Sunday, 14 July 2013
well and this even extends to making 3D art
accessible to the most inexperienced artist in
the form of Google SketchUp.
Google SketchUp bucks the trend of
expensive 3D modeling software such as
3DSMax and Cinema4D and presents a free,
easy to use alternative with which you can
even post your creations onto Google Earth
for the world to see. The latest version has
been integrated with Google Maps too so that
geo-tagging your creations is easier than
ever.
There's a refreshing lack of technical jargon
in Google SketchUp and unfamiliar terms to
beginners such as the 'Extrude' tool have
been renamed to the more obvious 'Push/
Pull' for example. There are plenty of helpful
hints and guides throughout too helping you
get to grips with 'snapping' when you draw
rectangles, circles and other shapes. Google
Sketchup intelligently predicts where you
want endpoints to meet and snaps them shut
for you, saving lots of time messing around.
SketchUp doesn't lack in functionality though
despite its ease of use and includes all the
usual collection of drawing and filling tools
you'd expect, neatly accessible in the toolbar
across the top of the screen. Instructor hints
pop out on the right of the screen when it
thinks you need them. Other options can be
accessed via the menu system, or you can
choose to place extra palettes on the
workspace to save wading through menus.
Of particular note is the 'Materials' palette,
which contains over 100 different preset
swatches, such as vegetation, metal and
glass. The Shadow Settings palette is also
worth keeping to hand, as it allows you to
apply realistic shadows via simple sliders.
The real fun however is when you export your
Google SketchUp drawings into Google Earth.
You can send images of your 3D designs via
email or upload them for free storage at
Google's 3D Web Warehouse. Alternatively,
you can geo-tag them in one-step using
Google Maps which has now been integrated
into Google Sketchup. You receive a
snapshot when you add a geo-location to
your model which now includes 3D terrain
data plus color aerial imagery .
There are some problems with Google
SketchUp however. Most annoying is when
trying to create domed surfaces because of
the cumbersome nature of the Extrude tool,
although pushing and pulling straight lines is
considerably easier. Being free, it also
obviously lacks some of the advanced
features of many of its heavyweight rivals.
Google SketchUp provides a refreshingly
simple approach to 3D graphic design and
modeling and is ideal for non experts in CAD
technology.
Language: English
File size: 34.1 MB
Date: February 22, 2013
Publisher: Google | More
programs (189)
Downloads: 1,074,351
O.S.: Windows XP,
Windows Vista,
Windows 7, Windows
8
Category: 3D Design > 3D
Design & Modelling
DOWNLOAD LINK
http://adf.ly/S51eI
