Any of you ever use Google SketchUp?

I just started using it to design a deck for the folk's. There are lots of prebuilt designs and lots of models for lumber, pools, etc already made. its pretty slick

2/3/2009 12:57:09 PM

Yes

2/3/2009 1:24:55 PM

yes, this was actually @Last software that Google bought to populate their Google Earth product with buildings, etc.

the design field has been using it for quite some time, great schematic design tool, probably one of the best out there, but it can't go much past schematics

2/3/2009 1:25:01 PM

i loooooovveee sketchup and used to work in it all the time.

then we got revit and it was no longer needed

2/3/2009 1:30:42 PM

dumb question. are all models in the 3D Warehouse read only? Or does the submitter have the option of making it editable? Everything i'm finding is read only :/

2/3/2009 2:04:29 PM

^that's probably why they want you to upgrade (totally a guess, I haven't really used sketchup since Google bought it)

2/3/2009 2:25:50 PM

if it's read only, can you not just copy it and paste it in another file? iirc, most of them come that way and you just paste it where ever you want. i think

2/3/2009 3:03:58 PM

I use sketchup every day and i have never come across a read-only warehouse item. You might have to unlock it and go into edit component or edit group and then unlock the next level down, etc, but at least in my experience I've never come across something i couldn't edit.

2/6/2009 9:28:55 AM

busch league

i'm curious as to what you use this for everyday and who was using it as a revit sub

[Edited on February 6, 2009 at 10:25 PM. Reason : .]

2/6/2009 10:24:05 PM

wow, i can't believe there are other people on here who know what Revit is.

2/7/2009 12:47:45 AM

i'm curious as to what you use this for everyday

Talking to me? I use *almost* every day because I'm an architecture student and most of what I do is 3D work at this point...

2/15/2009 10:34:57 PM

Who the hell would use sketchup for a revit sub?

That's like using a Geo Metro in the Daytona 500.

2/15/2009 11:07:10 PM

because Revit is supreme overkill for most student projects.

2/16/2009 2:03:16 AM

well all things considered it's not really. as a student you are still required to produce documentation, drawings to scale, dimensions, elevations, plans, etc... while you can do all that with sketchup, it's not really meant for documentation. also when it comes to renderings for presentations you'd have to use v-ray plug-in.

for what it's worth Revit 2010 is going to blow sketchup's user base out the window. Revit 2010 has a new interface, new freeform conceptual modeling tools that kill sketchup. they have implemented the same push/pull features that are in 3ds max and now Revit can do advance free forms, except actually make it BUILDABLE and rational for figuring out how to build complex geometries with curtain wall, etc., not only that but it has mental-ray (simple version) built-in... when 2010 comes out in April, it'll be a no-brainer.

besides, the architecture industry does not use sketchup past schematic design, so you'll have to learn Revit if you want to be hire-able... i hate to say it, but it's true.

sketchup has a single use = conceptual modeling

that's it.

[Edited on February 16, 2009 at 2:09 AM. Reason : .]

2/16/2009 2:08:16 AM

Haha good call on the Vray... I LOVE Vray and it definitely gives you an edge over those with sketchup screenshots or hand rendered perspectives when it comes time for the crit.

2/16/2009 2:11:02 AM

And also good call on the "all firms want Revit." We had our interview days last week and all the firms are asking if we know how to use it... I can't wait to check out 2010, I hadn't bothered to read up on it but if it's half as good as you make it sound it'll be one hell of a program.

[Edited on February 16, 2009 at 2:14 AM. Reason : .]

2/16/2009 2:13:30 AM

Quote :

"sketchup has a single use = conceptual modeling"

That was my assumption

Revit sounds pretty damn awesome though, does it support V-ray?

2/16/2009 2:17:26 AM

^^i'm a firmwide Revit leader in the company i work for

Revit is what you want it to be. You just have to train yourself to model only what you need and not get too detailed too quickly. Remember it's for design intent, not fabrication.

Revit exports to FBX, which you then import into 3ds max to use with v-ray.

Rumor has it though they are working on a Revit v-ray plug-in. with 2010 the API is going to be even more opened up so we'll see

[Edited on February 16, 2009 at 2:21 AM. Reason : /]

2/16/2009 2:20:12 AM

Nope... VRay is only availablt for Rhino and Sketchup right now, but there are plenty of alternatives to it...

2/16/2009 2:20:56 AM

Any recommendations for "Intro to Revit" books/guides/seminars? If the answer is in the "you need to learn basic architecture first", nevermind then

But I've always wanted to tool around with some building design/concepting. After a little while doing casework and framing and carpentry I feel like I have just enough knowledge to be dangerous. SketchUp just always seemed to limited, because I couldn't ever get the fabrication detail I wanted (love doing internal structure almost as much as the facing)

2/16/2009 2:23:41 AM

^try the help files, they are actually REALLY useful with images and diagrams. if you run into a question that the help file can't answer, ask me.

v-ray is best for environmental lighting based renderings like exterior shots.... mental-ray is typically best for more accurate lighting like for interiors... it kinda depends on what kind of feel/look you're going for.

mental-ray is the builtin renderer for 3ds max and Revit, so I like to use it because it's a no-brainer with Pro Materials and having all the cameras & lights that are modeled in Revit transfer completely into 3ds max (unlike sketchup)... v-ray has to have it's own set of materials, so you'd still be starting from scratch sort of.

[Edited on February 16, 2009 at 2:27 AM. Reason : /]

2/16/2009 2:24:19 AM

The whole category of materials is a pain in the ass with Vray, and VRay for Sketchup in particular... Most of the good materials on sites like <http://vray-materials.de/> are for 3DS Max (I forgot to mention that one a couple of posts ago) and it's impossible to convert them unless you have Max and Vray for Max as well... Which I don't.

2/16/2009 2:27:16 AM

^yea, while i love vray that's the big downside is materials.

^^^also the "Mastering Revit" books that are written by Tatjana Dzambazova are good, she used to be the product manager for Revit then went on to sales with Autodesk, you'll see some images of projects from my firm in that book too so you know it's good

[Edited on February 16, 2009 at 2:29 AM. Reason : .]

2/16/2009 2:27:36 AM

Prospero, if you don't mind me asking, what firm are you with?

2/16/2009 2:29:29 AM

check your inbox

2/16/2009 2:31:55 AM

^ sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

2/16/2009 2:34:37 AM

^Making materials (for architectural purposes) in V-ray is pretty easy. Also, there's a converter on the asgvis site (or used to be) that converts 3ds v-ray materials to their format. Some still need a little tweaking of maps, but it only took me a few days to get 90% of the materials I needed moved over. Granted, I used Rhino, but it should be a very similar process.

Prospero: Thanks man, maybe I'll have some time this summer to dabble back into construction

2/16/2009 3:31:29 AM

You can download Revit for free if you have a student email account, but don't get caught using it for profit purposes

2/16/2009 9:22:51 AM

^great point - http://students.autodesk.com

^^^it's not just making the materials, it's changing all the materials in your model from revit over to v-ray materials everytime you relink the model... it can be done, and it's not THAT bad, just another step in the process, we do it all the time, it would just help if the workflow to keep it as streamlined as possible using mental-ray.

[Edited on February 16, 2009 at 11:49 AM. Reason : ,]

2/16/2009 11:39:41 AM

^I'm suprised no one has scripted that yet.

I can't remember where I saw it, but I've seen fledgling scripts to handle the Max->Rhino material mapping.

It seems like something that could be done fairly easily, if the Revit material model is as open as V-Ray's

2/16/2009 6:11:17 PM

well it's transparent from Revit to 3ds, you don't have to do anything... if you use promaterials with mentalray. the only thing they have to do is change out the promaterial with the vray material. like i said not that hard and you typically only have to do it once per model update, but not everyone is versed with scripting in max... i work in a medium-sized office. now the fellas in the larger offices like when i was in DC, well they could do an arch. rendering in like 5 hours... from scratch.

our viz guys are not animation guys, they are architectural viz guys, there's maybe like 5-10 people in my entire firm that may know how to do it, and even then each office has different process, different style/taste, different material libraries, etc. in terms of viz, they don't all use the same kit of parts, it's more of an art than a science.

2/16/2009 7:17:35 PM

sketchup is eh. its ok for some basic massing but other than that just kind of failed to impress me. revit on the otherhand, once you get used to it is pretty awesome, but you do have to commit to it. definitely more work but you get way more out of it. if i had that in school i would freed up SO much time. its almost like cheating, but seriously, if i can draw by hand, i get it, then i would just want to crank shit out with the quickness - it also imports directly into 3ds max. learning revit is best figured out though - in all honesty, not trying to be an ass - by just starting to draw and using the help menu when you need it. also http://www.revitcity.com or the augi forums if you get really stuck.

also to the current arch. students - dont use sketchup 'renderings' for pinups. print the camera view of what you want, trace, photoshop/hand render, profit. all the older cats eat that shit up and if you carry your 'construction lines' through theyll never know what hit 'em

[Edited on February 16, 2009 at 11:15 PM. Reason : also]

2/16/2009 11:13:52 PM

I'm to the point where we're doing a lot of boards, so we are ALL pretty much using 'shopped renderings for images on those boards. I'm a junior... we did lots of hand rendering last year when we were using an entire sheet of Arches for one perspective, but these days only the people who suck at rendering are still doing them by hand, and to be honest THEY are the ones who got railed for it at the last crit. I did our renderings and we got some decent feedback on them.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3261/3238773358_9b0740d747_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3532/3238854788_101f818d23_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3463/3237984117_7cd1a639cf_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3451/3238670848_632b9fa0f0_b.jpg <-not cropped as it was on the board...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3308/3237611227_3e9904d2a8_b.jpg

Feel free to tear them apart... They were a last-minute-the-night-before product so I won't be offended, and feedback negative or positive is always a good thing...

By the way, the project was to design a canopy for the 60th Anniversary of NCSU's Design School. My friend put the board together, so I'll have to link to that with the full concept explanation later...

[Edited on February 17, 2009 at 11:02 AM. Reason : html]

2/17/2009 10:57:32 AM

probably better to start a new thread to talk about renderings

2/17/2009 11:13:20 AM

that could actually be a pretty interesting thread.

^^in response to those renderings, if you did those in sketchup thats awesome, i was referring to the ones that ive seen some people try to get away with in early design that still look like ass. in which case, i would rather do/see well done sketches only to the extent of diagrams - and to take a shortcut, you can get several perspectives quickly without having to construct them by hand. I may have said rendering before when i meant 'render with color/representative texture/etc.

in reference to revit though you can make the model and then cut as many sections, section perspectives, interior renderings, exterior views, plans, whatever off of that one model and it works way better than just drawing it over and over again - which will definitely come in handy shortly. also do time-lapse lighting studies through renderings similar to other rendering programs. lots of stuff to goof with, so this isnt really the place to discuss, but if i were you i would look into it. at least to get a jump on competition in the already shitty job market.

either way, good renderings.

[Edited on February 17, 2009 at 3:09 PM. Reason : .]

2/17/2009 3:01:47 PM