Fresh install of Sketchup

lonewolf

I have been casually using SU for a couple of years now and it is time to get serious and make some money with it. I work in mainly architecture but also do other types of drafting as well. I have Autocad 2006 and SU 6 free (after making money with it, my wife-a CPA, of course-says I can upgrade to SU Pro ).

What addons are essential for working architecture with SU? I already build alot of the model here and then export views to ACAD. I also would like to do animated fly/walk thru's, and maby a bit of photo realistic and hand rendered looking renderings of the work.

Please tell me what to get to have my sketchup toolbox filled (other seperate programs are ok to list too-not just SU-plugins). It would be helpful to know if it is free or if the program cost money so I can submit my budget to the CFO (wife ). Also links would help make this list helpful.

Thanks
Jared Finkenbinder
Lone Wolf Design

Tobobo

Being a Landscape Architect, there are some tools I can't do with out.

The scripts i use the most are:

Make Faces
Left Click Face Reverse
Component Spray
Move to Origin
Joint Push Pull
and..
SketchUcation Community Forums

I remember that there was a thread on essential ruby scripts somewhere can't find it.

Chris Fullmer

The ruby's are really amazing. Here is the thread that Tobobo alluded to but couldnt find. It asked everyone to list the scripts they can't live without:

301 Moved Permanently

(www.sketchucation.com)

Then within the ruby forum the top 2 posts are about finding all the rubies listed in the forum. There arelots and so many are great. So if you see any that look interesting in the thread above, you can find the ruby download here:

301 Moved Permanently

(www.sketchucation.com)

Chris

Tobobo

Thanks Chris
As always you're a gent

Daniel

You'll want to use good textures. For an endless variety of brick/CMU textures, I use ACME Brick's free Masonry Designer.

FormFonts is an excellent source for entourage items (cars, people, plants, equipment, etc.) to add some life to your models. it's a subscription service, so you'll have to decide if your business warrants the minimal (IMO) expense.

As far as rendering programs go, Podium and Kerkythea seem to be the most economical and easiest to use. You should download them and try them out. Whatever program you end up using, remember there is a learning curve.

lonewolf

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the 411. I had replyed last weekend saying thanks, but something aparently went south as my thankyou isnt here...obviously my id10t error.

I will be investigating these recources in the comming days.

Thanks again!
Jared

PS I see alot of talk about Photoshop use in conjunction with Sketchup, is this a necessary program or are there alternatives?

Gaieus

@lonewolf said:

I see alot of talk about Photoshop use in conjunction with Sketchup, is this a necessary program or are there alternatives?

"PhotoShop" is already a kind of synonime for all image editing programs. There are other alternatives, of course, I myself use Corel PhotoPaint for instance but there is also Gimp - a free alternative for PS.

In any case, you don't necessarily need an image editor but it may be useful to have one in your arsenal.