TurboSketch Studio is a jade - in for Google SketchUp ( ) , and include the costless reading of the programme in the loge . It work out with both the free and the Pro versions of this powerful 3 - D program , which is typically used for architectural rendition that ship with rather minimal lighting and rise effects .

That ’s where TurboSketch Studio get into the picture . Applying a realistic - looking brick surface , for deterrent example , transform a blunt 2 - D example into a subtle , lifelike environment . TurboSketch grain and firing also add a dimension of Platonism to SketchUp models .

With TurboSketch lighting effects , you could use any physical object as a unaccented author — for instance , you could transform a street light in a drawing into an real light generator that pretend other physical object in the picture .

TurboSketch ’s parcel of lighting effects and surfaces is utilitarian for more than just architectural renderings , but that ’s its main appeal .

TurboSketch ’s quid - in effects are approachable in SketchUp by adding feature of speech to the SketchUp menu ; alternately , you’re able to apply TurboSketch effects in SketchUp by opening a disjoined toolbar to access TurboSketch ’s effects .

Managing performance

There ’s a downside to TurboSketch ’s photorealistic renderings — they importantly slow down the surgical operation of both versions of SketchUp . Because TurboSketch Studio utilize ray tracing ( and other related processor - intensive technique ) to work out complex interrelationships between light and airfoil , there ’s a obtrusive drain on system resources ; as a result , effect are not applied in real clock time .

you may negociate these performance challenges by conform the horizontal surface of particular rendering in several ways . you may , for example , choose from several scale of measurement of render : a site ( a shopping shopping centre or flat complex ) , a construction , a room , a heavy object ( like a desk ) , or a humble object ( like a playpen ) . The efficient mode to work in TurboSketch is to apply effects only to large objects first . For instance , you might implement burden to the walls of a edifice , but not to smaller object in the model like a desk or a chair . Once you have chosen open and lighting , take a coffee tree break and let TurboSketch apply the result to every object in your model . When you practice full photorealistic rendering to object as small as a pen , you’re able to wait as long as 40 minutes for the effect to render , depending on your hardware .

Another proportion to superintend processing fourth dimension is choosing how much detail to practice when applying lighting impression . For case , if you utilise a mirror - like surface to a large rampart of windows in a building , light ruminate from those window will then bounce off other surfaces , and reflect in turn on additional Earth’s surface . apply optimum lighting effects is not practical in real - fourth dimension design , so TurboSketch allows you to reduce lighting truth and lineament while you experiment . Then , after you have a rough picture of how the gist will calculate , you may again take a umber break and let the lighting effects render .

Macworld’s buying advice

Before buy a photorealistic nag - in like TurboSketch Studio , play with SketchUp to see if the basic rendering options that come with the program are sufficient for your needs . If you require more luxuriously - powered lighting and surface effects to use in presentations , TurboSketch supply them ably — but slowly .

[ David Karlins is the source ofDreamweaver CS3 How - Tos : 100 Essential Techniques(Adobe Press ; 2007 ) andIllustrator CS3 How - Tos : 100 Essential Techniques(Adobe Press ; 2007 ) , along with XII of other books on digital graphic and interactive pattern . ]