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Kitchen Design Plugin for Sketchup, Sketchup training.

Brizo adds TONS of models to the 3D Warehouse

Some of the finest faucet models in the 3D Warehouse just got a whole lot more awesome recently.

Brizo and Igloo Studios have released 103 new Sketchup models of some of the best faucets around.  They're available for free on the 3d Warehouse for you to use in your next Sketchup model.

They are beautifully modeled as well.  Take a look at this side by side comparison of a Sketchup model, and an actual faucet.  I know what you're thinking, it's rendered.  Well, it's not.  Igloo has a fantastic method of taking photo textures and wrapping them around 3D models so that these faucets look great at any angle.

But wait, there's more!

These beauty of these Sketchup models, much like Brizo faucets is more then skin deep, they're quite smart.  They are embedded with information that can help you, the designer use these in your model and get the information you need, see this screen shot from Sketchup:

Dimensions, model numbers, and even a link back to the faucet on the website are all there.

But wait, there's EVEN MORE!

So you've built your fantastic model, and you want to get a list of all those Brizo faucets you've specified so that you can order them really easily.  You CAN do that.  Just use Product Connect, a free plugin for Sketchup that allows you to run reports on your models.  Igloo and other companies have made tons of Product Enabled models that you can use.  If you want add information to your own models so that you can get a report, you can do that easily with their plugin.  I'd explain it more, but I think this video can best do this awesomeness justice:

Happy modeling (and specifying!)

 

A Rendered Garage

Over the past few years my view on renderings has changed quite a bit.  I used to be very against them, but now I am loving them! This is my latest rendering, designed by Mark Johnson FAIA. and modeled by Joe Sharkey.

This Sketchup model started out looking like this:

And ended up looking like this:

Pretty cool right?  And just for a reference, here is the garage in real life:

And lastly, if you want to see experience the model in 3D, you can download it and view it here:

3D Warehouse Access Issues inside Sketchup

UPDATED: SEE BELOW

Over the past few days I have noticed that some of the component collections you find in your components window aren't accessible within Sketchup anymore.

It appears that all of the collections except for "Transportation"  and "Playground"  are effected.  Since these categories are just essentially bookmarks to the 3D Warehouse, I assumed that Google had perhaps moved them online, and thus broken the link between Sketchup and where they reside online.

This doesn't appear to be the case, as these collections are easily accessible in your browser.

Since I use these just about everyday, I was really scrambling to find a way to get them back easily.  After I found them in the browser I realized that I could download the models I needed, and then go to "File>Import" and select Sketchup models on the bottom, then select the component file I wanted.  This is a tedious process at best.

The faster solution is to open a browser window next to Sketchup, find the components in the 3D Warehouse with your browser, then just drag them into Sketchup.  This appears to only work on a PC, not on a Mac.  Right now Mac users are stuck with the tedious method.

I wondered if anyone else was seeing this issue, so I checked around online and I found these threads:

SketchUCation

Google Sketchup Help Group

Is anyone else seeing this issue? if so, please let us know in the comments.  We will be keeping this post up to date as this develops.

Update:

It appears that Google is aware of the issue and is working on a fix now.  We'll keep you updated.

Update 3/11/2012

Just opened Sketchup and it appears the issue has been solved!  Thanks Google!

2011 Year End Review

It's been a spectacular year for this blog.  What started out as a humble blog for Sketchup related tips has expanded into a globally read resource read by thousands every month.

Not only is this post a review of some of the high points this year, for all of the new readers it will be a great way to get up to speed on what goes on here.  Consider it a "Cliff notes" or a "Best of album" for 2011. Let's jump right in!

First and foremost, there is a lot of Sketchup content from this year.

There was a lot of coverage on mobile apps this year too:

And lastly, everything else!
And most importantly, I want to thank everyone for reading this year!

Jason Wu & Brizo now in Sketchup!

If you aren't aware of Brizo faucets, you should be.  Brizo was started about eight years ago as a spinoff of from the Delta faucet company.  Brizo is quite the opposite of a mass production, engineering first, design second faucet company.

Much like Apple, Ferrari, and other boutique companies they focus on the design of their products above all else.  They apparently drive their engineers insane asking for the impossible.  A few years ago, to further their commitment to design they partnered with Jason Wu, a then up-and-coming fashion designer.  Since then, he's worked closely with Brizo developing the lastest design's in faucets.

Just recently, an entire line of Jason Wu bath products has been launched.  No longer do you just get a great faucet, you get towel bars, soap dishes, cabinet pulls, and even a trash bin.  All of these are made by Brizo, and designed by Jason Wu so they all look fantastic together.  Want to check them out?  Head over here to see them (and preorder)

How about this, do you want to see them in 3D?  Well you can!  Just fire up Sketchup and go to your components window (Window>Components) and punch in "Jason Wu" into the Google Search.  You can get this entire line in 3D to use on your next bath model!

I am working on a bath design right now, I will be posting it later in the week.

If you use these, I'd love to see what you come up with, so feel free to post your models in the comments!

Click here to see the Jason Wu models in the 3D warehouse!