Hi I'm trying to to combine my watercolour sketches with 3D renders. I think it might make a more appealing children's book, where I mix hard rendered robots with soft backgrounds.

Obviously, I need to really practice my painting skills but what do you think? Does the style have some merit? Better/worse than the fully rendered books?

Combining sketchbook and robots... (click for larger image)

I'm thinking of trying to 3D print my robot Dudley....

So to start

1. I have him in one sketchup file by himself.
2. I think I have to explode him down to one layer (layer 0)?
3. Then re-group all and check with the entity dialog that he is one solid?

This is what I have so far...

s

Okay, okay, I know enough already we get it, you wrote a goofy children's book, now go away!

Well, the hardest part for me is promotion, it seems I have to get right up to the annoying line without going over...

So how do you promote things? Well I tried a video. (sorry)

thanks!

s

Check out these bridge visualizations, amazing but bonkers!

Put together for a bridge competition.

Which one is your favorite?

The Architect's Canvas

Where Vision Takes Form

The Architect's Canvas (www.nepbridgecompetition.co.uk)

s

My first digital background painting. Nothing to write home about but I like it.

short book here
http://nieko.com/files/emmasadventure.pdf

I just had my first run in with an author who totally stole my ideas! Cutthroat business children's books...

Update: make a sample Emma's Adventure here.
http://nieko.com/files/emmasadventure.pdf

Thanks! Okay I guess, trying to become an author is difficult. Self publishing is a great avenue to get things out there but the self promotion bit is not in my nature.

Trying to get into the children's book market is doubly difficult. Everybody has an idea for a book.....

I keep hoping some rich engineer takes a liking to the books and wants to put them in print!

Another thing I think I have to do is produce more content all the time to build up a library and hopefully a small following for the books.

I thought I would make a mini book featuring Emma our dog.
Here is a concept cover, now I need a short story...

Thanks again!

s

Both great replies, thanks very much for the advice! Now I just have to get started building...

Thanks!

s

Hi, my wife and I want to update our old kitchen. I have never drawn up an existing kitchen before and I was wondering if I could get some tips?

I thought I would,

1. Measure what I could (width, height, cabinets)
2. take pictures on my iphone and add them as textures to the model
3. take images with me to big box stores for reference/ideas

So I'm wondering how kitchen remodelers actually use sketchup in this way? We are looking to replace existing counters, flooring and add some lighting.

Thanks in advance!

Stuart

I just finished my second children's book about bridge building robots. I am giving the book away as a free e-book.

Check it out here,

http://www.nieko.com

or here

http://www.tallbridgeguy.com

Direct link to my new book
http://nieko.com/files/NoBridge!NoFair!byStuartNielsen.pdf

If you like the books, please donate to the Animal Rescue league and I would appreciate a review on Amazon. (you don't have to buy the book to review it.)
See links on web pages.

Thanks!

Stuart

pilou

302 Found

(www.vam.ac.uk)

Thanks for all the great help, I do want to make an action figure!

On another note, does anybody know a publisher who likes odd bridge heavy robot books...?

Thanks!

s
(click image for better view. Sketchup, Thea, Photoshop. Hey I'm learning.)

I'm really glad to hear your nieces liked it, d12dozr!

I have been reading some of the stuff on Sketchucation about 3D printing, now I think I need a 3D NieKo robot action figure!

Thanks again!

s

Hey no fair, now everybody knows what I look like!

I wish I could use that on my passport instead of the real thing....

Thanks!

Thanks Bryan! Your Grumman is cool!

This is another image that will end up in my second book. I have to photoshop some things but it is coming along.
(click for bigger view)

Thanks again!

s

Thanks for all the nice comments! I have used the book to present to elementary school kids about how engineers design bridges.

Sketchup is fantastic and coupled with Thea, you can do amazing things! I'm trying to make a second book about truss bridges, hopefully one with a better storyline..

(I'm using the names of our cats Eddie, Rose, Pete and our dogs Emma and Betty in the next book.)

Thanks again!

s

Hi, I'm giving away a free ebook that I developed in Sketchup. I am asking for donations for the local animal shelter but donations are not required to download the ebook.

Since I am a bridge engineer, I wrote a book about a robot, NieKo, building a standard concrete beam bridge. I thought kids could relate to robots and I could sneak in a little learning about bridges...

(Hope putting it here is okay.)

The pdf is in a 4:3 aspect ratio, so it fits well on most computers and ipads.

website

http://www.nieko.com

thanks!

Stuart

Hi, sorry, bad edit.

What I meant to say was the ruby by sdmitch seemed to work but....now that I am trying a different viewpoint (scene) the text seems to point up?

So I think the ruby works sometimes, you still have to click on an object in the scene to place the test. Sometimes it is flat to the scene view and sometimes (at low viewpoints) the text points upwards?

Why do I want flat text, well i am writing a children's book on bridges and I would like 3D text in the scene instead of adding it later with photoshop. Thought it might look cool?

So not exactly there yet but closer.

Thanks!

stuart

edit: duh figured it out, it seems to work great, thanks!

thanks!

s

I will check it out, thanks!

s

Thanks Dave, that works but it gets difficult to place the new component back in the view, in the proper location.

If somebody could make a ruby that places 3d text flat in any view, that would be great!

Thanks Dave!