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A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Robert » 21 Jul 2015, 15:37

The objects you draw are impressive in themselves but the backgrounds, lighting and shadows really add a lot.

I only draw what I need to so that I end up with something that will work so I've never experimented with better presentation. can these 'environments' be created as templates and whatever you have drawn just be pasted in? it would be so easy then I might actually do it sometime :)
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 21 Jul 2015, 15:52

Thank you, Robert.

My suggestion is to only draw what you need to suit the purpose at hand. There's little point in going further if you really need a tangible object. But sometimes it's useful to show something that looks more detailed or more realistic. This is especially so if you need to communicate with client. Most people are more used to looking at photos than drawings.

You could set up a sort of studio with a background and lights if you want. Save that as a SketchUp model and then import the furniture model into it and place it as needed. I haven't done that because it doesn't take me more than a minute to draw the 'set' usually. They are very simple things.
Image

For example, the set for this render of a couple of Adirondack chairs looks like this from above.
Image

I put in 3 lights with the SU2KT plugin although for the render above I think I disabled the one on the right.

I know of people who do a lot of rendering who have created sets for their models. It might be more important if the sets were more complex. but it depends upon what you want.
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Robert » 21 Jul 2015, 19:32

Those chairs look familiar :)

Image

You sent me the model some time ago and I changed it a bit then made 2 chairs!

Interesting that what you are doing is creating a virtual photography studio complete with swept backdrop.
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 21 Jul 2015, 19:46

That chair looks very comfortable, Robert.

For rendering, I find it easiest to think in terms of a photo studio. I don't know if that is a common approach but it works for me. Sometimes when I am setting up a scene for rendering I'll add things to reflect off surfaces. For example in this image of these wall cabinets, I put a painting by Maxfield Parrish on a wall behind the camera so it would reflect in the glass.
Image

I did the same thing in this old, not very good render from years ago.
Image
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 26 Jul 2015, 19:04

A stool I did for practice this morning.
Image
From the Chandigarh administrative buildings, France/India, 1950s. Designed by Pierre Jeanneret.

A copy of it could make a good shop stool. The original is priced at $5800. Too dear for my shop.
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby DaveL » 26 Jul 2015, 20:31

Now I like that, might go on the list to make, need some nice oak with rays, for the legs.
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby TrimTheKing » 05 Aug 2015, 11:51

Love your work as always Dave, please keep sharing even if it is quiet over here, we do love to see it and will definitely make use of some when my workshop is complete and I actually have somewhere (and some time) to actual woodwork rather than just think about it...! ;)

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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 05 Aug 2015, 13:07

Dave, if you make one, you must post pictures.

Mark, thank you.

And to keep things going, here are a few old ones.

Image
This is a medieval period trestle table. One day while poking around the world wide web i came across an old illustration of a table like this. Cleats on the underside of the top help to keep it flat and also keep it from sliding off the trestles. I suppose having three legs on each trestle made it more steady on an uneven floor.
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 13 Aug 2015, 17:53

Ilmari Tapiovaara Pirkka Table c. 1955

ImageIlmari Tapiovaara Pirkka Table by Dave, on Flickr

ImageIlmari Tapiovaara Pirkka Table by Dave, on Flickr
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby TrimTheKing » 14 Aug 2015, 06:36

Finnish by any chance?

I quite like that, little bit different.

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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 14 Aug 2015, 10:06

TrimTheKing wrote:Finnish by any chance?

I quite like that, little bit different.

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I think laquered. :lol:

Indeed you are right.
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 14 Aug 2015, 13:26

A fold up table to go on the steering pedestal of my sailboat. The white thing is a hinged side table from an old anesthesia machine.

Image
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 15 Aug 2015, 23:45

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A Little Table from France

Postby Dave R » 22 Aug 2015, 16:55

Image

This was my morning SketchUp practice. It's based on a little table dated to 1640s France. When I say little, the top is only 9-1/2 in. wide and 8 in. deep. So although the wood grain looks a bit over sized, it really isn't.
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Rod » 22 Aug 2015, 23:48

Looks quite modern for 1640.

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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 23 Aug 2015, 00:04

Who knows? Maybe it is really a fake and the firm listing it for sale just made up that date.
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Rod » 23 Aug 2015, 09:34

Wasn't meant as a criticism but if somebody asked me to date it I'd have said 20C.
The French were always in front with designs?

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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Robert » 23 Aug 2015, 10:08

Dave R wrote:Image


So how is that top texture applied then?

If it was a picture of a simple bench there would be nothing notice but it isn't - its a drawing :)

Have you drawn the seat board to the shape of a jpeg used for the texture or ??
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 23 Aug 2015, 12:30

Rod wrote:Wasn't meant as a criticism but if somebody asked me to date it I'd have said 20C.
The French were always in front with designs?

Rod


I didn't take it as a criticism. You're right, though. I guess it looks pretty refined with those turned legs but I suppose for the craftsman of the day, this was pretty simple compared to a great deal of woodwork that was being done.
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 23 Aug 2015, 12:34

Robert wrote:
Dave R wrote:Image


So how is that top texture applied then?

If it was a picture of a simple bench there would be nothing notice but it isn't - its a drawing :)

Have you drawn the seat board to the shape of a jpeg used for the texture or ??


Robert, I did a blog post on Design. Click. Build. showing how I made the drawing of that slab. You could import the image of the slab and then trace around it with the Line and Freehand tools but the method I showed is a whole lot easier.
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Robert » 23 Aug 2015, 16:12

Thanks.

So it was based on tracing the outline of a picture but you did it an easy way with a plug in.

At least I was thinking on the right lines :)
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 24 Aug 2015, 12:16

Yes indeed. In addition to tracing the outline and creating a face, the plugin also makes a component of the flat image and would stand it up if needed. This is great for making things like 2D people to put in your model for scale or maybe you have a photo of a sign or something that you'd like to include in a model. All kinds of applications. I suppose you could even make models of live edge planks with it. :D :lol:
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 24 Aug 2015, 12:42

2D from 3D

Image

These are 2D views of a chair I drew based on one by Josef Hoffmann. I've read complaints from some SketchUp naysayers (not here, of course) that SketchUp can't make 2D views. That is utter nonsense but you all knew that.

Some might say it isn't really 2D because there are highlights on the rounded edges but those don't have to included. They certainly add useful information to the image, though.

Here's a 3D view of the same chair.
Image

Someday I'll add the seat cushion and make it comfortable to sit on.:D
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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby tracerman » 24 Aug 2015, 12:57

Dave R - when I first saw your postings , my first thought was that something like this might be useful when setting down some ideas for a painting , I mean the basic layout of for example inside a room , the furniture etc . I don't have a problem with perspective , but I have to think hard about shadows and how they fall across stuff . If anybody knows of a system similar to this aimed at artists I'd be interested but Sketchup looks good although I would need a fairly idiot-proof tutorial . I don't make furniture for customers any more , but I wish it had been around 20 years ago as I could have shown customers better drawings .

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Re: A Few Recent SketchUp Scribbles

Postby Dave R » 24 Aug 2015, 13:25

Steve, you could certainly use SketchUp to do what you want and whether you want to make elevations or perspective views, making 3D models in SketchUp will definitely help you get the shadows sorted out. In fact you could use an exported image to trace over if you want. Furniture pieces could be very simple massing models for reference and you can draw in the details as needed.

SketchUp only has one light; the sun. But you can simulate multiple overhead light sources as in the following image by exporting more than one image with the sun in different positions. I softened the shadows using a blur filter in the image editor.
Image

Or you could do simple and quick renders with lights (a table lamp, floor lamp?) in the view.

There are a lot of options available.

As for tutorials, I'd start with the videos on the SketchUp.com site. I did a video tutorial thing awhile back that is available through FineWoodorking.com but it is more directed toward drawing a single piece of furniture. The lessons would still be useful and when it comes down to it, drawing a room and placing stuff in it really isn't any different than drawing a cabinet and adding parts to it.
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