My first post in the forum: two buildings

ivanscotti · 14 Jul 2010, 18:14

Hello, my name is Ivan, use SketchUp for a long time, but is the first time i write in this fantastic forum (for my laziness that i had never attended before).
I enclose a small sample of my work, comments and criticis are welcome.
Others will follow!

ivanscotti · 14 Jul 2010, 21:27

For rendering i usually use Maxwell Render, importing the Sketchup scene in Max with no plugins for sketchup (which i don't like), but unfortunately it is a complex job with little flexibility.
Especially when changes are made to do (and this means always ).
During these days i'm trying different rendering engines integrated with sketchup, now is the time of IDX Renditioner, i enclose below two speed tests to test only the quality of the engine.
I think that the biggest problem is the harshness of the shadows, that IDX can not make soft.
The two images were PP with Photoshop (especially in B/W )

ivan

shura · 14 Jul 2010, 22:13

Hello Ivan, welcome to SCF!

I always love to see pure SketchUp output. Sorry that I can't comment on the architecture, but what I see looks really professional to me.

Very often it happens that foliage from 3D trees looks unrealistic because the leaves are far too big.
(a deciduous tree has an average number of 30k leaves - many models have much less to keep number of polygons down.)
I'd say the leaves of a birch tree should not be bigger than for example the logo of the Porsche - surely not as big as a human head.
Maybe you can find some other tree model in the 3D warehouse. It could also give your entourage some more individuality, because this particular birch you are using is one of t h e standard components that was seen a million times already.

I like the movement of the pigeons, but somehow they seem to block the depth of the picture. People, trees and birds look like they are all in one layer... i would let birds fly in the sky over the buildings to draw the eye more into your composition.

cheers + keep posting
alex

ivanscotti · 14 Jul 2010, 23:00

Hello Alex, thanks for the welcome and for your reply.
I agree with your thoughts, sharp and precise.
Soon for more pictures

ivan

dale · 14 Jul 2010, 23:09

Well Ivan if this is your first post I have a feeling you have a lot to contribute. Welcome and please post away.

shura · 14 Jul 2010, 23:16

Oh, somehow I missed your second post (daughter keeping me busy, she can't sleep cause it is too hot tonight)

With the shadows you are right, but I like the overall look (and the improvement on the foliage )
Does IDX not support soft shadows? What about some reflections for the windows?

ivanscotti · 14 Jul 2010, 23:41

@Dale: Thanks very much! for what i saw in these few days, this forum is a mine of inspiration

@Shura: fortunately my son is asleep, but the heat hurts me too!
Thank for appreciate.
About IDX, i started experimenting recently, but i think that the soft shadows are not supported (however i'm happy to be wrong). For reflections instead seems to work fine, although these images do not actually seem ...

Upload below another image rendered with IDX, where the reflections are good, but the shadows are always hard

Good night

Bryan K · 15 Jul 2010, 03:45

Wow, those are really good ivan.

ivanscotti · 15 Jul 2010, 09:06

thanks a lot ecofeco, really nice

olishea · 15 Jul 2010, 09:45

yeah sharp shadows never look real do they?

why not try podium or twilight rendering engines....they both have soft shadows. and in twilight you can set how much blur!!....both integrated into sketchup. try demos for free! however for your scene I think Twilight would work better.

ivanscotti · 15 Jul 2010, 09:54

Thanks olishea, now try to download Twilight

olishea · 15 Jul 2010, 10:06

don't forget to read the manual!!

there are several language options too

i don't think you will be disappointed!

Daniel · 15 Jul 2010, 13:39

Very nice work, Ivan. In the first image, I'd delete the pigeons - in my opinion, too much entourage and the composition seems crowded. In the B&W image, you might look at lightening it, or changing the sky - it looks dark and forboding. Love the stone material in the last image.

shura · 15 Jul 2010, 13:55

Bryan said it, very good images indeed, espeially the last one! (I really like detail shots.)
Like Oli I would recommend Twilight too, it has a very helpful forum as well. Also there are quite a few discussions on SU integrated render apps in the extensions forum here at SCF.

ivanscotti · 16 Jul 2010, 07:55

Thank you Daniel and Shura, gladly take note of your comments
Today i'll try to start working with Twilight

jo-ke · 16 Jul 2010, 14:31

My first choice was IDX, then I've found twilight and this became the one and only renderengine I am using.