Google's SketchUp Pro version 6 includes the ability to visualise your 3D models using various 'Styles', as the guide to the new features explains -
"Styles are collections of display settings, including new options like Watermarks and Sketchy Effects, saved in the new Styles palette. You can create, save, and organize Styles as well as share Styles with others. With a single click, you can quickly apply a style to any model by selecting it from the new Styles window"
The use of Styles provides a unique way to visualise models within SketchUp, albeit with a slight performance hit. The 4 minute movie below provides a real-time flythrough of a city created by Tsa on the 3D Warehouse cycling through variety of style modes.
Note the effectiveness of the 'sketchy' feature as well as the 'blueprint' and 'tracing paper' effects:
Music by BX748
The ability to view a city in what is almost a hand drawn mode provides a valuable way to present designs and communicate the cityscape.
Although the styles feature is only available in the 'pro' version of SketchUp you can download a fully functional version from the SketchUp site which allows a full 8 hours of use.
Download the city used in the movie from the 3D Warehouse.
sketchup is the worst 3d modeling product on the market. you cant stylize a turd and that is all sketchup produces.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest i would beg to differ - SketchUp changed the market in terms of ease of and rapid visualisation. If you want a tool to quickly shows changes to a cityscape to a public audience then SketchUp is a excellent option.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that they have also released a free version opens up modelling to the masses.
Still, each to their own... thanks for the comment.
Andy
The free version of sketchup does support the use and creation of styles.
ReplyDeleteI am working at a large architectural/planning office in Tokyo. Recently we are utilizing Sketchup and Google Earth for easy volume studies as well as for visualizations of design sketches. It's quick and easy for everybody to use, and when I remember the time I was a student some years ago and how hard it was to produce visualizations, nowadays Sketchup really makes a huge difference.
ReplyDeleteTrue the free version does not support styles which is why we mentioned the free 8 hour version of SU Pro.. mind ou ours is almost timed out now so it could be a case of reaching for the credit card...
ReplyDeleteAndy
Almost every 3d application out there has a place in the industry. Sketchup is certainly one of these. Just because it doesnt fit into your pipeline doesn't mean at all that it is not a good piece of software. I myself have tried it a few times and can't fit it into my pipe, but I do recognize that the program has merit. I like the way it simplifies geometry so you're free to work on form.
ReplyDeleteRegardless of the above, please don't try to fit sketchup software in your 'pipe'. Leave weird stuff like that for people who enjoy that sort of thing. The last thing Google want is hospitalisation due to bizzare software rectal insertion fetishes.
ReplyDeleteSketchup by itself is not all that great
ReplyDeleteSketchup + Photoshop is the best Designer combo in the business.
I personally like the fact that you can quickly get base models in order to fully render them in photoshop. I hate 3d photorealistic renderings done on 'pro' software like 3ds Max or Maya because they almost all look alike. There are limited ways to add your designer's touch if all you are doing is applying materials and tweaking parameters.
I like sketchup's loose feel and workflow.