Rendering Programs For Sketchup
KeyShot
- 1. Maintain colors and textures
- 2. Recognize groups
- 3. Export .bip
KeyShot SketchUp Tutorial
- Maintain colors and textures
- Recognize groups
- Export .bip
FREE
PanoScene
- 1. Creates panoramic scenes
- 2. Easier to export
FREE
Shadowtex
- 1. Shadowtex targets a single ray from the center of a face
- 2. Works with loose faces
- 3. Projected in some areas of a single face, Shadowtex will not apply color or texture to does specific instances
- Shadowtex targets a single ray from the center of a face
- Works with loose faces
- Projected in some areas of a single face, Shadowtex will not apply color or texture to does specific instances
FREE
Links Manager
- 1. Provides SU users some basic links commands to set, delete, highlight, and visit URL
- 2. Files associated with objects of the model
- Provides SU users some basic links commands to set, delete, highlight, and visit URL
- Files associated with objects of the model
FREE
ReScene
- 1. One click solution for updating styles properties to scenes
- 2. Renames all scenes included in animation
- 3. Repositions all scenes in alphabetical order
ReScene SketchUp Tutorial
- One click solution for updating styles properties to scenes
- Renames all scenes included in animation
- Repositions all scenes in alphabetical order
FREE
Goldilocks
- 1. Identifying where you have too much or too little Resolution
- 2. Having too much resolution
- Identifying where you have too much or too little Resolution
- Having too much resolution
FREE
Advanced Camera Tools
- 1. Allows film and television pros to storyboard, design sets, visualize scenes
- 2. Use ACT to place real-world cameras in your SketchUp models
Advanced Camera Tools SketchUp Tutorial
- Allows film and television pros to storyboard, design sets, visualize scenes
- Use ACT to place real-world cameras in your SketchUp models
FREE
Photo Textures
- 1. Allows you to apply Google Street View imagery to your models
- Allows you to apply Google Street View imagery to your models
FREE
Walkabout3d Exporter
- 1. Allows SketchUp users to explore their designs as a full screen real-time walkthrough
- 2. Allows you to package your Sketchup designs into a format
- 3. Supports for Oculus Rift VR headset, amd 3dtv output
- Allows SketchUp users to explore their designs as a full screen real-time walkthrough
- Allows you to package your Sketchup designs into a format
- Supports for Oculus Rift VR headset, amd 3dtv output
FREE
Texture Resizer
- 1. Allows to downsample all textures in the model or selection
- 2. Useful if you want to quickly share a file that is too big
- 3. Resizing can be performed either to a given percentage, or optimized to a specific resolution
- 4. Textures can be cropped to the area that is actually used in the model
- Allows to downsample all textures in the model or selection
- Useful if you want to quickly share a file that is too big
- Resizing can be performed either to a given percentage, or optimized to a specific resolution
- Textures can be cropped to the area that is actually used in the model
FREE
Links Manager
- 1. Provides SU users some basic links commands to set, delete, highlight, and visit URL
- 2. Files associated with objects of the model
- Provides SU users some basic links commands to set, delete, highlight, and visit URL
- Files associated with objects of the model
FREE
KeyShot
- 1. Maintain colors and textures
- 2. Recognize groups
- 3. Export .bip
KeyShot SketchUp Tutorial
- Maintain colors and textures
- Recognize groups
- Export .bip
FREE
PanoScene
- 1. Creates panoramic scenes
- 2. Easier to export
FREE
Shadowtex
- 1. Shadowtex targets a single ray from the center of a face
- 2. Works with loose faces
- 3. Projected in some areas of a single face, Shadowtex will not apply color or texture to does specific instances
- Shadowtex targets a single ray from the center of a face
- Works with loose faces
- Projected in some areas of a single face, Shadowtex will not apply color or texture to does specific instances
FREE
ReScene
- 1. One click solution for updating styles properties to scenes
- 2. Renames all scenes included in animation
- 3. Repositions all scenes in alphabetical order
ReScene SketchUp Tutorial
- One click solution for updating styles properties to scenes
- Renames all scenes included in animation
- Repositions all scenes in alphabetical order
FREE
CLF Color by Z
- 1. Prompt you to enter two colors by inputing the RGB values
- 2. Paint all faces in the model according to their elevation
- 3. The first color will be applied to the highest elevations
- 4. It will not paint groups or components or edges
- Prompt you to enter two colors by inputing the RGB values
- Paint all faces in the model according to their elevation
- The first color will be applied to the highest elevations
- It will not paint groups or components or edges
FREE
Goldilocks
- 1. Identifying where you have too much or too little Resolution
- 2. Having too much resolution
- Identifying where you have too much or too little Resolution
- Having too much resolution
FREE
V-Ray Tools²
- 1. Safe Frame and 2D Export
- 2. Measure the distance from the camera to any point the model
- 3. Tries to recreate the current scene into a new one
- 4. Load V-Ray for SketchUp on demand
- 5. Use Selected Material as User Override
- Safe Frame and 2D Export
- Measure the distance from the camera to any point the model
- Tries to recreate the current scene into a new one
- Load V-Ray for SketchUp on demand
- Use Selected Material as User Override
- Purge V-Ray Materials. Removes all V-Ray properties from the materials
- Purge V-Ray Settings and Materials
FREE
Photo Textures
- 1. Allows you to apply Google Street View imagery to your models
- Allows you to apply Google Street View imagery to your models
FREE
SimLab Composer Integration
- 1. Complete a 3D design application
- 2. Distribute SimLab composer OEM editions with their applications
- Complete a 3D design application
- Distribute SimLab composer OEM editions with their applications
FREE
KeyShot
- 1. Maintain colors and textures
- 2. Recognize groups
- 3. Export .bip
KeyShot SketchUp Tutorial
- Maintain colors and textures
- Recognize groups
- Export .bip
FREE
PanoScene
- 1. Creates panoramic scenes
- 2. Easier to export
FREE
Links Manager
- 1. Provides SU users some basic links commands to set, delete, highlight, and visit URL
- 2. Files associated with objects of the model
- Provides SU users some basic links commands to set, delete, highlight, and visit URL
- Files associated with objects of the model
FREE
Texture Resizer
- 1. Allows to downsample all textures in the model or selection
- 2. Useful if you want to quickly share a file that is too big
- 3. Resizing can be performed either to a given percentage, or optimized to a specific resolution
- 4. Textures can be cropped to the area that is actually used in the model
- Allows to downsample all textures in the model or selection
- Useful if you want to quickly share a file that is too big
- Resizing can be performed either to a given percentage, or optimized to a specific resolution
- Textures can be cropped to the area that is actually used in the model
FREE
ReScene
- 1. One click solution for updating styles properties to scenes
- 2. Renames all scenes included in animation
- 3. Repositions all scenes in alphabetical order
ReScene SketchUp Tutorial
- One click solution for updating styles properties to scenes
- Renames all scenes included in animation
- Repositions all scenes in alphabetical order
FREE
CLF Color by Z
- 1. Prompt you to enter two colors by inputing the RGB values
- 2. Paint all faces in the model according to their elevation
- 3. The first color will be applied to the highest elevations
- 4. It will not paint groups or components or edges
- Prompt you to enter two colors by inputing the RGB values
- Paint all faces in the model according to their elevation
- The first color will be applied to the highest elevations
- It will not paint groups or components or edges
FREE
V-Ray Tools²
- 1. Safe Frame and 2D Export
- 2. Measure the distance from the camera to any point the model
- 3. Tries to recreate the current scene into a new one
- 4. Load V-Ray for SketchUp on demand
- 5. Use Selected Material as User Override
- Safe Frame and 2D Export
- Measure the distance from the camera to any point the model
- Tries to recreate the current scene into a new one
- Load V-Ray for SketchUp on demand
- Use Selected Material as User Override
- Purge V-Ray Materials. Removes all V-Ray properties from the materials
- Purge V-Ray Settings and Materials
FREE
Photo Textures
- 1. Allows you to apply Google Street View imagery to your models
- Allows you to apply Google Street View imagery to your models
FREE
Shadowtex
- 1. Shadowtex targets a single ray from the center of a face
- 2. Works with loose faces
- 3. Projected in some areas of a single face, Shadowtex will not apply color or texture to does specific instances
- Shadowtex targets a single ray from the center of a face
- Works with loose faces
- Projected in some areas of a single face, Shadowtex will not apply color or texture to does specific instances
FREE
Walkabout3d Exporter
- 1. Allows SketchUp users to explore their designs as a full screen real-time walkthrough
- 2. Allows you to package your Sketchup designs into a format
- 3. Supports for Oculus Rift VR headset, amd 3dtv output
- Allows SketchUp users to explore their designs as a full screen real-time walkthrough
- Allows you to package your Sketchup designs into a format
- Supports for Oculus Rift VR headset, amd 3dtv output
FREE
Top Free Rendering Extensions /Addons for SketchUp
SketchUp Extensions are suited for both MAC and PC and can exponentially increase the efficiency of your SketchUp version today. These SketchUp Rendering Extensions include different design studios which come packed with 3D tools, Photorealistic Renderings, Attributes and custom reports and interactive 3D PDF among the many mentioned features. These not only help in creating quality work but also help to make the work easier and faster. Using the IRender/ nXtRender rendering engine adds oomph to the photorealistic rendering. But for the ones who believe in everything old school there are the non-photorealistic rendering options which allow sketchy, soft and shadowy qualities to be imparted to the models.
The 3D tools that come with these SketchUp Extensions are the most efficient in creating buildings, landscapes, products and 3D structures by using SketchUp. There are specially created extensions which focus on channel arrangement on the basis of magnetic points and input of numeric values. Using these extensions allow you to easily move or copy segments of your channel to a new location while the magnetic points direct you to the exact alignment. More tools come with list making options which means you can add attributes about your entire model or specific parts of your model and the same data can be easily transferred via clipboard to your calculation sheets or bills. You can easily manage the tools and libraries by using the functions of these SketchUp Rendering Extensions which also contain information that help you with the installation process. The multi-system compatibility is a main USP of SketchUp Rendering Extensions. Trust BestPlugins to serve you with the best and latest SketchUp Rendering Extensions any day.
Google SketchUp is quickly becoming the most widely-used
3D modeling tool in the architecture and design industries, and it’s easy to
see why. SketchUp offers a user-friendly toolset that is easy for designers to
pick up and use to help them with their work. It is the quickest way to
understand how a project is coming together in glorious three dimensions and
helps cut down on spending valuable time wrestling with other, more cumbersome
programs.
And to the delight of architects around the globe, the
ability to integrate rendering software with SketchUp’s design tools elevate it
to an all-in-one presentation powerhouse that lets them produce mind-blowing
renderings and visualizations completely in house.
However, there are a lot of renderers to choose from, and
they aren’t all created equally. This list aims to outline the best rendering
plugins and integrated software that work with SketchUp, and which ones might
be perfect for you depending on the kind of design work you’re doing.
This is the best rendering software for Google SketchUp.
vRay
vRay has been at the top of the rendering software
mountain since 3D visualization became a thing. It is powerful, ubiquitous, and
comes with a massive support community that will help new users get their feet
wet without too steep a learning curve. vRay makes a plugin for SketchUp that
integrates seamlessly, ensuring you never have to leave the program to set your
scenes, apply materials, and tweak lighting conditions on the fly.
SU Podium
Podium is a favorite among architects and architectural
designers because it has a user interface that reflects the streamlined and
efficient inputs of SketchUp itself. It might not have the most well-known
brand name attached to it, but make no mistake: SU Podium is capable of producing
renderings and visualizations that are just as impressive as some of the giants
in the industry. Podium has a great support community, and easy-to-find
tutorials that help new users get quickly up to speed with how to best utilize
the program’s potential.
Maxwell
Another household name, and another reason why SketchUp
has become such a capable presentation tool. Maxwell has been around for almost
as long as vRay, and has managed to keep up with the best rendering software
available because of the dedication to excellence demonstrated by its
developers. They knew they had something special when SketchUp gained
popularity, so they jumped on-board with a plugin that was geared specifically
towards making it a better renderer. The result is a power couple that is hard
to best in the design and visualization world.
Indigo Renderer
While Indigo Renderer is a bit of a lesser known quantity
among some of the more popular engines on this list, it certainly shouldn’t be
disregarded as inferior. In fact, Indigo is fully capable of producing
photorealistic renderings that stand tall against the other giants on this
list. One of Indigo’s coolest features is its physics-based lighting modulator
that produces some of the most believable conditions for interior and exterior
lighting. Pair this with a fast rendering algorithm and seamless SketchUp
integration, and you have yourself a viable up and comer in the 3D
visualization industry.
LumenRT
LumenRT is great for designers and landscape architects
who rely heavily on terrain and landscape manipulation for their work. It’s
toolset slots in nicely with SketchUp’s, and even has a few topography
modifiers that help shine light on one of SketchUp’s most glaring blind spots.
In addition to all that, LumenRT is a renderer fully capable of producing
images and animations that help explain why your designs are worth celebrating.
And while they are still working on a plugin for SketchUp, your 3D models can
be easily imported into Lumen for modifications and manipulations.
Visualizer
Visualizer might not be the most high-end renderer
available for SketchUp, but it is certainly the most user-friendly. You can see
your models come to life in real lighting and materiality conditions as you
design, making SketchUp an instantly better design tool right out of the box.
The visualizations it produces aren’t print quality, but it is a great entry
point for people looking for something easy, free, and fast to get start honing
their rendering chops. There is no risk involved in giving Visualizer a try,
and the rewards could be a better end product for you and your clients.