NIGHT RENDERING: SKETCHUP TO PHOTOSHOP
Wednesday, May 12, 2010 This tutorial will create an artistic night rendering by exporting images from Sketchup to Photoshop. This means no external rendering programs are needed saving a lot of time.
VIDEO
STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL
1: First, a view should be saved because multiple images will be exported and overlayed in Photoshop. Accidentally moving the view will make it almost impossible to get the images to line up later. This can be done by going to View>animation>add scene
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2. Next export 3 images with the following face styles and edge styles :
FACE STYLE: Shaded with textures, EDGE STYLE: Shadows on, NO edge lines
FACE STYLE: X-ray on, Shaded with textures, EDGE STYLE: Shadows on, Edge lins on
FACE STYLE: Hidden line, EDGE STYLE: Shadows on, NO edge lines
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3. In Photoshop, open the image with shaded texture but no edge lines.
Desaturate the image (image>adjustments>desaturate)
Adjust the levels so that the grey tones are a little more dramatic (image<adjustments<levels)
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4. Open the image - x-ray mode with edge lines- in a new layer above the previous layer
Set the blend mode to OVERLAY (blend modes are found in the layers palate on the top left)
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5. Next, duplicate the top layer (xray with edge lines)
Change the Blend mode of the layer to DIFFERENCE
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6. Open the image -hidden line with only shadows- set it as the top layer
First, the shadows need to be darkened to black. To do this, go into levels (image, adjustments, levels) and move the left triangle adjustment to the right until the shadows are pure black.
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Next, set the blend mode of that same layer to DARKEN
(NOTE: This step will darken shadows in the overall image giving the rendering more depth. Howere, in some areas you may not want pure black shadows in which case you can erase or lower the opacity of the layer)
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7. Finally, create a new layer and move it to the top.
With a paint brush (set to round soft, opacity set to 50%, and color set to black) paint edges in the background where the ground plane ends, as well as around the boarder creating emphasis to the center of the rendering.
I also made minor tweaks to the towers and other areas by erasing sections of certain layers and adjusting the levels of others. Since this was more image specific, I didn't include it in this tutorial
The final rendering is achieved in a pretty short amount of time with no external rendering engines needed, just photoshop.
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(NOTE: exporting the sketchup images at higher resolutions will dramatically increase the quality of the rendering. I usually try to export at twice the screen resolution or higher. Line work is usually much cleaner when this is done)
Reader Comments (9)
Hi Alex,
I am following your blog for quite some time... amazing work.. congratulations and thanks for this wonderful tutorial. Would love to see some of your grasshopper tutorials...
Adi
Hi Adi,
Thanks for following my website. I will be creating some rendering tutorials first, and then hopefully moving on to some grasshopper tutorials that are different than what are already out there when time permits.
hi alex, awesome tutorial u have made, i'll keep following ur blog..and maybe i'll tell some of my friends to see ur blog too
Hi Alex. I found your tutorials, and they helps me extremely with my diploma project. The problem is, some of them have been blocked on youtube for my country (which is Poland, European Union). Could I ask why?
The one from this page, is one of the blocked videos.
PS: I am sorry for my imperfect english.
Some of the videos have music that is blocked in certain countries. This has been causing a lot of problems. I plan on uploading videos with no music this summer.
Great stuff Alex! Very helpful videos. Many thanks from Switzerland!
Passing the lessons and techniques further, developing a new vision for many in the architecture worldwide.
Top!
isn't that nampu bridge location in shanghai ? I allso made one competition there :D haha !
Gracias para todo :)