Posts made by neets

Daredevil, I'm getting nowhere fast - can you take me through how you created that wall panel??

Thanks
Neets

Thanks for your replies Daredevil....wow, you've hit the nail on the head!! Well done!! Now all I have to do is a little bit of experimentation - see you in about 3 months!! lol

Neets

Hey everyone,

I'm hoping for a little bit of direction on how to create organic forms. I have attached a photo of a wall panel that I'd like to create in Sketchup but haven't a notion how to create it. You'll see that it is like a 'dune' shape, which obviously makes it 100 times more difficult because of the sweeping angles/geometry. Any ideas??

Thanks
Anita

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Thanks Peter. You're right, in future if I catch myself rambling I'll keep it zipped!

Hey Pete (you don't mind if I call you Pete?!), sounds like you've been pretty busy. I would have thought that commercial projects would have been the preference because there is more scope for creativity? Do you enjoy rendering? The high chair sounds like a good bit of light relief! What rendering software do you use?

P.S I jumped on the coattail of someone elses thread!! But unless its ownership is formally declared, I shall happily make it mine!!

Peter, I have the feeling that you are rebelling, just to rebel!! You pass the HQ??! Cool! Am I allowed to ask about your design work or will I be thrown off this forum?!!

A

Hey Peter,

So there's a world beyond AutoCAD? Who knew. It's a great piece of software - but then I've never tried anything else. I don't have a MAC so I'm not familiar with the software you're using.

I can't believe that the interior designer you know used Revit by way of introducing herself to visual software!! Wow. I tried 3DS Max and it hurt my head! My only issue is that when I've checked job postings the companies all ramble on about Revit/3DS Max experience - and that's where I'm concerned. I personally prefer Sketchup/Maxwell Render and have been able to get really great results (and I'm learning all the time - today I introduced myself to Maxwell Material Library - it felt like Christmas). So I'm hoping that even though I don't have that particular software knowledge, I can show an impressive portfolio of work from similar products - it shows that I still understand and can apply those principles.

Regards
Anita

So you are an artist! My mum is an artist. I'm quite artistic too but decided to channel it into the interior design field. The room scene that I keep posting on here is a room I had to design to a brief for my Diploma. In interior design we have to use 'boards' to depict our visual ideas/concept for a room but being able to use Sketchup to try and visualise the scale/layout and then Maxwell Render to get an idea as to how it will look in reality is an absolute gift!! So I use these applications in a similar way to you - they help me plan a space better. Obviously they will also be an invaluable selling tool when I have to try and convince a client that they really DO want a pink glass coffee table!! Actually, in reality it's acrylic. But has the same effect.

Yes, I've seen your YouTube tutorials - I would have been lost if it hadn't been for YouTube tutorials. It's one thing to read a manual etc. but it's another thing to actually watch and learn. So keep up the good work!

I'm sure you really don't enjoy seeing my amateurish work as much as you say but I appreciate the sentiment!!

Anita

Ahhh, I see - the SL setting must be set quite high by default. I get your point re: animating the sun, I had it in my head that if you rendered scenes at various times of the day to show different gradual shadows/sun etc. that you could put them together in frames. But maybe I'm just waffling now!

Your renders are amazing Jason!! Good for you Would it be wrong for me to say 'cosmic' right now?! Yes, I think it would! I've attached another render - the glass table looks fab. Is it wrong that I probably prefer the virtual world right now?!! I think I'm in love with Maxwell Render - this looks like the best relationship I'll ever have!! lol

Thanks for answering all my questions. I'd love to say that I could return the favour but 1. I can't and 2. I'm guessing there's pretty much nothing that you don't already know!

Thanks
Anita

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Hi Peter

Oops, that's me told!! lol I appreciate and acknowledge your point about not being close-minded when it comes to learning new things. And I really do enjoy stretching myself, I think it's the self-taught method that I find tedious more than anything to be honest. My teaching method involves trial...error...tantrums...a few glasses of wine (maybe not the best of ideas but it can be handy when one is required to be creative!!!)...and then a few more tantrums!!! hehe I have to say though my biggest achievement has been getting to grips with AutoCAD - I refused to let it beat me.

When you say 'second software' which one are you referring to exactly? VRAY? I'm guessing with your 'T-square' comment that you are in Design/Architecture? I'm interested to learn what CAD software you use?

Anita

Wow, overnight??!! That doesn't really surprise me. Hmmmm decisions, decisions!! I'm slightly relunctant to try and learn a new render engine when I've become used to Maxwell Render. I'm completely self-taught and the thought of having to start from scratch is a tedious thought. But I have heard a lot of good things about VRAY. And I like the fact that it's quicker too. Although, like you I've seen others who own different applications and use them for different reasons. Question: I'm currently 'cooking' at the minute (I'm making the most of this Demo while I still have it) and obe of my scenes is currently at SL 12 (no emitters) and there's a box to the left of where it stipulates the SL number that shows 1% Render - this 1% has only just appeared after nearly 2 hrs of rendering - what does this 1% refer to??

I'm loving the Mulit-Light function - I'm assuming this means I can add scenes with varying degrees of lighting and it will animate it?? I might try that tomorrow. Can you animate without using emitters? For example, the gradual movement of sunlight/shadows in a scene?

I found the Layout options in the Pro version to be very handy (I downloaded a trial), particularly for technical drawing. But I do think AutoCAD is the better application for ensuring precision.

I'd love to see some of your renders - if you don't mind? But if you'd rather not, that's ok

Anita

Hey!

I'm not 100% sure what the time difference is but I'm guessing you either went to bed really late or were up really early??! Thanks for explaining that to me - I didn't realise that FIRE was of a lower standard - but it makes sense.

I didn't realise that you could get a student/non-commercial version, so I downloaded the Demo (which I found accidentally today). And oh my!! The result was absolutely fantastic (IMHO). This render took 4 HOURS!! I was able to get dressed, washed, put my make-up on, clean the dishes, go grocery shopping and eat dinner in the timeframe that it took to render!!! lol I'm about to embark on an Interior Design Degree (I'm currently finishing a Diploma) and need to make a decision about which rendering software application I'm going to use. I've already ruled out 3DS Max - the learning curve is just too steep. Although I've self-taught AutoCAD but I think I'll just use it for technical drawing. I'm very content to stick with Sketchup (I'm not sure if it's worth opting for the Pro version) and use either Maxwell Render or VRAY. Are rendering times usually this long? In other words, would VRAY take as long? I like the fact that Maxwell Render is very realistic and would be content to wait longer for a decent scene - my only worry is that I mightn't be completely happy with specific details once it has been completed. I know there's a Preview screen but it's quite small. I suppose I could FIRE it up first to get an idea and then proceed to the full Render.

I've attached a pic of my render in the full suite today. I stopped the render at 16 SL - I'm assuming I probably should have let it continue for a while longer for the purposes of clarity??!! I hope you like it

Anita

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Hi Jason,

You've no idea how glad I am that I've finally cracked that IES emitter thing (with your help of course). But I'm finding that the more light sources I use, or if they are slightly stronger the worse noise/speckles I get in the image. I've seen loads of examples online of picture perfect renderings - how is this possible??!! I even tried to use Photoshop to reduce the noise but it blurs slightly - so you lose clarity yet again. Will the paid Plugin make any difference to the outcome? I've attached a few images for reference.The EV setting is quite low and I'm using Image Based Environment Settings.

I've actually spent ALL weekend practising my rendering...I think I need to get out more!

Sounds like your friends are very similar to mine - they just don't get it!!

Anita

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Jason, I have the absolute delight and pleasure in telling you that it FINALLY worked!!! Thank goodness!! I took your advice and set up my own simple box in a new Skp file and it worked. But could I get it to work in my own scene? Of course not! So I ended up turning off all the emitters and still it wouldn't work. Then in a last ditch attempt I reversed faces of the spheres and TA DA!!! I've attached a pic just to prove it - although the image is quite noisy and I seem to have a glow of some description on the sofa near the cushions AND it would appear that I have a gap in one of the recessed wall units that some light from one of the IES emitters is letting through!!! Double sigh. I started getting to grips with emitters on Friday evening and I've learned loads this weekend - I'm over the moon!! Rendering technology never ceases to amaze and astound me It's a pity my friends don't feel the same - their eyes glaze over when I talk about it or show them the fruits of my labour. So how come you're such a whizz at Sketchup/Maxwell Render?? I'm assuming your day job involves all this CAD stuff?!

Thanks again for your assistance

Anita

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Jason, thank you very much - I've rendered your scene and it looks great. I checked your set up in the Scene Manager and I can see where I've been going wrong - in your 'Materials' section at the very top where you select a material, you have the name of the IES file in addition to selecting it at the bottom where it says 'IES file'. How did you get the name of the IES file in the materials section at the top?

Anita

Jason, thank you for taking the time to reply to my query Unfortunately I'm no further on. And now I'm about to throw my laptop out of my window! I have assigned a material to a small sphere - the sphere is located just in front of the canvas in the room. I have selected 'emitter ies' from the drop-down list at 'Scene', under the 'Character' properties I have chosen 'IES file' beside 'Type' and I've attached the IES File. I also have the intensity setting at 9 which is very high. And nada. Zilch. Long drawn out sigh I've attached a pic of what I'm trying to achieve and a pic of what I've just rendered using the above settings. Can you shed a bit of 'light'??!! I apologise for the terrible pun!! Thanks for the explanation re: losing clarity in JPEG format. You kinda lost me with all the 'bit' talk but seeing as there's not much I can do with the Standalone version, I'll have to make do. Although I wa considering purchasing the Plugin for Sketchup to have a better resolution - I'm assuming this will still make a difference?

Thanks
Anita

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Sorry for jumping onto this post but I'm about to lose the will to live!!! Jason, I've see your name pop up a few times within this forum and I NEED YOUR HELP!!! I've been trying to follow the above advice you gave re: applying IES emitter as a MXM file (I'm using the free Maxwell Render Plugin) and it just ain't happening for me. Can you please take me through each step (i.e. an idiot's guide) because there is something I'm missing. On a side note initally when I tried to use the IES MXM files they weren't listed as MXM but IES. I had to copy a bunch of IES MXM files from a different post you had previously contributed to. Why were these IES files not already listed as MXM on my PC??

I've attached a pic of the render I'm currently working on, where I'd like to include IES emitters. I appreciate that the resolution on the free Plugin is very limited but when I save the final render as PNG/JPEG it loses clarity from what it looked like in Maxwell Render (even at the lower res). Any ideas how I can prevent this?

You'll make my day, if you reply to this!!!

Neets

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