer masks......Page 62
Grabbing a copy of GIMP......Page 63
VirtualDub......Page 65
Time for action – installing VirtualDub......Page 66
Unlimited upgrades: Ruby plugins......Page 67
Time for action – how to install Ruby scripts......Page 68
High end rendering software......Page 69
Why are we using Kerkythea in this book?......Page 70
Kerkythea......Page 71
The marvel of SketchUp to Kerkythea......Page 73
Installing the SU2KT plugin......Page 74
Summary......Page 75
The importance of planning......Page 76
Think like a film set designer......Page 77
Using a site photo......Page 80
What you need for a Photo-Match photo......Page 81
Time for action – setting up a scene with Photo-Match......Page 83
Time for action – 3D drawing in a 2D photo......Page 85
Time for action – real life sunlight......Page 87
Setting up time and date for shadows......Page 88
Time for action – setting up a CAD site plan......Page 89
Time for action......Page 90
Time for action – using a Google Earth / Maps screenshot......Page 91
Time for action – massing......Page 92
Setting up the camera to challenge and impress......Page 94
Think like a pigeon......Page 95
Other useful perspective tricks......Page 97
Orthographic and parallel projection......Page 98
Smoke machine effects (fog)......Page 99
Time for action – obscure with Fog effects......Page 100
Creating billboard scenery elements......Page 101
Time for action – how to create billboard elements......Page 103
The specifity trap......Page 105
Time for action – inserting entourage place holders......Page 106
Printing a test view......Page 107
Summary......Page 108
Chapter 4: Modeling for Visualization......Page 110
Time for action – creating the basic building shape......Page 111
Time for action – swapping high/low resolution versions......Page 112
Three ways to model the building......Page 114
Time for action – modeling detail from CAD elevations......Page 115
Time for action – modeling from a photograph......Page 117
Low polygon modeling techniques......Page 121
What's low poly?......Page 122
So what's the big deal about low poly modeling?......Page 123
Can I replace it with 2D?......Page 124
Time for action – low poly curves and circles......Page 125
How to benefit most from using components......Page 129
Using the Outliner for easy access......Page 131
3D Warehouse components: Problems to be aware of......Page 132
Default material......Page 133
Time for action – windows and doors......Page 134
Roof......Page 136
Time for action – flashing in a flash......Page 137
Time for action – modeling ridge tiles......Page 139
Copying the tiles......Page 141
Creating large glazed areas......Page 145
Time for action – realistic roads and pavements......Page 146
Modeling for realistic highlights in interior scenes......Page 147
What's the problem with sharp edges?......Page 148
Time for action – how to add corner detail to your model......Page 149
Easy edges with free plugins......Page 151
Summary......Page 153
Chapter 5: Applying Textures and Materials for Photo-Real Rendering......Page 154
To texture or not to texture.........Page 155
The texturing process flow chart......Page 156
Starting with Photo-Match textures......Page 157
Using basic tileable textures......Page 158
Scaling textures......Page 159
Colouring textures......Page 160
Time for action – travel the world for real textures!......Page 161
Where to find texture photos......Page 164
Time for action – set up a fake room......Page 165
Manipulating textures......Page 172
Time for action – exact texture placement......Page 173
Free Pins mode......Page 174
Time for action – correcting perspective......Page 175
Time for action – tiling method one......Page 177
Time for action – tiling method two......Page 179
Time for action – importing a texture into SketchUp......Page 181
Saving a material to a library......Page 182
Time for action – saving the texture......Page 183
Texture size......Page 184
The way forward with size and compression......Page 185
Time for action – telling SketchUp to link to an image editor......Page 187
Time for action – making unique textures for surfaces......Page 188
Editing textures in GIMP......Page 189
Time for action – adding some muck and variation......Page 190
Time for action – how to add extra elements to a texture......Page 191
Summary......Page 196
Chapter 6: Entourage the SketchUp Way......Page 198
The "notice hierarchy"......Page 199
Be the marketing exec......Page 200
At which stage do I introduce entourage?......Page 201
What about subscription sites?......Page 202
2D or not 2D, that is the question......Page 203
Accessing the 3D Max furniture back-catalogue......Page 204
List of websites......Page 205
People cutouts......Page 206
Time for action – how to create 2D people components......Page 208
Tracing the outline......Page 209
Applying the photo texture......Page 210
Checking for halos......Page 211
Time for action – creating the Face-Me component......Page 212
Switching between PR and NPR versions.......Page 213
Non photo real sketchy trees......Page 214
Watch out for fussy models......Page 215
2D vehicles......Page 216
Summary......Page 217
Chapter 7: Non Photo Real with SketchUp......Page 218
SketchUp's native output......Page 219
Time for action – editing SketchUp's built-in styles......Page 220
Time for action – 2D graphic export......Page 222
The Dennis technique......Page 223
Color wash......Page 225
Lines only......Page 227
Lines and shadows......Page 228
Exporting the scene tabs......Page 229
Time for action – setting up GIMP for the Dennis technique......Page 231
Time for action – using layer masks for the Dennis effect......Page 234
Time for action – using a sky image in GIMP......Page 236
Time for action – creating the vignette layer......Page 238
Modifying the final composition with new SketchUp output......Page 239
Richard's sketchy pencil technique......Page 242
Time for action – setting up Pencil sketch technique......Page 243
Time for action – creating pencil shading in GIMP......Page 247
Add some grunge: the Dirty Hands layer......Page 248
Finishing touches......Page 249
Summary......Page 251
Chapter 8: Photo-Realistic Rendering......Page 252
Setting up for photo-real rendering......Page 253
The SketchUp - Kerkythea rendering process diagram......Page 254
Step 1: Checking integrity and the modify/test-render loop......Page 256
Time for action – the modify / test loop......Page 257
Step 2: Inserting extra entourage......Page 259
Time for action – test rendering models in Kerkythea......Page 260
Time for action – manipulating entourage in Kerkythea......Page 261
Time for action......Page 265
To change strength of the sun......Page 267
Step 4: Refining materials......Page 268
Time for action – adding specularity and reflections......Page 270
Time for action – controlling reflections in glass......Page 272
Time for action......Page 273
Step 6: Production render......Page 275
Saving the final image......Page 276
Step 7: Post production renders......Page 277
Mask render......Page 278
Artificially lit indoor scenes......Page 279
Time for action – creating spot-lights in SketchUp......Page 280
Time for action – switching off sun and sky lighting......Page 281
Adding light-emitting materials......Page 282
Time for action – radiant materials......Page 283
The final indoor render......Page 285
Advanced materials techniques......Page 286
components......Page 287
Time for action......Page 290
Summary......Page 293
Chapter 9: Important Compositing and After Effects in GIMP......Page 296
Part 1: Tweaks and lighting levels......Page 297
Time for action – the levels dialogue......Page 299
Correcting individual color channels......Page 302
Removing unwanted image noise......Page 303
Time for action – find a way of removing noise......Page 304
Time for action......Page 307
Simulating depth of field......Page 310
Time for action – depth of field using a depth render......Page 312
Time for action – adding light effects in GIMP......Page 315
Time for action – fade out the edges with a vignette......Page 318
Time for action – using the Kerkythea mask render for windows......Page 321
Time for action......Page 323
Using Paths to mask photos......Page 325
Time for action......Page 327
Summary......Page 330
The same principles for stills and animation......Page 332
Time for action – write out your itinerary......Page 333
Time for action – the storyboard......Page 335
Time for action – a simple walkthrough......Page 337
Animation settings......Page 339
Time for action – adding individual timing to scenes......Page 340
Time for action – smooth transitions......Page 342
Fine tuning with camera controls......Page 345
Let's put it together......Page 346
Authoring video sequences......Page 349
Time for action – animating with Kerkythea......Page 351
Time for action......Page 354
Time for action – preparing an MP4 video with MPEG Streamclip......Page 357
Creating the final video composition......Page 360
Summary......Page 361
Chapter 11: Presenting Visuals in LayOut......Page 362
Time for action – customizing a page border......Page 363
Displaying SketchUp models in LayOut......Page 366
Time for action – displaying a SketchUp 3D view......Page 367
Multiple views of the same model......Page 368
Time for action – orthographic views in LayOut......Page 369
Orientating a view using SketchUp Scenes......Page 371
Time for action – align the view using a face......Page 372
Time for Action – creating sections......Page 374
Time for action – creating a presentation......Page 375
Adding further elements to enhance LayOut pages......Page 376
Time for action – exporting images from LayOut......Page 378
Output for print......Page 380
Controlling the line-weight......Page 381
Summary......Page 382
Am I outgrowing Kerkythea?......Page 384
Global Illumination rendering quality......Page 385
Rendering software tables......Page 386
Appendix B: Suggested Basic Toolbar Layout......Page 392
Appendix C: Pop Quiz Answers......Page 394
Image credits......Page 397
Index......Page 398