A Welcome Message to New SketchUcation Members

Anssi · 23 Nov 2008, 11:49

There was a free version of Carrara 5 on the PC Pro DVD a couple of issues back. I used to play with an older version (2 or 3) and SU. Rendering architectural models in the older versions was a bit difficult, as it seems to me that Carrara was somehow designed for smaller objects. Also, radiosity renders were not so easy to set out, especially with emissive materials. I have to check if the newer version has improved on things.

Anssi

jolran · 23 Nov 2008, 14:18

Hi Anssi!:-)
Im also using version 5 although I recceived ver 7 beta couple days ago.
Daz is the owner now and updates are somewhat contedrelated

AAh! Yes radiosity setting. I agree. Scene get overexposed? Did you use HDRI?
Did some testrenders yesterday, and sure a lot of testing but with low antialaising and few photons renders go fairly quick. I like it that you get
a good overwiew over all the settings. hate Xsi where you have to go in different
windows and remember exactly what you have done. Im not that good.

Bare in mind I have very little experience in those other internal renderingprograms like podium etc, and if Im not wrong updated versions are on the way, so they may be more suitable for SU.

However if Lightup will export FBX wich Carrara can import things might start
getting fun.

Thank you for responding.

woodstock · 24 Nov 2008, 22:20

Hi all, just joined today having followed some links for the plugins available on here...really excellent stuff!! so useful.

im a 2nd year architecture student and have started using sketch up in a much more thorough way and more advanced way recently, modelling much more complex buildings and landscapes rather than just using it as more of a drafting tool in the early stages of the design process like i was previously.
been really inspired by what i have seen here, you guys have really opened my eyes to what can be achieved with sketch up.

one area i am really using sketch up in which is proving very succesful is as a basis for hand drawings, using the sketch up renders and models as a basis to draw over to gain more accuracy in the drawings but retaining a more artistic and conceptual presentation to the images, and with some basic photoshoping im getting some nice results.
if anyone here has been doing similar things would really appreciate any helpful advice on how to further progress using this technique or be able to see some examples of work from more profesional sources.
cheers, and looking forward to continuing to be inspired by the stuff im seeing here.
ps hope this is in the right place

solo · 24 Nov 2008, 23:06

Welcome to GSCF woodstock (I guess that's not your real name, or if indeed it is you were conceived in 1969 during the party of the century )

Glad you could make it here, make yourself at home.

neng83 · 25 Nov 2008, 17:13

Hi, My name is Neng, I just join a week ago, I knew about SketchUp because I was working on a design and I need program to help me modeling my design I dig and dig and dig and dig some more till I SketchUp I love it, please forgive me if I ask any stupid question in here

Real Newby

Gaieus · 26 Nov 2008, 09:46

Hi Neneg and welcome!

There are no stupid questions at all, so just ask whatever you are not clear about!

Patrick.H · 26 Nov 2008, 16:06

Hello, My name is Patrick. I have been using sketchup for some time now, mainly to make ships and putting them onto Virtual sailor. I joined to see if i can learn anything new and have a look at what can be achieved with SU.

Regards, Patrick.

boofredlay · 26 Nov 2008, 16:54

Welcome Patrick.

paul smith · 26 Nov 2008, 21:01

Hello all, registered a few days ago but didn't announce myself to the wider world. I have been digging about the forums and found lots of really useful stuff already and also been humbled with the quality and generosity of the SU community. Its script heaven here. Been using Sketchup since those @last days mostly to work out tricky design junctions in building construction. More recently I have been using it with Piranesi and V-ray for visualisations. Lots of questions shall be asked on lighting and shadow..tbc. Well that's my life story. Thank's in advance for the future help, and I will do what I can.

All the best,
Paul

Gaieus · 27 Nov 2008, 06:44

Hello Patrick and Paul and welcome!

Patrick; I am a ship fan myself - looking forward to see some of your work!

Paul; if you have been using SU since the @Last days, you are not really a "newbie" but of course everyone has a lot to learn and I also wonder many times how much there is out there.

There are some folks here using both Piranesi and V-ray

JCDESIGN · 27 Nov 2008, 21:53

%(#000080)[Hi there! Im a sketchup user since 07 but i never knew that SU could do so much more..ive been using the basic SU for a year now.. and i was indeed happy with it before..but knowing that plug ins can be added is way better!! although i need help with it.. Can you please POST a complete List of plug-ins that are Available??? there are so many and i dont know if i missed any important ones i could use haha please! if its ok because i need to master it come january because i would be defending my thesis and hopefully graduate and become an Industrial Designer come march.

And since SU is so user friendly i would use it for my thesis. i hope that you could help me out all you PRO's of skecth up! CHEERS! -
JCDEZIGN from the philippines -> Yezzur! Represent! ][/color]

Gaieus · 28 Nov 2008, 06:54

Hi JC and welcome to GSCF!

As for a complete list of rubies? You must be kidding 8or rather not know too much about the abundance of the plugins...) There are literally hundreds and thousands of plugins starting from very simple ones to really complex ones.

Have a look at the "Resources " page in the Ruby forum - scroll down to the bottom to see general and special collections of plugins. I doubt that there is anyone who would have tried all of them.

Fatolbaldguy · 1 Dec 2008, 16:50

Hi my name is Ron. I am a Webcomic artist and I am always trying to expand my horizons a bit. My comic Magical_Misfits is a Fantasy comic with a twist in that it happens in the future. Anyway my main character the dwarf Wheels Ironkeel has a star ship named Starworth I would really like to Model the Starworth (and eventually all the ships in the story). A fellow artist turned me onto this program and I must say I am floored. I just started watching the videos and I have managed the basic shape of the old space truck but I have so much to learn!. I have way more questions than I can even begin to ask today and I will refrain until I have watched more of the videos. Anyway Hello

gealagie · 1 Dec 2008, 19:40

Hello everyone. I'm testing/trying out Sketchup Pro to see if it's right for our company's needs. We are in the upstream oil and gas industry--we wish to create solid-appearing 3d models of the subsurface. Primarily that means models of underground geological structure (= the way strata undulate and are faulted). For the most part these surfaces (the tops of a rock strata layer or a vertical fault) will all be non-coplanar. You have probably already guessed the more horizontal (layer) surfaces are not at all unlike topographic surfaces--just underground. These can't really be drawn freehand--they need to be the actual x-y-z surfaces we have interpreted from 3d seismic data. I can export these geologic surfaces from my interpretation/exploration software as flat ascii x-y-z data files and modify to hopefully be imported into Sketchup. From what I can see so far, the .dem file format might be the best bet, but (I hope) many of you know of other ways as well. Right now I don't even have a proper sample .dem text file to look at for comparison. Can you guys point me to similar discussions of this within your forum and/or give me advice. I'd be happy if the moderator should decide to start a new thread with this too. Thanks!

gealagie · 1 Dec 2008, 21:22

How about you, James. I'm talking about importing multiple tessellated surfaces into SU and using Intersect/Model, then clipping away the excess. Imagine creating a cube of non-coplanar sides this way. In your experience with this forum has this been discussed before?

gealagie · 1 Dec 2008, 21:36

Sorry James--see the thread you just created for me.

vica6a · 1 Dec 2008, 21:38

Salut, je suis francais donc je sais que personne ne va comprendre ce message, j'abrège donc ma description : je m'appelle Jean-Pierre, j'ai 20ans et j'ai terminé mes études d'informatique, voila !!

Jean-Franco · 1 Dec 2008, 22:01

tu as un forum en français ici sur ce site. inscris-toi.
En haut de la page tu fais un clic sur User Control Panel puis Usergroups et là tu sélectionne le forum en français. Il te sera ensuite accessible.

Gaieus · 2 Dec 2008, 05:29

Hi Ron and welcome - your project looks interesting. There are already a couple of cartoon artists here and their work in SU is quite exciting so I guess it is a good tool for it.

Gealagie, I have already posted in your topic - that's another nice field!

Vica, I have added you to the French UserGroup so you should be able to see the forum now.

CubeSquare · 5 Dec 2008, 22:01

Hello every one. Today is my first day at this site, but I have been using SketchUp for a little more than 4 months. I have a queation. I would like to produce a series of screen of screen shots that i can use as a slide show to show my brother how I am able to draw roof rafters. I want the tape measure on screen, and want the screen shot to capture the exact measurement, showing the construction line being inferenced to another line. Does anybody know how to do this?