Rendering Tip - Use Self Glow for backlit objects

(Self glow applied to television screen)

Self Glow illuminates a surface as if it had light shining on it, without actually making it a light.

* Balance illumination in scene without adding additional lights.
* More realistic signs, monitors and projection devices.
* Faster rendering times.

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Use Procedural bump maps or materials for water

if your renderer has special procedural bump effects they can be used to make realistic water which will reflect buildings, sky and other background objects realistically.

• Distorted reflections to represent water ripples.
• More Realistic highlights from reflection of light.
• Realistic transparency caused by ripples and reflection of light.

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Tip of the Week - Use 2 Pt Perspective for vertical alignment

Due to the type of default perspective that SketchUp use, sometimes buildings can become distorted. Using two point perspective can correct these types of distortions.

Two point perspective, sometimes called ‘2D’ in SketchUp, will keep the vertical lines of your model parallel to each other.

If your rendering software supports 2 pt perspective, use it for better renderings when ever you are looking up or down on models with vertical lines.
 

SketchUp image in 2 Pt Perspective. Vertical lines are vertical.

SketchUp image in normal perspective. Vertical lines angle out.

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Use reflective surfaces for better detail

(Not a photo. This Photo Realistic rendering was created using IRender nXt from a SketchUp model.)

When making your first renderings you will probably think of adding mirrors and lights ,adding reflective properties to surfaces as well will make image even more realistic.

A reflective floor can make the difference between a flat image and a Photo Realistic image. The same is true of metal, wood, plastic and other surfaces... Read more...

Use Section Planes for better interiors

 
(Not a Photo. This is a Photo Realistic rendering created with IRender nXt from a SketchUp model.)

When rendering the inside of a room it is sometimes a challenge to place the camera properly.

You can use SketchUp Section Planes to cut sections enabling you to view geometry within your model. 
If your renderer supports section planes, you can create realistic renderings of the room itself with a camera position outside of the room.

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Use Edge lines for better detail

Tip of the Week - Edge Lines

Tip of the Week - Use Edge lines for better detail

 

Kitchen rendered with edge lines:

 

(Not a Photo. This is a Photo Realistic rendering created with IRender nXt from a SketchUp model.)

 

Kitchen rendered without edge lines. Details are washed out

 

The Edge Lines feature displays the edges of faces when rendered. This is especially valuable with scenes which contain cabinets or furniture where edge lines are necessary to bring out the detail of the components. If edge lines aren’t used, the details can be washed out due to lighting and material choices.

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Use HDRi Skies to improve exterior renderings

Camper rendered with HDRi sky.

HDRi skies are a great way to improve any scene you are rendering. It is a quick and accurate way to give the user a high quality background image and illuminate the scene using the HDRi light intensity and colors.
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