Sketchup and Blender

michaliszissiou

Thanks Pilou, I'll have a look on this.

@gilles
LOL
Right you are.
I'm interested on baking normal maps
I did some search, you obviously are aware what normal maps are standing for.
I found some nice maya tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z0mf4sqvlk
and with a little help of zbrush, here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaGMq1YJwio
and much more.

Your grabbed picture from a cockpit is very nice indeed.

gilles

OK, last time i tried I have not been able to draw a square in an hour.

It's me for sure.

michaliszissiou

Add a square plane,
TAB for edit mode (or select edit mode from the window bottom menu)
Edit it. Or simply select all vertices by A, delete them and start drawing by click, holding ctrl.
Too complicated? Well, you may find it handy, when you will select a bounce of vertices, or edges, or faces, and by pressing the ctrl+click you will extrude them as you wish.
A different application, different and very effective UI. Extremely logical, if you ask me.

gilles

I know you're right, it's me.
Hazardous neurones ahead.

pbacot

Last few examples...what an incredible (free) software! Is there any smooth route to understanding though? Not sure I really need this for the square houses I draw, but then all the material and rendering control could be worthwhile.

pilou

@unknownuser said:

OK, last time i tried I have not been able to draw a square in an hour.

Yes: it's the sort of program that you can't use without before view tones of videos or tutorials!
My favorite tutorial video in French!

gilles

Very good link, thanks from my old neurons.

pilou

With this last one http://www.graphicall.org/444
You have Volumetric render in Cyles!

Tested by Myke just 50 samples

michaliszissiou

But… just a second…
please opinions!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcTUiohlmNw

pilou

Edit: the video above was removed but the subject was the same than this one!

That becomes truely powerful !

Else Blendy just makes the same than a function of the new Joint PushPull of Fredo
minute 11.16

michaliszissiou

FInally the misunderstanding is over.

Here is the new add on for blender.
And a fine demonstration.

pilou

Now Blender must challenge with this new killer one!

michaliszissiou

Hey Pilou,
You forgot to mention the cost of this modo plugin.
I'm a groboto owner, years now. Familiar with booleans based on parametric objects.
This plugin goes further but it costs a lot.
More than MOI.

However, the tool sounds amazing.
Groboto (the devs of this one) has an interesting and long story.
Glad to see them go further.

pilou

Blender becomes a monster!
In French but very visual!
By François Grassard aka Coyhot (this guy is a also a monster!
Particules is the Graal!

pilou

SketchyPhysics on steroids!

And cool Sweep Boolean but it's real nurbs!
by Samrdac

or some detailing

michaliszissiou

Random effects, conceptual art in blender. By instancing.

modeling on top of a dynamic topology sculpting.
You can call it re topology but it isn't exactly so.
This approach just adopts the basic shapes (by snapping) and goes for a more traditional modeling.

miikka1978

Did anybody advance with their plans with Blender? I would like to know if somebody really managed to start using Blender or was it still too complicate to use after Sketchup?

I have also been experimenting with Blender lately and I think that it has changed a lot over the years. Anyway, there are still many Sketchup tools that I really miss, for example:

Easy/simple object snap
Tape measure tool for drawing construction lines
Lines tool

miikka1978

It seems that this is no more active thread but I would like to check if there are still some Sketchup users trying to learn Blender and what are the good Addons/practices/workflows that you are using?

I have been trying to learn Blender since May 2014. Basically, I have been spending ½-1 hr every day watching Blender tutorials and surfing in Blenderartists forum. I have also modeled most of those simple objects that I modeled when I started to learn and use Sketchup. I would say that nowadays I am quite comfortable in using Blender. Please note that I am just hobbyist when talking about 3D modeling. I don't do any commercial projects.

Below are some Addons/settings that I have found most useful when learning Blender with Sketchup background. I would say that Pie Menus and possibility to select with Left Click have been the most important functionalities for me when trying to learn Blender. Also, Blenderartists.org Forum is as amazing as Sketchucation forum in helping people. Anyway, there are still some major shortcomings in Blender. One of the basic things is that Blender is not build to be used for modeling with exact dimensions. This can be done, but it slows you down.

Must have Addons:
rSelection (Left click to select and click empty to deselect all, script not 100% finalized!)
Wazou's RMB Pie Menu

Nice Addons:
Layer Management (similar to Sketchup Layers)
Edge Roundifier (Creating arcs from edges)
Edge fillet
Face inset fillet
Enhanced 3D Cursor (to Place 3D Cursor easily)

User preferences:
Zoom to mouse position
Emulate 3 Button Mouse: On
Continuous Grab: On
Orbit Style: Turntable
Invert Mouse Zoom Direction: On
Rotate Around Selection: On

Blender Theme:
rTheme (Nice looking Blender Theme)

Additional Keyboard Shorcuts:
1 – Select Vertex
2 – Select Edge
3 – Select Face

pilou

I believe that Rich O Brien ( administrator of Sketchucation) is now a very big fan of it!
He has made the leap!
He is right!
Blender is the prog to learn!
(if you have some times to consecrate for this!

PS For Frenchies http://blenderlounge.fr/ is the place!