Continuing work on my research lab design, I wanted to generate floor plans that were a little more informational than the standard line drawings. Therefore, I turned the floor plans into oblique projection drawings using my Sketchup model and a technique described many years ago seen here. Using this method, the plans do not distort allowing one to still measure off of them and put to scale. However, unlike 2d floor plans, these have a three dimensional feel to them allowing for more articulation of wall materials and tectonics. Below is a quick break down of the illustration.
1. Compile Base Images and Renderings
Sketchup Line Work
V-Ray Ambient Occlusion Rendering
V-Ray Clay Rendering
Three Layers Combined
I used three base images to compile the bulk of the illustration. I used a line work export from Sketchup, an ambient occlusion rendering from V-Ray, and a clay rendering from V-Ray. I then combined them in Sketchup to get the above image. The line work and AO pass add detail that help articulate what is happening with the geometry. Since I am going for more of a diagrammatic image, I leaned on these passes more than the clay rendering.
2. Poche
The focus of this illustration is to describe the floor plan design. Therefore, I want to play up the cut of the section. To do this, I painted the section cut in Photoshop with black paint.
3. Extra Details
I ended up painting the floor a dark grey to create more of a contrast between it and the walls. I also abstractly introduced sticks representing trees to give a some texture to the illustration.
4. Stretch
At this point, I stretched the image to make it a plan oblique before I add text. Again, the process of creating a plan oblique image from a Sketchup model can be seen here.
5. Annotation and Final Coloring
Finally, I dropped in some annotation and did some quick color editing using Topaz. I expect coloring may change again once I start developing final page spreads for the project.
Another masterpiece, as always! How do you do to preserve the transparence in vray clay render mode? And, at last, how do you export the ambient occlusion? Thanks’ Alex. Sorry for my bad English ?
To preserve transparency, you have to uncheck the box “can be overridden” for the material in the V-Ray material editor. For AO, there are some tutorials that describe how to set it up on Youtube. The process is too long for me to explain here.
nice as always! how did you do the vegetation.. is it photoshopped,rendered or painted? can you explain it a bit …..
thanks alex
The vegetation on top is cute. 🙂
They vegetation was all Photoshop. It is made up of several aerial images of vegetable fields that I found online.
What method did you use to cut the model for the Vray rendering, since Vray for Sketchup does not allow you to render a “live” Sketchup section plane cut. I’ve used Zorro and other plug-ins in the past or simply explode the model and intersect the selection with a plane at the cut height you want and delete everything above. This always seems to be a messy venture for me and I was curious how you prefer to do this. Thanks.
For now, I use the Zorro plugin. However, it sounds like the new version of V-Ray for Sketchup will support rendering a Sketchup section cut when it is released. Fingers crossed.
Brilliant, as always. The stretch technique is so smart. Finally managed to achieve an oblique plan I had been trying for months. Thank you SO much!
Hey Alex!
This looks so great!!
I just have a few doubts, and I’m sorry if it’s a dumb question but im new to this. First question is what style do you use on sketchup to get your lines like this? Mine are always thicker and to be honest not this pretty. Also you say ” I then combined them in Sketchup to get the above image.” How did you do this?
Again, I’m sorry if it’s too obvious.
I am really loving your website 🙂
Thanks!
http://imgur.com/a/SWbf1
Tree shadows don’t compute and that upsets me.
After all, an image has to create a coherent and convincing world. Whether or not this world subjects to laws of nature is least of a concern. In this example world’s integrity is undermined.
Best wishes
Great Guide!
I’ve been looking for a way to properly make an Oblique Design this really helped me a lot on my project!
Thanks for this step by step on Oblique Floor Plans!
Thank you for sharing awesome works! I am wondering that you have any youtube video for a tutorial for this one? particularly, I am impressed my your simplification maximize your statement!
Wow, these floor plans are great. They have so much detail and can be used with authentication sites. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Hello guys! I was wondering if it is possible to have an animation with the same graphic characteristics of the axonometry above. I read that Vray was used for that result!
Is it possible to give the same strokes and shadows’ style to an animation like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxMYKtD20SI
Thanks!!
Hey Alex,
Another wonderful tutorial that I hope to be putting use here soon.
Ive been trying to figure out for a month now how you are able to export the ao channel within SketchUP. This is the only thing stopping me from moving forward with this.
Thanks for all of the great inspiration and time you put into your work!
Wow, another great tutorial. I was wondering what font you use for your texts and annotations though. Cheers 🙂
Hey Alex,
your whole website is an amazing work and surely an inspiration for many of us..I´d like to ask you, if you ever cosidered making (more) video-tutorials, that would show more of the process (from .skp until finished image). When I try to learn some of the visualisation-styles you show here, it often happens to me, that I get stuck in the process, because I am missing some steps which are either new for me or are not explained etc. So step by step tutorials would be very very helpful. Of course I am totally willing to pay for such a videos and I think many us, your funs would be interested:)
Thanks again:)
Great initiative and learning site
Nice article thank you for sharnig
its one of the best blog. All sharing is awesome.
all post have ton of information for viewers.
Hey, could you share a tutorial on clay rendering with Vray? I’ve seen the one with kerkathiya but wanted a Vray one.
Thanks in advance! 🙂
Sorry, one more thing. When you overlap the different diagrams, what blending mode do you use??
I must say, your works are always awesome!
You really help me a lot