Cover image for SketchUp 7.1 for Architectural Visualization

SketchUp 7.1 for Architectural Visualization

Author Robin de Jongh
Release Date: 2010/04/01
ISBN: 9781847199461
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Book Description

Create stunning photo-realistic and artistic visuals of your SketchUp models

  • Make the most out of SketchUp with the best free plugins and add-on software to enhance your models

  • Post-process SketchUp output to create digital watercolor and pencil art

  • Follow a professional visualization studio workflow

  • Create picture-perfect photo-realistic 3D architectural renders for your SketchUp models

In Detail

Google SketchUp, the most popular architectural software package, is used by millions of architects and visualizers throughout the world. But what you may not know is that it's also the most powerful 3D design software on the market. With this book in hand and patented technology such as the PhotoMatch, Push-Pull, and Face-me components you can produce commercial quality photo-realistic or artistic output of your designs.

This book shows you how to master SketchUp's unique tools to create architectural visuals using professional rendering and image editing techniques in a clear and friendly way. You'll be able to get started immediately using these SketchUp tools and open-source rendering software. The book shows you how to create architectural visuals from your SketchUp models. In no time you'll be creating photo-realistic renders, animated fly-overs, and walkthroughs. You will also create composites of real and rendered images, creating digital and paper presentations to wow clients. For the impatient, a "Quickstart" tutorial is provided in the first chapter to get you rendering a photo-realistic scene immediately. The rest of the book builds on this knowledge by introducing in-depth concepts, tricks, and methods in an easy-to-follow format through quick tutorials.

Using easy step-by-step explanations, this book opens the door to the world of architectural visualization. With no prior visualization experience you will quickly get to grips with materials, texturing, composition, photo-compositing, lighting setup, rendering, and post-processing. You'll also be able to take SketchUp's unique sketchy output and add the artistic touch to create pencil and watercolor scenes. With this book you'll be able to get started immediately using the free SketchUp download and open-source rendering software.

This easy-to-follow beginner's guide shows you how to use SketchUp as a full featured professional rendering, animation, and visualization tool.

Table of Contents

  1. SketchUp 7.1 for Architectural Visualization
    1. SketchUp 7.1 for Architectural Visualization
    2. Credits
    3. Foreword
    4. About the Author
    5. About the Reviewers
    6. Preface
      1. What this book covers
      2. What you need for this book
      3. Who this book is for
      4. Conventions
      5. Time for action - heading
        1. What just happened?
        2. Pop quiz - heading
        3. Have a go hero - heading
      6. Reader feedback
      7. Customer support
        1. Errata
        2. Piracy
        3. Questions
    7. 1. Quick Start Tutorial
      1. Can SketchUp really produce pro visuals?
      2. Modeling the room
      3. Time for action - model the room in SketchUp
        1. What just happened?
      4. Composing the view
      5. Time for action - setting up the camera
        1. Saving the camera view
      6. Time for action - setting up the sun
        1. What just happened?
        2. Add simple ceiling lights
      7. Materials
      8. Time for action - timber flooring materials
        1. What just happened?
      9. Modeling the window
      10. Photo images
      11. Time for action - setting up the scenery backdrop
      12. Time for action - hanging digital art
      13. Exporting to the render application
      14. Modifying materials in Kerkythea quickly
      15. Time for action - Kerkythea materials
        1. Diffused light
          1. Diffused light
          2. Reflective floors
        2. What just happened?
      16. Rendering in Kerkythea
      17. Summary
    8. 2. How to Collect an Arsenal Rambo Would Be Proud of
      1. If it's not free, it's not worth having
        1. Don't be beholden to your software
          1. How is free software so good?
      2. Google software
        1. Google's component bonus packs
      3. Time for action - restoring the collection to its rightful place
        1. What just happened?
        2. Google Earth
          1. Geo location toolbars
          2. Why do I need Google Earth?
        3. SketchUp Pro, LayOut, and Style Builder
          1. Additional import formats with SketchUp Pro
          2. Additional export formats with SketchUp Pro
        4. SketchUp's hidden features
      4. Time for action - enabling the organic modeling tools
        1. What just happened?
      5. Your image processing studio with GIMP
        1. Why do I need a professional level image processor?
        2. The importance of layer masks
        3. Grabbing a copy of GIMP
        4. Have a go hero - unleashing the inner artist with watercolour brushes
      6. Become a movie making genius—almost
        1. Why can't I just use raw AVI output from SketchUp?
        2. VirtualDub
      7. Time for action - installing VirtualDub
        1. MPEG Streamclip
          1. Obtaining MPEG Streamclip
        2. Unlimited upgrades: Ruby plugins
      8. Time for action - how to install Ruby scripts
        1. What just happened?
      9. What rendering software?
        1. Podium, IRender, and Twilight
        2. High end rendering software
        3. Kerkythea: preparing to go photo real
          1. Why are we using Kerkythea in this book?
          2. Downloading Kerkythea
      10. Time for action - downloading and installing extras for Kerkythea
        1. What just happened?
        2. The marvel of SketchUp to Kerkythea
          1. Installing the SU2KT plugin
        3. Pop quiz
      11. Summary
    9. 3. Composing the Scene
      1. The importance of planning
        1. How to begin with the end in mind
        2. Think like a film set designer
        3. Have a go hero - sketch visuals
      2. The four ways to set up an arch-viz scene
        1. Using a site photo
          1. What you need for a Photo-Match photo
      3. Time for action - setting up a scene with Photo-Match
        1. What just happened?
      4. Time for action - 3D drawing in a 2D photo
        1. What just happened?
        2. Setting up a real world location and sun position
      5. Time for action - real life sunlight
        1. Checking North location
          1. Checking North location
          2. Setting up time and date for shadows
        2. What Just Happened?
        3. Starting with a CAD site plan
      6. Time for action - setting up a CAD site plan
        1. What just happened?
        2. Setting up a Google Earth plan
      7. Time for action -
        1. What just happened?
      8. Time for action - using a Google Earth / Maps screenshot
        1. Sketch plan
      9. Fleshing out your site plan
      10. Time for action - massing
        1. What just happened?
      11. Setting up the camera to challenge and impress
      12. Time for action - changing the field of view
        1. Think like a pigeon
        2. Other useful perspective tricks
          1. Orthographic and parallel projection
          2. Two point perspective
        3. Smoke machine effects (fog)
      13. Time for action - obscure with Fog effects
        1. What just happened?
      14. Saving days of toil with ready-made scenery
        1. Creating billboard scenery elements
      15. Time for action - how to create billboard elements
        1. What just happened?
      16. Framing the scene with entourage
        1. The specifity trap
        2. The answer is rough place holders
      17. Time for action - inserting entourage place holders
        1. What just happened?
          1. Printing a test view
      18. Summary
    10. 4. Modeling for Visualization
      1. Time for action - creating the basic building shape
        1. What just happened?
        2. Have a go hero
      2. Time for action - swapping high/low resolution versions
        1. What just happened?
      3. Carving out the detail
        1. Three ways to model the building
      4. Time for action - modeling detail from CAD elevations
      5. Time for action - modeling from a photograph
        1. What just happened?
        2. Have a go hero - modeling by eye or measurements
      6. Low polygon modeling techniques
        1. What's low poly?
        2. So what's the big deal about low poly modeling?
          1. Will I see it?
          2. Can I replace it with 2D?
          3. Can I reduce the number of segments in an arc or circle?
      7. Time for action - low poly curves and circles
        1. What just happened
        2. Have a go hero - low poly modeling in action!
      8. Using components to increase productivity
        1. How to benefit most from using components
        2. Have a go hero - dummy components to the rescue
        3. Using the Outliner for easy access
        4. Why you should name components
        5. 3D Warehouse components: Problems to be aware of
      9. Time for action - purging 3D Warehouse components for your own use
        1. What just happened?
          1. Default material
      10. Taking it further: Challenging modeling tasks explained
      11. Time for action - windows and doors
        1. What just happened?
        2. Roof
      12. Time for action - flashing in a flash
      13. Time for action - modeling ridge tiles
        1. What just happened?
          1. Copying the tiles
        2. Have a go hero -
        3. Curtain walls
          1. Creating large glazed areas
        4. Roads
      14. Time for action - realistic roads and pavements
        1. Masonry features
        2. Landscaping with sandbox: Watch your polygon count
      15. Modeling for realistic highlights in interior scenes
        1. What's the problem with sharp edges?
      16. Time for action - how to add corner detail to your model
        1. What just happened?
        2. Easy edges with free plugins
        3. Have a go hero - the RoundCorner plugin
        4. Pop quiz -
      17. Summary
    11. 5. Applying Textures and Materials for Photo-Real Rendering
      1. How much realism do I need?
        1. How much realism do I need?
        2. To texture or not to texture...
        3. The texturing process flow chart
      2. Beginning with basic photo textures
        1. Starting with Photo-Match textures
        2. Textures from the photo modeling method
        3. Using basic tileable textures
      3. Time for action - applying Sketchup's own textures
        1. Scaling textures
          1. Scaling textures
          2. Colouring textures
        2. What just happened?
        3. Using Google Street View
      4. Time for action - travel the world for real textures!
        1. What just happened?
        2. Moving on from basic texturing
      5. Applying whole photographs as textures
        1. Where to find texture photos
      6. Time for action - set up a fake room
        1. What just happened?
        2. Have a go hero - creating balsa wood film scenery props
      7. Using, finding, and creating tileable textures
        1. Manipulating textures
      8. Time for action - exact texture placement
        1. What just happened?
          1. Free Pins mode
        2. Pop quiz - applying and editing basic textures
        3. Creating your own tileable textures
      9. Time for action - correcting perspective
        1. What just happened?
      10. Time for action - tiling method one
        1. What just happened?
      11. Time for action - tiling method two
        1. What just happened?
      12. Time for action - importing a texture into SketchUp
        1. Saving a material to a library
          1. Saving a material to a library
      13. Time for action - saving the texture
        1. What just happened?
      14. Advanced image considerations
        1. Texture size
        2. File type
        3. Compression
        4. The way forward with size and compression
      15. Modifying textures in GIMP for added realism
      16. Time for action - telling SketchUp to link to an image editor
        1. What just happened?
      17. Time for action - making unique textures for surfaces
        1. What just happened?
        2. Editing textures in GIMP
      18. Time for action - adding some muck and variation
        1. What just happened?
      19. Time for action - how to add extra elements to a texture
        1. What just happened?
        2. Have a go hero - adding extra detail
        3. Know when to call it quits
      20. Summary
    12. 6. Entourage the SketchUp Way
      1. The "notice hierarchy"
        1. The first aim: Don't be bad!
        2. Be the marketing exec
        3. Pop quiz -
      2. Choosing entourage
        1. At which stage do I introduce entourage?
        2. What's my acquisition strategy?
          1. What about subscription sites?
        3. Have a go hero -
        4. 2D or not 2D, that is the question
      3. Furniture
        1. Accessing the 3D Max furniture back-catalogue
        2. Have a go hero -
        3. List of websites
        4. SketchUp furniture models
      4. People cutouts
      5. Time for action - how to create 2D people components
        1. Scaling the person
          1. Scaling the person
          2. Tracing the outline
          3. Applying the photo texture
          4. Checking for halos
        2. What just happened?
        3. Have a go hero - drawing the innards
      6. Time for action - creating the Face-Me component
        1. Switching between PR and NPR versions.
          1. Switching between PR and NPR versions.
        2. What just happened?
      7. Vegetation
        1. Non photo real sketchy trees
        2. Have a go hero -
        3. Want an automatic veggie maker?
      8. Vehicles
        1. Watch out for fussy models
        2. 2D vehicles
      9. Summary
    13. 7. Non Photo Real with SketchUp
      1. SketchUp's native output
      2. Time for action - editing SketchUp's built-in styles
        1. What just happened?
        2. Have a go hero - get some style
        3. Saving 2D images in SketchUp
      3. Time for action - 2D graphic export
      4. The Dennis technique
      5. Time for action - setting up the Dennis technique in SketchUp
        1. Color wash
          1. Color wash
          2. Lines only
          3. Lines and shadows
          4. Exporting the scene tabs
        2. What just happened?
      6. Time for action - setting up GIMP for the Dennis technique
        1. What just happened?
      7. Using layer masks in GIMP
      8. Time for action - using layer masks for the Dennis effect
        1. What Just Happened?
      9. Time for action - using a sky image in GIMP
        1. What just happened?
      10. Time for action - creating the vignette layer
        1. Modifying the final composition with new SketchUp output
        2. Have a go hero - modifying the Dennis technique
      11. Richard's sketchy pencil technique
      12. Time for action - setting up Pencil sketch technique
        1. What just happened?
      13. Time for action - creating pencil shading in GIMP
        1. What just happened?
        2. Add some grunge: the Dirty Hands layer
        3. Finishing touches
        4. Pop quiz -
      14. Summary
    14. 8. Photo-Realistic Rendering
      1. The learning feedback loop
        1. A learning strategy despite long render times
        2. Photo or hyper, what's the difference anyway?
      2. Setting up for photo-real rendering
        1. The SketchUp - Kerkythea rendering process diagram
      3. Step 1: Checking integrity and the modify/test-render loop
      4. Time for action - the modify / test loop
        1. What just happened?
        2. Common import bugs and how to rectify them
      5. Step 2: Inserting extra entourage
      6. Time for action - test rendering models in Kerkythea
        1. What just happened?
      7. Time for action - manipulating entourage in Kerkythea
        1. What just happened?
      8. Step 3: Defining the lighting
      9. Time for action -
        1. What just happened?
        2. Have a go hero - adjusting lights in Kerkythea
        3. To change the intensity/colour of the sky
        4. To change strength of the sun
      10. Step 4: Refining materials
        1. Have a go hero - applying preset materials in Kerkythea
        2. Modifying SketchUp materials for render
      11. Time for action - adding specularity and reflections
        1. What just happened?
      12. Time for action - controlling reflections in glass
        1. What just happened?
      13. Step 5: Testing the production render
      14. Time for action -
        1. What just happened?
        2. Can I simplify materials to reduce render time?
      15. Step 6: Production render
      16. Time for action - settings for a render using only sunlight
        1. Saving the final image
        2. What just happened?
      17. Step 7: Post production renders
      18. Time for action - the Depth Render
        1. What just happened?
        2. Mask render
      19. Time for action -
      20. Artificially lit indoor scenes
      21. Time for action - creating spot-lights in SketchUp
        1. What just happened?
      22. Time for action - switching off sun and sky lighting
        1. What just happened?
        2. Changing light parameters in SketchUp
        3. Have a go hero -
        4. Adding light-emitting materials
      23. Time for action - radiant materials
        1. What just happened?
        2. The final indoor render
      24. Advanced materials techniques
      25. Time for action - applying Alpha transparency to face-me components
        1. What just happened?
        2. Have a go hero -
        3. Creating bump map materials
      26. Time for action -
        1. What just happened?
        2. Pop quiz -
      27. Summary
    15. 9. Important Compositing and After Effects in GIMP
      1. Part 1: Tweaks and lighting levels
        1. Have a go hero - adjusting levels automatically
        2. What just happened?
        3. Adjusting levels manually
      2. Time for action - the levels dialogue
        1. What just happened?
      3. Time for action - adjusting light quantity
        1. What just happened?
        2. Correcting individual color channels
        3. Have a go hero -
        4. Removing unwanted image noise
      4. Time for action - find a way of removing noise
        1. What just happened?
        2. Have a go hero -
        3. Light bloom
      5. Time for action -
        1. What just happened?
        2. Simulating depth of field
      6. Time for action - depth of field using a depth render
        1. Lighting effects
      7. Time for action - adding light effects in GIMP
        1. Have a go hero - discovering weird and wonderful lighting filters
        2. Pop quiz -
        3. Using a vignette layer to finish the image
      8. Time for action - fade out the edges with a vignette
        1. What just happened?
      9. Part 2: Compositing multiple images
      10. Time for action - using the Kerkythea mask render for windows
        1. What just happened?
        2. SketchUp window reflections without rendering
      11. Time for action -
        1. Have a go hero -
        2. Using Paths to mask photos
      12. Time for action -
        1. What just happened?
      13. Summary
    16. 10. Walkthroughs and Flyovers
      1. The same principles for stills and animation
        1. Rome wasn't built in a day
      2. Making a start: Sketch it out
      3. Time for action - write out your itinerary
        1. What just happened?
        2. Generating the story board
        3. Dealing with detractions
      4. Time for action - the storyboard
        1. What just happened?
      5. Animating in SketchUp
      6. Time for action - a simple walkthrough
        1. What just happened?
        2. Animation settings
      7. Time for action - getting the timing right
        1. What just happened?
      8. Time for action - adding individual timing to scenes
        1. What just happened?
      9. Creating flythroughs from paths
      10. Time for action - smooth transitions
        1. What just happened?
        2. Fine tuning with camera controls
        3. Have a go hero - camera pan, roll, and acceleration
      11. Let's put it together
        1. Have a go hero - interesting details and viewpoints
      12. Authoring video sequences
        1. High resolution animation from SketchUp
      13. Time for action - animating with Kerkythea
        1. What just happened?
        2. Why save individual frames for animations?
      14. Compositing in VirtualDUB
      15. Time for action -
        1. What just happened?
      16. Compressing and preparing for web use
      17. Time for action - preparing an MP4 video with MPEG Streamclip
        1. What just happened?
      18. Creating the final video composition
        1. Pop quiz -
      19. Summary
    17. 11. Presenting Visuals in LayOut
      1. Getting started with LayOut
      2. Time for action - customizing a page border
        1. What just happened?
        2. Have a go hero -
      3. Displaying SketchUp models in LayOut
      4. Time for action - displaying a SketchUp 3D view
        1. What just happened?
      5. Multiple views of the same model
      6. Time for action - orthographic views in LayOut
        1. What just happened?
        2. Orientating a view using SketchUp Scenes
      7. Time for action - align the view using a face
        1. What just happened?
        2. Have a go hero - layout dimensions
      8. Displaying SketchUp sections
      9. Time for action - creating sections
      10. Slideshows and presentations
      11. Time for action - creating a presentation
        1. Adding further elements to enhance LayOut pages
        2. What just happened?
      12. Exporting and printing
      13. Time for action - exporting images from LayOut
        1. What just happened?
        2. Exporting a PDF document from LayOut
        3. Output for print
          1. Controlling the line-weight
      14. Summary
    18. A. Choosing Rendering Software
      1. Am I outgrowing Kerkythea?
      2. What should I look for in a renderer?
        1. Interoperability with SketchUp
        2. Global Illumination rendering quality
        3. Training, support, help forums, and user-generated content
      3. Rendering software tables
    19. B. Suggested Basic Toolbar Layout
    20. C. Pop quiz - Answers
      1. Chapter 2
        1. How to Collect an Arsenal Rambo Would Be Proud of
      2. Chapter 4
        1. Modeling for Visualization
      3. Chapter 5
        1. Applying Textures and Materials for Photo-Real Rendering
      4. Chapter 7
        1. Non Photo Real with SketchUp
      5. Chapter 8
        1. Photo-Realistic Rendering
      6. Chapter 9
        1. Important Compositing and After Effects in GIMP
      7. Chapter 10
        1. Walkthroughs and Flyovers
        2. Image credits
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