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The latest image. No special treatments. The character flying off of the truck is not coming from the cab, as it might appear. He's leaping off of the flatbed. The image makes sense if you view the whole series together.
Regarding rendering - thanks for the offers! I don't think I'll be sending out my models to anyone, I'm a tad attached to them. 
Plus, you don't want to see the messy geometry. It's kinda like seeing the sausage being made...
You might want to try Fraps ($37). http://www.fraps.com/
That's what I use at work for everything and that's how we make our trailers. You will need another application to re-compress the file into something viewable to everyone (.avi or .mov). I use Premiere, but you can use VirtualDub for free.
One drawback is that it doesn't record your sidebar menus. It only records the work area of SU. So if you want the menus to appear you have to tear them off and place them over the work area. Otherwise it works like a dream.
I've tried Camtasia, Captivate and Camstudio (free) and I've had technical problems with all of them. You might have better luck so try them out. I've had zero problems with Fraps.
I missed this poll as well. Boy does it move fast in here. Count me in. I don't live in Europe, but I'd love to visit again, and this is just the thing that would add to a fun trip.
I agree with Europe proper, it's just so easy to travel around by train. But my sister lives in Australia and that would be my second continent pick. I simply love it "down under".
So I've been cranking away at these shots. Here's the latest "render". I feel so old school in this gallery now that everyone is doing all these fancy renders! (Jason thanks for backing me up ) I'm old and set in my ways.
You can find a larger version of the image on my blog:
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=479
I have a question for you guys - has anyone here executed a 3D printing of their model? I've been looking around for ways to make a toy line of my Fuel & Fire stuff (pose-able, vinyl etc). Any info will help. I'll post my current findings as I get deeper into my research.
Worked on a scene tonight where I had to crash the tow truck. Tomorrow I’ll post something to help explain this tragic event.
The rig render:
The images are not so good. I'll try and post a better one tomorrow. To see the full images go here:
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=477
The original truck:
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?cat=34
I didn't seem to refer to a video I made with regards to this character.
I also made the this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJn-y8UMer8
I haven't tried this script yet, but there might be something you could do with this:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=6029&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a
I'd imagine that you could make the deformation nodes a part of a hierarchy group and thus deform the mesh when you move the rig. I bet it would work quite well. For now I'm still using Maya which works quite well for me.
But if you're still interested in how to use the skeleton model I enclosed in this thread,
I posted a video of how I pose using the rigging hack.
NOTE: If you downloaded the file in my previous post you might want to check to see if you have the skeleton3_RIG.zip version and update it for the skeleton3.1_RIG.zip version. I fixed some bugs in the rig and updated the zip file in the original post.
Somehow I missed this thread and I should answer Solo's post.
For soft body meshes, I use Maya to rig and pose, some examples here:
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=185
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=404
For ridged body meshes like cars and robots, I do it all in SketchUp. That's my preference, because the export/import/export/import process, given I render only in SU, is a pain. It's just more feasible to do it all in SU, and I LOVE IT.
Here's how I build a rig and set up the hierarchy in SU (the video Simon posted above shows how I pose) -
Instructions using a car as an example (you can even download the model used in the post):
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=110
Examples:
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=101
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=115
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=364
My SU Posing video:
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=425
I'll also include a fully "rigged" skeleton model that I finished yesterday. I needed a quick skeleton model for my comic, and I grabbed one off of the 3D Warehouse as a test and created a posing rig for it. To understand how to use is and how it's set up you'll want to read the instructions I posted above. If you can grasp that concept you'll get this. You'll be able to pose the model very very quickly.
Here's one of the shots I made yesterday.
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=462
I guess I don't use it enough to experience those problems. The only reason I use the XP version on the MBP, would be the lack of certain shortcuts in the OSX version.
@gata said:
PC user here, but I still read Mac problem threads.
- in other words, they need the whole nine yards (US WWII slang. Turret machine gunners in big figther airplanes had 9 yards of ammo between reloads.)
I love this little tidbit of info !
I run SketchUp from my intel macbook pro (same model as you) in Leopard and a XP boot. No real problems at all. I do use the XP boot more though.
Great Renders!
I review a lot of portfolios (thousands and thousands over the years) and there are some things I appreciate.
I'm not trying to be mean, just stating a few easy things to keep in mind when crafting your portfolio. I see so many missteps in this area, that it makes me want to start a portfolio coaching business. I can't believe schools aren't teaching this nowadays. In my day that was essential. And you can tell the schools that teach how to do it and those that do not.
Your first image is a tad busy. I love the images but you could do with just one and I'm not a fan of the background texture. It's a tad distracting. My eye wanders all over the page not quite knowing what I should look at. I'm looking for your work, not looking at your packaging. You have great work, show it off.
Your second piece is great. The layout suggest a path for my eyes to follow and it tells a story. I'd lighten the background behind the plan view at the top left corner, and make it pop.
#3 is great as well. But perhaps a tad busy. My eye does move on the page pretty well. Not sure what the 3 images represent in the middle - are they day to night? I'd take out one of the top down views, it appears that the second one does not show anything new.
#4#5 are great versions of the last one. If you were to show these to me in person can you talk me through each page and each image, giving me a reason why you put each image on the page? It appears that you could, so that's a great thing.
#6 The layout on this image is a too weighted to the left for my taste. I want to see that tree as a whole and give my eye something trace to the structure. This is a hard one because the green area is obstructing the face of the building a little. If I where to shoot a still of this in real life (or shoot for a movie) I'd move my camera to the right, show the left tree in full, get as much of the building front as I could, and show off the minimal detail on the side of the building (but not too much). This angle might also provide a peek up those stairs which looks incredibly inviting, and I want to look up them
All in all great work! Honestly. Better renders and layouts than 90% of the portfolios I see every day. If this is truly your first portfolio, you are well on your way! Of course keep in mind I'm not in your field, I'm in the visual storytelling, game design, animation field (whatever that means).
I'll be picking it up for a binge play this weekend (with a break for mother's day). I haven't been playing my 360 as much as I used to. Can't wait! You can find my gamertag on my blog.
Hey Guys!
Thanks for all the great comments! Yeah, I really need to get this thing in gear. Heh. No pun intended.
Jason! Those Australian rigs were one of the inspirations for this truck. In fact my sister lives in Australia and I remember seeing lots of cool stuff when I visited Ularu.
In the interest of putting this model to bed, I think I've finished it. Well, at least until I find missing details when I actually start building the comic book frames.
A new flatbed version!
My blog post on the subject:
http://www.giantmonster.tv/giant/?p=447
Jason and Paul: As for the tires, I think this post explains it better than I could:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=8790&p=52854#p52854
I heard that Sketchup had a booth last year. I'm wondering if they'll be there again this year. Anyone else?
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Alex! What great work. Is this for a video game gig? Very thorough work! I hope you get the gig, it's hard work doing concepts for that type of game (having worked on on them for quite a while now).
One question, is the player path northward or southward?
Nice work! those shapes can be hard to build and it looks like you've got them nailed!
Nice stuff! Total conversions can be a lot of work, and it looks like you guys are well on your way!