Hey all,

I've posted the Making-of by Stefan, the Grand Prize Winner of 'The Museum' / Maxwell Render Challenge. He sure used a lots of plugins and referenced this site

Check it out here - http://www.ronenbekerman.com/making-of-the-museum-butterfly-effect-by-stefan-hirschsteiner/

from the article :

Anyone knows about an ETA / Expected ETA for the SketchUP 2013 version release? Obviously - it will happen during 2013 but I wonder how soon? and if something official was mentioned about this topic online or offline.

@leedeetee said:

Just thought I'd post this up in case anyone was interested in entering ...

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/the-museum-maxwell-render-challenge/#utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=%27The+Museum%27+Challenge+-+Ronen+Bekerman%27s+Newsletter+-+June+2012+&utm_campaign=%27The+Museum%27+Challenge+-+Ronen+Bekerman%27s+Newsletter+-+June+2012&utm_term=Go+ahead+an+read+the+announcement+on+the+blog___+and+join+the+challenge_21

Thanks for doing so

And yep - The prizes are great and the subject even greater. I would love to see as many SketchUP users giving this one a go.

See you on the challenge

Ronen

@andybot said:

That's actually part of my point - with the render engines, all that film/sensor size, lens length, aperture nonsense is all fungible. That's why adhering strictly to a 35mm equivalence seems kind of limited to me. The reason I mention conversions to different sensor formats is that if you are, say, trying to match a photo, it will very much depend on that particular camera setup, like for example the shallow dof of your mamiya. It won't work to just use the default 35mm dof equivalence.

I think you hit the mark here... and part of the main reason for me bringing this topic up.

Forget about us archviz artist using Maxwell Render and try to force it into real camera envelope of operation... we rarely do so, and try to "fake" it into our needs. Think of a real photographer getting into CGI in order to expand his offering and do more advanced things in his photography work. He will need a tool that talks the talk he is used too and that is all about real camera settings... sensor size, lenses, ISO, shutter speeds, aperture, shifts and more.

Not referring strictly to the SketchUP plugin here... but in general.

All the render engines since Maxwell Render was first introduced added some physical based / real camera workflow to their features - so there is something to it, a demand by us - the users. I actually use VRay most of the time... but with it's VRayPhysicalCamera and environmental HDRI's. I've also been testing Indigo, Thea and more for there "Camera Like" feature set and I really wanted to know what artists on this forum think about this.

I'm an archviz artist first, not a photographer, but I do tend to go with physically based workflow, trying to work as a photographer does. This usually gets you the most photo-real results. I don't think it is a rule you should blindly follow, but people have been accustomed to judge designs by looking at photos! the real human eye view is, oddly, not the view we judge things according to.

This is why we call it photo-real

From all the render engines out thete for SketchUP... is it safe to say Maxwell Render resembles the work with a real camera the most...

What do you think?

Here are places 5-6 + Open category lighting and texturing selections (Benjamin took the modeling category and Tolgahan the Design category)

Lighting -

Texturing -

I'm proud to share with you the winning images of the HOVER Architectural Visualization Challenge.

Please visit the [url="http://www.ronenbekerman.com/the-hover-challenge-winners-selected/"]HOVER Challenge Winner Announcement Post[/url] to get all the info and here are the winner image below.

(1 to 4 places)

Architectural Visualization Challenge II - HOVER has ended and here are the 24 finalists that will go into the judging stage.

It was a joy to host, follow and add feedback for all the participants and I want to say thanks to all those who submitted images and visited the forums. Big thanks to all the [great sponsors[/url] of this event too

[url:ac803ubi]http://www.ronenbekerman.com/the-hover-challenge-24-finalists/]("http)

[url="http://www.ronenbekerman.com/the-hover-challenge-24-finalists/"]

[/url]

Hey all,

ONE month minus a few days left in the HOVER Challenge and here is progress spotlight 005, this time focusing on 3 entries by Jamie Holmes, Zoran Gorski, with his Judge entry & Julio Cayetano.

If you wanted to join in this is the time to do so and get it done in time too

You are all invited to visit, add your feedback and join at - http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/

too

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/454-jamie-holmes.html

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/496-zoran-gorski-kizo.html

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/531-julio-cayetano.html

Cheers,

Ronen.

Hey all,

Here is HOVER progress spotlight 004, this time focusing on 3 entries by Tom Svilans, Tolgahan Gungor & Ivo Sucur. I'll try to bring you at least 3 such entries each week as the challenge gos on.

You are all invited to visit, add your feedback and join at - http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/

too

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/397-tom-svilans-stompin-tom.html

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/494-tolgahan-guengoer.html

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/404-ivo-sucur.html

I've also posted the last of the birthday giveaways. First stage runs until Sunday 29th 12:00 GMT - you can win any 15 models you like from the DesignConnected Catalog. [url="http://www.ronenbekerman.com/designconnected-3d-model-giveaway/"]Enter here[/url].

The [url="http://www.ronenbekerman.com/minichallenge-01-brix/"]BRIX miniCHALLENGE is still running[/url] until September 15th you are invited to visit and take part in this... and perhaps be the winners of a BRIX LIFE TIME LICENSE!

Cheers,

Ronen.

Hey all,

Here is HOVER progress spotlight 003, this time focusing on 4 entries by Micael Dillner, Kostas Anninos, Paul Lecat & James Insley. I'll try to bring you at least 3 such entries each week as the challenge gos on.

You are all invited to visit, add your feedback and join at - http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/

too

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/449-micael-dillner-dia.html

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/403-kostas-anninos-annkos.html

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/486-paul-lecat.html

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/477-james-insley.html

I'm also [url=http://www.ronenbekerman.com/happy-birthday-1/:1ged7hru]celebrating 1 year birthday for my blog[/url:1ged7hru] with a new miniCHALLENGE + 3 Giveaways... you are invited to visit and take part in this... and perhaps be one of the winners!

Cheers,
Ronen.

Hey all,

Here is HOVER progress spotlight 002, this time focusing on 3 entries by Francisco Koehler, Benjamin

Brosdau & Daniel James Hatton. I'll try to bring you 3 such entries each week as the challenge gos on.

You are all invited to visit, add your feedback and join at - http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/

too

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/445-francisco-koehler-franciscok.html

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/483-benjamin-brosdau-tora_2097-a.html

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/409-daniel-james-hatton.html

Cheers,
Ronen.

Hey all,

Here is a spotlight of the HOVER challenge progress... some very interesting designs so far. You are all invited to visit, add your feedback and join at - http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/hover-challenge-submissions/

too

Cheers,
Ronen.

Thanks Dale for posting this here!

Architectural Visualization Challenge II - HOVER has started on July 21st, check out the press release for more information at - http://www.box.net/shared/7buvguo8b7 or visit the [url=http://www.ronenbekerman.com/challenges/architectural-visualization-challenge-ii-hover/:1umz3igh]Main HOVER challenge page.[/url:1umz3igh]

The deadline is October 21st 2010 with 6 awards to be given + 4 more open categories with prizes that value 23,500$ in total.

Bertrand Benoit, Zoran Gorski (Kizo), and myself will be judging this challenge.

I invite you all to visit and also to join in

1 month + 1 day to go in the GH House Challenge and here are some more spotlight from the Work In Progress...

Thanks!

Jump to Ametist's thread - http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/gh-house-challenge-submissions/173-ametist.html

Jump to Kiernan May's thread - http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/gh-house-challenge-submissions/184-kiernan-may-chief-ten-beers-2.html

Jump to ABC King's thread - http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/gh-house-challenge-submissions/208-abc-king.html

Jump to Aldo Lanzi's thread - http://www.ronenbekerman.com/forums/gh-house-challenge-submissions/185-aldo-lanzi.html

Pay a visit to the others submissions too and give them feedback if you like...

Cheers.

Hi all,

Want to let you in on a new challenge that I'm planning to launch soon.

This one will be an Architectural Visualization Challenge... I'll provide the model so you don't bother with that part just with making fantastic inspirational arch-viz imagery.

Head on to my blog to cast your vote regarding the theme for this challenge http://www.ronenbekerman.com/render-challenge-heading-your-way/

I hope this challenge will be more the just another rendering contest but rather have more focus on bringing out the architecture out via the visuals... participants will have to create a minimum of 2 images (Exterior + Interior)... news about rules, prizes and more will be posted soon.

among the prizes are :
VRay for SketchUP
VRay for Rhino
Piranesi

and more to come

@ecuadorian said:

Quick monochromatic attempt with Twilight, Easy 09:
[attachment=0:3153xffy]<!-- ia0 -->SketchUp output.jpg<!-- ia0 -->[/attachment:3153xffy]
[attachment=1:3153xffy]<!-- ia1 -->Monochrome.jpg<!-- ia1 -->[/attachment:3153xffy]

Cool! I guess the bump for the concrete needs more work to make the gaps deeper... never used Twilight before, seems very similar to Maxwell or Fryrender output.

Does Twilight pick up the SketchUP sun position if want to do a day render?

Hi

I giving away my Azuma House model over at my blog to all those who subscribe to my newsletter.

Head over and get it... if you like it.

http://www.ronenbekerman.com/sketchup-model-giveaway-tadao-andos-azuma-house/

Hi all,

I keep watching this forum, but never did post much... but I've just posted a new article on my blog at http://www.ronenbekerman.com called 9 SketchUP Tips for better 3d modeling workflow that sums up my tips for a SketchUP beginner users or even more experienced ones.

Do check it out.

No real love and passion behind the development of this product anymore i fear.