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Google SketchUp 3D Rendering Program
chromedome -
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 - 8:49pm
furnishing designs | Google SketchUp 7 | wrought iron railing designs Not sure if anyone has seen this so I thought I would pass this on, Google has a free easy to use 3 Dimensional Rendering program called SketchUp 7. I have started to use it to design wrought iron railings and other furnishings for clients to see exactly what they will get. It is easy to use and Google has lot's of tutorials. You can find it and download it for Windows & Mac at http://sketchup.google.com/ and the startup tutorials are there as well. Happy drawing.  Computer needs
chromedome -
Wednesday, January 7, 2009 - 11:01pm
Hi Frank, When it came to buying my new laptop I got the most RAM as I could for the money but the key to running these type of programs for me is a powerful processor so you are not taking a nap waiting for the computer to perform tasks. A duo core processor is great if you like to have multiple programs running at once like Sketchup and itunes, email and the like. A duo core is becoming pretty standard these days. 256 MB VRAM (graphics card) is also very good to get if it fits the old budget. Hope that helps some as I really am not a techy. Cam (Chrome Dome)  CAD
Rick Crawford -
Thursday, January 8, 2009 - 5:44am
Hi Frank, I just had to stick my nose in when someone said something about some cad. The google sketchup might even work on your old computer. I am not sure, as I haven't tried it, but it is not a large program. You are dead right to question the video card choice. I have tried at least 20 different cad packages over the years, and have found that the video card is very important to the proper running of the programs. SolidWorks will not even run with a low end video card on most systems. http://www.freebyte.com/cad/cad.htm has a good list of free cad software. They may not keep up with the guy who does CAD all day every day, but for someone who does it occasionally they are fine. Sketchup is OK, so is CoCreate (a very good program). For 2d, instead of 3d, a really good program is the freeware version of Solid Edge 2d. They also have a real good help forum.
By the way, Happy Birthday, I see you had one. We keep getting older, but that is how we get our experience. I remember getting out of high school and needing a job, but couldn't get one without experience. They wouldn't let me into any unions without experience, and I couldn't get it without a job. Circular thinking, I am thinking. Anyhow, happy happy. SmokyRick Rick Crawford at Smoky Forge  Thanks Rick
Frank Castiglione -
Thursday, January 8, 2009 - 10:02am
Hi Rick,  I have an old version of
visitor -
Saturday, January 16, 2010 - 5:00pm
I have an old version of SketchUp 5, (which I actually like better than 6 or 7, the navigation is more old school). I learned SU on this version using an old AMD 1500. In fact I have been getting up to speed with version 7 on my laptop which is only an old Intel Celeron 1.4Ghz with 760 mb of ram, while ver 7 runs, it can get slow when intense material rendering is called, in ver 5 while still slow in todays standards, it runs better than 6 or 7. If you want the old version let me know and I'll zip it up for you. Mark  sketchup design and sculpture
GeorgeMummert -
Thursday, January 8, 2009 - 10:32am
Chrome, I have been using this for about a year, and now with V7 too. It is great. I find it very helpful in designing my sculpture, an addition to our house and I also use it to design site model of the environment where commissioned sculpture is proposed. It is very helpful to my clients to visualize the proposed sculpture within their selected site. Sketchup is fun and addicting. Here are two images...one of my house design - which is designed both inside and out. You can even walk through this design. All furnishings are also to scale. Some manufacturers now provide downloadable files of their products, such as windows, doors, fireplaces, etc. The second is a design for a sculpture base. One of my recent posts about a new bronze and steel sculpture shows the base that is seen here in sketchup. Cheers, George
SketchUp
chromedome -
Thursday, January 8, 2009 - 11:02pm
Hi George, I am finding like all programs it is taking some time to get it working, it will work great for the times I will need it. Nice drawings, it is great to have the 3D Warehouse available for designing home space, we are using it now to design our basement for reno's. Cam (Chrome Dome)  I played with google sketch
eligius1427 -
Thursday, January 8, 2009 - 12:31pm
I played with google sketch up one night, but couldn't get to make curved organic forms, is it limited to geometrical designs? I'm saving up to move into some 3d modeling and right now I'm leaning towards Rhino, but free sounds lots better than $1000, lol. I don't need it to look life like, but do need it to be accurate. Jake Jake Balcom I played with google sketch Try THIS
GeorgeMummert -
Thursday, January 8, 2009 - 12:46pm
E, Organic forms in Sketchup are possible but extremely difficult. Rhino or 3d Studio Max would be better but here is a free option perhaps even better than Rhino - it is Open Source. Download it at this site... www.Blender.Org KeystoneArt.org  Hey Chrome, I just finished
KevinW -
Thursday, January 8, 2009 - 12:46pm
Hey Chrome, I just finished up some work on it. I like it and it saves me lots of time. I came accross it just before they changed it to 7, something went wrong with something (I'm not to good with computers) so I uninstalled it to reinstall it and it was a new version. Drats, I had just begun to use it fluidly. The problem was my AVG free, the solution was getting the AVG to 'exclude' sketchup. Before I did this opening SketchUp would turn off my computer. KevinW Good to know
chromedome -
Thursday, January 8, 2009 - 11:05pm
Hi Kevin, Good to know about the conflict with AVG, I have AVG on my one laptop so if it turns off my computer I will know where to start looking. Cam (Chrome Dome) |
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ArtMetal
Computer Needs
Hi CD,
Thanks for the good tip. I am using a ten year old computer running W98, so the old girl won't handle much. Seeing the need to purchase a new 'puter I'm looking at a machine with the fancy new core i7 CPU. Should I load up on RAM for the these kinds of software? Does the video card have an effect on making this kind of software run well?
Peace,eh?
Frank