Newbie desperately need help to keep her job

Jet · 31 May 2011, 12:46

Hi everyone,

I'm new to Sketchup and also new to modelling furniture. I majored in Interior Design, but now my job requires heavily modelling furniture by using sketchup. After trying Sketchup for a few weeks. I managed to get most of the drawing done properly. However, now I'm having difficulty in modelling a victorian sofa which composed of more complex organic shapes. (Please see attachment.P.S. the furniture has no proper measurement or spec. I measure it by myself, the measurement shown may not be precise. ) I really need help for making the 3d model. Please, somebody, help me.

Sorry, couldn't attach pics. Here's the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/63525071@N04/?saved=1

In addition, I downloaded many plugins but few of them can be installed successfully, especially SoapSkinBubbleTool_Rel_1. I'm using Mac OS X10.6.7, Sketchup 8. I spent hours and hours trying to figure out how to make it work but couldn't work it out. I thought I need Sketchup 8 pro in order to install the plugins. In fact, even I installed Sketchup 8 pro trial the plugins still didn't work. I'm left in despair. Can someone help me please. I really need some help to keep my job. Thanks to you all.

In the end, to the Administrator,

I don't know why, I login to post my new topic. but after I finished typing and uploading my files, when I submit the page switch to login and all I've done in half an hour has gone. Could you please give me some advise on how to avoid this next time?

solo · 31 May 2011, 13:00

Welcome to SCF.

I believe you cannot attach anything for the first 3 posts (spam control feature).

You can link to an image so I can see what you are trying to achieve.

Jet · 31 May 2011, 14:59

Thank you very much for your attention, Solo. I've sent you PM. Eagerly awaiting your response. I'm sitting in front of the computer feeling frustrated for not being able to get that sofa done properly. I've been working on it for 2 days; tried different methods; tried using plugins(but the most important plugins couldn't be installed.).but what I've drawn looks like crab. I couldn't sleep because I'm so afraid I'll be fired.

solo · 31 May 2011, 15:27

Can you post what you have so far?

Rich O Brien · 31 May 2011, 15:30

Thought i deleted this by accident?

Dave R · 31 May 2011, 17:52

That's not bad. Good work.

solo · 31 May 2011, 18:00

Oh no, what you have done is perfectly acceptable, and possibly a method I'd use if I did not have organic tools.

The problem is the amount of poly's in your model, I'm imagining it's very heavy.

What you are after is an organic shape using geometric tools.
I'd suggest you look at Artisan, Sketchy FFD, TOD (tools on surface), JPP (joint push pull) and Fredoscale to start with. (Artisan is a commercial plugin and all others are free and available in the Plug-in section)

It's hard to explain the process until you understand the toolset.

I have created a basic proxy that needs tweaking and subdividing, It then needs to be sculpted in order to get the soft cushion shapes.

Here is an image of the basic proxy.

And here is a quick subdivision (not complete by a long shot but an idea of how organic tools work)

Jet · 31 May 2011, 19:00

@solo said:

The problem is the amount of poly's in your model, I'm imagining it's very heavy.

What you are after is an organic shape using geometric tools.
I'd suggest you look at Artisan, Sketchy FFD, TOD (tools on surface), JPP (joint push pull) and Fredoscale to start with. (Artisan is a commercial plugin and all others are free and available in the Plug-in section)

It's hard to explain the process until you understand the toolset.

I have created a basic proxy that needs tweaking and subdividing, It then needs to be sculpted in order to get the soft cushion shapes.

Here is an image of the basic proxy.

Understand, master. Unfortunately, by now, I still can't get the plugins installed in my mac successfully. Still working on it.

Is there way to get this done by not using the plugins? I know this question is obviously silly, but I'm taking the chance, because I know you're always up for challenge .

Slimdog · 31 May 2011, 19:17

When you down load a plugin onto your mac typically they are unzipped. Copy or cut it from you downloads folder and paste it into this path.

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/plugins

Once your plugin is pasted into this folder you need to restart sketchup.

Good luck

Jet · 31 May 2011, 19:37

Yes. I'd done what everyone is saying two weeks ago more than 3 times.

Originally, I placed the Plugins in the HD folder

the path is like this:
Mac HD/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp8/SketchUp/plugins

For "SoapSkinBubbleTool_Rel_1" I put it in:
Mac HD/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp8/SketchUp/tools

Then, it didn't work. So I'd tried putting it in user's folders
the path is like this:
User/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp8/SketchUp/plugins

For "SoapSkinBubbleTool_Rel_1" I put it in
User/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp8/SketchUp/tools

but it didn't work either.

BTW, all the unzipped file downloaded from the internet will be zipped automatically by the Mac os x system, a folder contains the content from the unzipped file would be generated by the system as well. The unzipped file will goes to the trash automatically. I copied the zipped folder to the plugins folder. Do you mean I need to put the unzipped file to the plugins folder as well?!

Here're some snapshot of what it looks like:

TIG · 31 May 2011, 21:38

First problem...
A simple .rb file goes straight into the Plugins folder.
More complex tools are zipped - the zip-file contains multiple files and subfolders.
When you extract such a zip file its contents are [usually by default] put into a new folder that's named after the zip file itself.
These contents might be loose files or subfolders of files that are put into this new folder.
NOW THE CRUNCHER...
This new folder does NOT go into the Plugins folder!!
The loose files and subfolders [still containing their own files] must be moved from this new folder into the Plugins folder itself!
What is in the zip goes into the Plugins folder in exactly the same relative relationships of files and subfolders/files.
THEN when you restart Sketchup the Plugins will auto-load.
You need to read each tool's notes to see if its menu item is in say the Plugins or the Tools menu, if it's an Extension how you must activate it from Preferences, or if it has a Toolbar how you need to activate that from the View > Toolbars [or MAC equivalent name!] menu list...

bjornkn · 1 Jun 2011, 11:12

If you get your plugin problem sorted out - and still have your job , there is one more tool to consider using/buying/trying - Amorph (or PhotoScan) from tgi3D.
If you also have some good, uncropped photos you could model from them, eventually using PhotoMatch in SU (or PhotoScan) to get your models aligned with the potos, and ready for texturing all those carvings directly from the photos (you wouldn't want to model them in SU...)
The attached images show a quick test where I algined the camera quite coarsely with your top photo (see that small red edge - it is a vertical edge aligned with the edge of the rack) drew the contours as curves in Amorph. Then they were view locked, and the second image shows a very quick view of the model from a different view, where I have moved the curves upwards along their lock lines (works alomst like normal inference locking), and a few holes filled in with meshes and smoothed. The proportions (and shapes) are not quite right, as the lack of truly aligned photos makes it a bit of trial and error. And I didn't spend more than about 15min here. The backs should be quite a bit higher compared to the seats...
If you still have access to the couch and can shoot some more photos, place a big box/crate (or several) on the floor that can be used for aligning the cameras with SUs PhotoMatch tool. Or use the rack for reference (need to see more of it then).

Equipped with Amorph/PhotoScan, Artisan, Curviloft, EdgeExtrude tools etc you should be able to model anything your employer throws at you

driven · 1 Jun 2011, 13:11

hi Jet,

your very close on the mac front, so a few accumulated tips

navigate to the HD plugins folder [like in your pic] and drag it to your side bar for easy access, you can Drag copies of any downloaded plugins into it when it's there or if you prefer Copy/Paste you can right/click or ctrl/click a select Open Enclosing Folder to go straight to it.

You can just drag the whole folder into plugins if you want, but you need to take out or copy out, the right ruby and the support folder.

They're normally in the right order, so move the lot first time intact

with fredo's you need the LIBFREDO6_Dir_37 folder, I'll have a look later at what else is missing, unless someone else pipes in.

john

here's an example pic

Jet · 1 Jun 2011, 13:43

Hey Guys, Thanks a lot to all of you! You are all so warmhearted. It makes me want to cry. Dave helped me fixed the plugins problem yesterday. (Thank you, Dave!)

I have a new project coming in and I'll work on the sofa later today(Can't wait to checkout all the tools). Anyway, I'll keep you posted.

Thanks guys!

bahri · 8 Jun 2011, 12:16

This is what i like from this forum ...even master solo give his advice..

Jet · 10 Jun 2011, 03:12

Hey Guys, bad news. It's been a week since I told my boss that he needs to buy the plugins for the sofa. So far, I never get any answer from him. I guess he doesn't want to buy it at all. He just had me work overtime doing tons of photo retouching and graphic works up to now. And later on, he will have me do 3d technical drawing in Autocad. It's a pity that I just get a hand on Sketchup 3D modelling and have the chance to do something fun. But I probably have to go back to some boring technical drawing...

bjornkn · 10 Jun 2011, 07:46

Sounds like a bleak future
You could always download fully working trial versions of both Artisan (15 days?) and tgi3D/Amorph/PhotoScan (30 days), make the sofa and impress him so much that he opens his wallet
It is not impossible to make it without plugins, but it would be a lot more difficult and time consuming.

Jet · 20 Jul 2011, 15:51

Please don't laugh at me, Solo. I know your stunning works is from outer space. I would die for you skill and talent. It's shameful to show you this, but I have to.

I did 2 version so far. I used push/pull and follow me for both of them.