Modelling curbs for rendering... texturing? Geometry?
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Hi, how do you guys model curbs in Sketchup?
At principle, for simple curbs, it sounds easy. The problem however is extracting decent renders with this simple modelling.
Some requirements for good curbs:
1 - be roundish at their edge. Ultra sharp 90 degree angles, specially at concrete curbs, look fakeish on renders2 - have divisions... because curbs are hardly ever a "continuous" piece, but actually several concrete pieces fit together
Round their extra edge is quite easy. Even if it´s a complicated curb following a curve or slope (or both), we can select the outer edge with some good selecting tool (like the one from the SketchUV) and apply a RoundCorner plugin at it. There will be a problem with it that I will soon describe... because it looks decent enough if you would use a simple texture like concrete that you can´t see the seams even if its badly mapped...
Now the divisions... I can think of two methods for it. Either use REAL CURB GEOMETRY PIECES and put them together (however, this gets pretty complicated for complicated paths like curves/slopes)
or
Use a good texture which already has the divisions in it. Then you can use a BUMP or DISPLACEMENT map and those divisions will really look good when rendering.
Problem: MAPPING such texture, so that the divisions are correctly positioned.
I tried to use SketchUV for that but it never worked right for me with tubemapping or other methods, even when having apparently all quadfaces.
Using Sketchuv plus textures with bumpmap would be the best option imho, because then even very complex curb geometries could be used, by having a face and using FollowMe or ProfileBuilder.
Unfortunatelly, I did not succeed at using FollowMe or ProfileBuilder and applying correctly a curb texture along a complex curb.
Finally, a third option that I can think of would be to generate a good curb with FollowMe or ProfileBuilder and then somehow, create divisions along that curb each x meters, and in those divisions, somehow, subdivide them all and maybe scale them down so they look like the spaces between curb pieces connections, or paint them in a dark color as if they were shadows from those connections?
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I've used a texture with the divisions. Thrupaint did mapping OK. Don't know why it wouldn't work, given the geometry is easy to make regular with quads.
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@pbacot said:
I've used a texture with the divisions. Thrupaint did mapping OK. Don't know why it wouldn't work, given the geometry is easy to make regular with quads.
well, I had tried SketchUV, not Thrupaint. But since you talked, I tried Thrupaint... it worked on the file I tested. (edit, it failed before, but I discovered there is a continuity error in the line of the file I uploaded, I only noticed when getting close-up).
I will make more tests and will report here later. Other people can benefit from the experiments.
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I have modeled literally miles of curbing through residential and commercial areas. You are looking beyond the simple native tools which is understandable. The methods you describe are those that I use except at the curb breaks. Even though I have modeled entire downtown areas most shots and clips will only cover a few openings. Those that are requiring detail can simply be folded into place with just a couple of moves. I find I can detail about 10 openings an hour. The trick is in the original drawing where some simple geometry can be added (draped or cut in with tools on surface) for folding later.
If the architect doesn't add the detail for you the curbs can be cut with tools on surface, folded down and smoothed. All curb openings are custom so I haven't been able to find a plugin. There are a few street builders out there but none that do the detail very well at the cuts. Like you I would be happy to find an automated method but for now a few extra minutes gets it done as per the drawings I receive.
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@Frederik
I am not able to use the private messaging system. I can read but not reply. The style is generated with Foto-Sketcher and PS. I render first, sometimes with Thea sometimes Lumion but any render engine will do. Then I use the "combine" function. Combining the original with a watercolor version.
An even more striking method is to use the PS clone tool. Create a watercolor version first. Then create a Photo-real version. Set the Photo real version as a source and paint over the watercolor in the areas where you want the detail to pop. Adjust the opacity of the cloning tool so you can slowly build up the detail by continuing to paint an area until you are satisfied with the result.Here are some better examples of the cloning method.
Sorry I have muddied up this thread Aces.
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These are very nice Roland.
But I see your curbs are very "edgy" and "continuous". Which is how I also did them (I could avoid the "edgy" part by using the bevel tool, but not the "continuous", because that needs either modelling individual curb pieces OR texturing the curb, which becomes difficult if it´s irregular, with curves, slopes, etc (but I am learning to use the ThruPaint tool)
But for your style it fits very well, also for very big scenes. I wanted a more photo-realistic result for scenes that may show it closer up.
I am specially impressed with the Docks images.
That part which is a mixture of grass and dirt, both in the middle and also behind and under the houses... is that Google Earth terrain (and you photoshopped to remove the original trees and shadows) or is it a texture you create from scratch at Photoshop?
edit: more than that! The dirt somehow also goes over the asphalt! Awesome.
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@unknownuser said:
more than that! The dirt somehow also goes over the asphalt! Awesome.
I start with the google image. I clean it all up as you suggest but then I enlarge it to anywhere from 8000pixels sq. to 15000 sq. pixels so that I can paint-in the detail which includes dirt, grass, curbs, sidewalks...etc. Often I just saturate or accentuate the features that are alrerady there. Grass is never uniform so I add a few different shades or I simple saturate the various shades provided by Google. I then import the image into my engine cause it can handle images at that size. I might also cut out a section covered by the image and ad mesh and a separate image or paint...i.e.curbs sidewalks, shoulders...etc to get extreme detail. You can achieve a very realistic curb, sidewalk result with Round-Corner. The examples I provided are not that good. I am looking for a photo-real example but most are recent and covered by non-disclosure so I cannot show them here. I will continue to look. I have in the neighbourhood of 7400 finished renderings so it is a bit tedious.
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By the way, you should be cutting the curbs/sidewalks/shoulders and medians right into the terrain with tools on surface and then pop them out to height with "joint pushpull" or "normal pushpull".
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I did find a few near photo real.
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I did find a few near photo real.
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@pbacot said:
I've used a texture with the divisions. Thrupaint did mapping OK. Don't know why it wouldn't work, given the geometry is easy to make regular with quads.
+1 for Thrupaint! If it's quads, you can also use Qaudface Tools to map the UV coords.
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Nice work, Roland!
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Thanks pbacot!
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Thanks a lot for the info, Roland!
I really enjoy watching your style...!
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Thanks Fredrick I appreciate your comment!
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@roland joseph said:
@unknownuser said:
more than that! The dirt somehow also goes over the asphalt! Awesome.
I start with the google image. I clean it all up as you suggest but then I enlarge it to anywhere from 8000pixels sq. to 15000 sq. pixels so that I can paint-in the detail which includes dirt, grass, curbs, sidewalks...etc. Often I just saturate or accentuate the features that are alrerady there. Grass is never uniform so I add a few different shades or I simple saturate the various shades provided by Google. I then import the image into my engine cause it can handle images at that size. I might also cut out a section covered by the image and ad mesh and a separate image or paint...
thanks, very interesting. However, I wonder if I could use this method, because unfortunatelly, the areas I usually work with have VERY LOW resolution at GoogleEarth/GoogleMaps.
are you able to work with this kind of imagery or is it too low res for your method?
https://goo.gl/maps/IUpcF@unknownuser said:
i.e.curbs sidewalks, shoulders...etc to get extreme detail. You can achieve a very realistic curb, sidewalk result with Round-Corner.
@unknownuser said:
By the way, you should be cutting the curbs/sidewalks/shoulders and medians right into the terrain with tools on surface and then pop them out to height with "joint pushpull" or "normal pushpull".
which is the method I usually use. As I said, the problem is that the curbs then must be a continuous concrete piece (like in the images you showed). You paint a seamless concrete texture. But there are no division between concrete curb pieces, which is how usually they are done here.
it serves well, as you picture shows, but for extra photo realism, the divisions between curb pieces is what I want... and a texture can´t be properly mapped with SketchUV or Thrupaint in a "joint push-pulled terrain"
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I've used follow me to run the sidewalk curb and gutter around.
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@unknownuser said:
the divisions between curb pieces
I don't know what you mean I guess. The curbs that exist now are identical to the curbs you see in my drawing. Maybe if you showed me a picture.
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@ roland joseph
how do you have make your pictures? with photoshop or inside of sketchup.
Thank You
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@roland joseph said:
@unknownuser said:
the divisions between curb pieces
I don't know what you mean I guess. The curbs that exist now are identical to the curbs you see in my drawing. Maybe if you showed me a picture.
here, curb pieces... and the divisions between the pieces, which are visible
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