Get that Perfect 3D Shape

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PCQ Bureau
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This 3D modeling software is very easy to learn and can be used to create
practically anything you want on Earth and beyond. What's more, you can upload
finished 3D models to Google Earth. Also, share your 3D models and designs with
others by posting them to the Google 3D Warehouse.

You can directly import a lot of innovative images from the 3D Warehouse to
SketchUp for making a 3D model. Another killer feature of this software is the
'Scale' tool for changing the size of an image. The program automatically adds
or removes the intermediate steps without any stretching or distortion of the
image.

Direct Hit!

Applies To: Graphic designers and 3D
artists

Price
: Free

USP: Convert a simple object into a 3D
model.

Primary Link:
sketchup.google.com

Google Keyword: sketchup

You can design your objects using rectangles, circles, ovals, arcs, lines and
freehand drawings tools and change these to 2D objects with the help of the
'Push/Pull' tool.

Go to '>Window
>Preferences' and select a template. In Camera' menu choose 'Parallel
Projection'. Click on 'Front' and 'Iso' icons and select 'Zoom Extents' and
Shader tool.
Select the
'Rectangle' tool and draw a rectangle. Click the 'Push/Pull' tool to press
and drag the rectangle to make a box or leg. Clicking the 'X-Ray' tool shows
the complete box area.
Choose the
'Select' tool to select the top of the box. You can see blue dots on the
top, when you select that area. Clicking on the 'Scale' tool shows eight
cubes on the selected area.
These eight cubes
are for gripping and pulling. Hovering the mouse cursor over a cube turns it
red. You can also see a connecting line through these cubes.
Drag the red cube
on top downwards to get a crossed leg. Drag the top portion of the leg
upwards, using the Push/Pull tool. Click on 'Zoom Extends' tool to get the
exact picture.
Open the 'Window'
menu and select 'Layers', 'Entity Info' and 'Components.' In Layers, press
'+' to create Layer1 and select it in 'Entity Info.' Right click on a leg to
make a component.
Draw a rectangle
on the floor and go to 'Components'. You see a new component, #1, when you
click the house icon. Drag the component to the floor, next to the first
leg.
Repeat the same
procedure to create two more legs. To delete the square at the base, select
it and use the 'Del' key from the keyboard for deletion.
Rotate the screen
using 'Orbit' tool to make the legs straight and draw a rectangle on top of
the legs. Select the new rectangle and push it up a little using the
'Push/Pull' tool.
Click on the
'PaintBucket' tool to choose an attractive paint for the table. You can
paint the table head and legs separately with different colors and apply
different textures.
Select 'Snow02'
from the 'Library' materials group and drag it into the 'Area 1 (full)'
scene. In Properties, select 'Snow02' and change the 'Placing Conditions'
values shown.
Click on
'Cumulonimbus' cloud and drag it to within the 'Crater'. Select 'Cloud
Shape' property and change the values as shown. Set 'Height above Surface'
as 40.
Click on
'Cumulonimbus' cloud again and place it on top of the first cloud. Select
the new cloud and change values as shown. Set 'Height above Surface' as 80.
Repeat the
previous step a few more times. Select each cloud and set the values bigger
each time. Also place the new cloud on top of the previous cloud. Click on
the Render icon.
For fine tuning,
select 'Cloud Shape' and change each cloud's Voxel Number, Random Seed and
Spheres Number. Do some variations with the 'Cloud Profile' as well.
Real volcanoes
contain gases, steam, mud and ash when they erupt. Change cloud color to
R180, G180, B180 and Ambient color to R255, G235, B170 for all clouds. Start
rendering now.

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