Boulder, here we come!

by Joe Larano in Boulder, Colorado

This morning, I headed to YVR airport to catch up with my United Airline flight to Denver. Though its raining and the day looked gloomy, it was nevertheless an exciting day for me as I am heading to the much awaited 2010 Google SketchUp 3D Basecamp in Boulder Colorado. I am traveling with my wife, who took her day off just to be with me on this trip as we are also celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this year. The trip would be an educational and a pleasure experience, as well.
Being seated at the very last row of the aircraft, the two and a half hour trip to Denver was not really a bore as much of the time was spent talking to that nice and accomodating flight attendant who was seated in the galley closed to our seat.

The first thing that caught my attention when we landed to Denver airport is the roof structure of the terminal, much like the the roof structure of the old Vancouver Convention center. Up in the air, the pristine and white massive billowing tent-like structure dominates the landscape.
We were billeted at the Best Western Inn Hotel in downtown Boulder on 28th Street which is just across the street of the Dairy Centre where the Google SketchUp Basecamp is to be held. With much time to look around and survey the place, we headed to Dairy Centre on 26th Street and posed for picture taking. The Google SketchUp building is located a few hundred feet east on Pearl Street. We walked around to see and discover the beauty of Boulder Colorado.

Standing in front of the Google Dairy Centre in Boulder Colorado, the venue of the 2010 Google SketchUp Basecamp.

Standing in front of the Google SketchUp headquarter in Boulder Colorado.

The building in the background is just opposite the Google building. This building is familiar to you if you are following tutorial on photo matching lesson. This building is the subject of such tutorial and is featured in several You Tube videos on Photo matching lessons.

Countdown to SketchUp 3D Basecamp

by Joe Larano Jr. Richmond BC Canada

Back in 2005, Google SketchUp held its first-ever SketchUp conference in Boulder, Colorado. Two years ago, about 300 SketchUp afficionados met at Google’s headquarters in California for 3D Basecamp 2008. This year, the event is  back in Colorado changing the seminar format a little bit. In the promotional statement of Google SketchUp team said “This time, the organizers are to welcome SketchUp experts – ninjas, gurus, fanatics, la crème de la crème – to join other SketchUp users .” The Basecamp is by invitation only.  The criteria for SketchUp users to be able to join the camp is the user’s level of mastery with SketchUp. Camp applicants are required to submit an image of their best SketchUp work for evaluation. Those SketchUp users whose works are within their criteria are invited to the camp. With a limited attendance to just about 200, the event must be a wrangling and a challenge to every SketchUp lovers wanting to attend the event.

The image of my entry to Google SketchUp3D Basecamp. The objects are modeled in SketchUp and rendered with Kerkythea rendering plug-in.

It is indeed an honor and a privilege to be invited in this very important gathering to learn and update my knowledge of SketchUp. This morning, reading an invitation email from no less than  SketchUp evangelist, Aidan Chopra, I was jumping in joy to receive the good news. In addition of  possible meeting those SketchUp masters I will be having a chance to confer personally those people who keep developing the SketchUp program and those whose names I just only see as authors in several SketchUp books. I have already confirmed my attendance and currently arranging my travel and hotel accommodation . I can’t wait to see and meet those SketchUp wizards and masters. See you in Boulder Colorado!

http://sketchupdate.blogspot.com/2010/07/announcing-sketchup-basecamp-2010.html

http://sketchupdate.blogspot.com/2010/07/submission-deadline-extended-3d.html

Under the cover of darkness

by Joe Larano – Richmond BC Canada

As a hobbyist or shall I say part time  modeler/renderer, I have modeled most of my objects, structures and buildings in a day scene. I find it so usual to render and delineate 3D models in a day or sunny setting. As far as I could remember, I’ve just rendered building exteriors with a night scene only three times. This is especially true as we almost see renderings of many architectural presentations done in a “broad day light” scene. The reasons are various. Renderer/modeler will not be bothered to put extra time to add those lighting elements. The location of the lighting and the amount of light level has to be “mathemathically” correct to produce that realistic rendering. It takes a great deal of time to create a night scene with all the lights giving the right level of illumination. The placement of light in the right spot in the rendering scene also plays  an important part in the total finished scene. Why do we need night scene? Objects, interiors or buildings rendered in a night scene conveys a sort dramatic effect to the composition.  As the viewer wanders his eyes to the image scene with dominant value of black color, the viewer’s eyes is directed to spaces and objects that are illuminated.  Where else you could direct your eyes but to the elements where lights and glow are present. Inclusion of lighting in a scene pays a high premium as the rendering time gets longer and the computer performance is affected by tby memory scene and lighting calculation algorithym. Beginning today and in the next couple of issues of this blog, I will post some of my works which are rendered in a night scene. Happy viewing while under the cover of darkness”!

An image with residential house rendered in a night scene.

.

Facade of a High rise residential tower. White point lights are inserted in the balcony slab soffit to simulate regular downlighter.