Google SketchUp Workshop Once the boundaries of the space have been defined, it needs to be fitted out. Since the building was a former military barracks in a garrison town, we immediately thought of using Vauban as a theme. Using the name as a keyword for an Internet image search, we easily turned up many of Vauban’s original plans, which we simply had to drag and drop into SketchUp to create exhibition displays. At the same time, research on Wikipedia returned a bibliography whose first paragraph, copied into SketchUp’s 3D Text tool, became an integral element of one of the wall displays. Also, by using the 3D Text tool to change the font and the size of the text, we were able to create a convincing title for the exhibition. Finally, still adhering to the same theme, Google’s 3D Warehouse offers no end of models of Star (Escarpment) Fortresses (a specialty of Vauban): You just need to reduce them down to the appropriate scale to compete the exhibition.
FIG 1.9 Improved model.
Stage 3: Creating an Image Objectives: Rendering a photorealistic image of the space (lighting, materials). Data: 3D model. Tools: Artlantis. After fitting out the exhibition space, we then moved on to the rendering proper. In view of the number of different materials to adjust and the number of light sources that needed to be placed, we decided on Artlantis, since, in such a situation, Artlantis is far more flexible and easy to use than Vray. 14