Maxwell for Sketchup - architectural work
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I posted some images in the extensions department, here;
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=80&t=52418
All rendered straight out of a Sketchup file with some references to models from DesignConnected.I will post a few others here as well of a house and renovation we were working on.
Maxwell is a great to use in the design process. What I especially like is the quality of light in the renders without much need for postprocessing. But also the network render options and the referencing of complex geometry. This isn't only handy to keep models small but also for working in a team were you can devide the work over several people.
At this moment I am rendering an image while working on my Mac. I send the image to be rendered to two other computers in the office. I manage the rendering process from my computer using the Maxwell Network Manager and Network Monitor running on my system.Francois
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Looking good Francois i like the viewpoints and the glass on the ceiling. Just a pity about the noise (i use maxwell too).
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tx Simon,
The noise, well you can render the noise out of any image. Its just a matter of rendertime.But my clients don't give about it. And when a design is being developed noise doesn't bother at all. The noise at around SL 8 or 10 can give a nice touch to a design study.
But as you can see, the exterior renders fine without noise within a few hours. The interiors take more time to level out the noise. But then again, for archviz you need to do longer rendertimes, for designing and discussions with clients it does not matter at all. Color, soft shades, the impression of light and texture are far more important, almost like real photography.
And so I like Maxwell unfinished renders of unfinished models more than renders that are too clean for the state the yet unfinished models are in.
Francois -
hi frv! I agree with chedda, it is looking great...
are lighting using physical sky or image based???
best
Vp.s. sometimes I add some slight noise in postwork
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One tricky part in rendering with Maxwell inside Sketchup is the mapping when using MXM materials. How do you deal with that? Or you are using the plugin's basic materials with texture?
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tx for the compliments.
I always use HDRI for lighting, especially the ones provided by Peter Guthrie are perfect. I usually need to dim down the illumination channel to about 1/5 if I render interiors to keep the interior lighting at realistic power settings.
Its a good idea to render interiors first with the lighting set to none instead of lightdome, image based or physical sky. And only after the emitters provide for good lighting you light up the outside. Also remember to add enough emitters to an interior. Shops have hundreds and a house also usually has a lot more than you think. Trying to light an interior with only a few emitters by raising the power of these few will not get you good looking images.For the textures. I usually use mxm textures with mappings at high res. I make a special map to use in SU that has the same dimensions in Photoshop but at much lower resolution. That way tyou can just map in SU as you like and at export to Studio or to render the mappings are replaced by mxm textures. I have never any problems with that.
But I also found that in many cases you can just use the SU textures. If you consider the total image I usually render is about 3000 x 2000 pixels. The mappings that show up in such an image are rarely seen at high res. anyhow. Sometimes its a complete waist of time to work on specific mxm materials since you can set up the materials rather well in the plugin as well. Mostly with interior renderings you are at close range to materials to actually see all the detail you can set in bump, reflectivity mappings.
Francois -
I added a few images and edited the rest into a more Sketchucation forum format (smaller) here:
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=80&t=52418&p=474459#p474459Love the comments, hope people feel inspired to render their modeling work in Sketchup. Also hope people will share high polygon models since now Maxwell and Vray can use these models in Sketchup as references without slowing down modeling.
Strangely enough high poly models do not slow down rendering itself a lot, at least not as much as you would expect.
Francois -
nice
can you share it your hdri image? i'd like your 3 image nice light... are you use only HDRI or hdri + sun for light.greet!
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As ALWAYS mate, stunning work! BTW not just on the renders but on the design work from your firm. I've not yet seen anything that I haven't LOVED!
These days I've started doing most exterior work with skydome with sun on so I can achieve more illumination in shaded areas.
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Richard, tx a lot.
Its always better to be complimented on the designwork that the render itself.
I am very pleased that my gamble on Maxwell turned out all right. In the beginning it was difficult to see were it was going. But now with JDHill and the rest of the company they seem to really doing well.
I am hoping Trimble will pick up speed in the next years. I hear of many architect in the Netherlands they are far more serious now with Sketchup than some years back. The crisis drives them away from Revit.
Francois -
BTW mate on the conversion in the last images what is proposed for the upper screening? is that perforated corten steel or wire mesh?
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@frv said:
I am very pleased that my gamble on Maxwell turned out all right. In the beginning it was difficult to see were it was going. But now with JDHill and the rest of the company they seem to really doing well.
Me too mate, I had the odd concern jump in every now and then but now life seems SO DARN simple. Particularly when reading posts on other couplings where conversations centre around what engine settings, cycles, etc, etc, etc, etc. Makes you realise MR is about as close as it gets to point and shoot!
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Richard,
the proposed material should be looking like Corten perforated or something like it.
I found a powder-coating that almost identical to CorTen from Oxyplast in Belgium. Have to press my nose against the treated steel to see the difference.
Its one thing to get it rendered but then to make it real is another... -
NICE! Great work frv! I especially like the third one, very natural! And very clever trick to avoid the huge reflection area with the tree
I'm considering to test some other render engines integrated with Sketchy, other than Indigo Renderer which is my favourite for now: have you guys something to comment about MR (which I formerly used in the past years, btw)?
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lovely new renders, very slick
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