[John Pacyga]

Laurent,

I whole-heartedly back Vectorworks Landmark.  It’s amazingly well-fitted to our profession.  I also believe watching the videos will help you get over any learning curve.  (The company also has Service Select which gives you more videos on landscape tasks, training, and software upgrades.  It’s well worth it.)  SketchUp just released a new version today by the way.  They are working on becoming more of a professional’s choice but it is mainly a visualization tool.  So if you want plant schedules that automatically update, customizable symbols, and full color plans spend the time to get into Vectorworks Landmark.

[John Pacyga]

The tutorial on lynda.com covers dynamic components using a picket fence.  The first few lessons are free and it would give you a start.

http://www.lynda.com/Google-Sketchup-Pro-7-tutorials/google-sketchup-pro-tools-and-techniques/51009-2.html

SketchUp also has some videos for beginning with DC’s:

http://support.google.com/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=115536&topic=22501&ctx=topic

Here is a step by step version of creating a DC of a picket fence:

http://support.google.com/sketchup/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=114549

[John Pacyga]

1. Vectorworks and SketchUp

2. LA tools: creates a plant palette, creates plant schedule, and plants can be placed O.C. or in a mass; great for conceptual through final design

3. I’ve used Autocad since R12 and Microstation.  Both didn’t have landscape tools.  Vectorworks does think differently so there is a learning curve setting it up the way you want.

4. So far I’m just about twice as fast on Vectorworks than anything else.  So between the LA tools, stability, ease of working from different formats, it’s great.  SketchUp with Shaderlight is turning out some really great, compelling renderings for me.  

[John Pacyga]

The strategy you take depends on what your final product will be and how large.  Perhaps the aerial could be done this way but are you working toward a model that maybe unmanageable.  So how large is the area and the model going to be?

 

Regarding the aerials, are you creating a square the same size as the aerial being applied to it?  I could see attempting to this with a grid in SketchUp that would correspond to your image tiles.  It’s good to note that each of the images will cause your model to grow very large, very quickly even without sophisticated geometry.

 

One thought might be to configure your model using a Google Earth image/topo, then ‘Edit texture image in external editor’.  The image could be swapped for a reasonably sized version of your aerial.

[John Pacyga]

I’ve just created a massive list of links to good, mostly free, seamless textures.

http://sketchupland.posterous.com/great-texture-websites-for-sketchup-and-photo

These can be used in SketchUp, Photoshop and potentially Cad programs too.

[John Pacyga]

Typically I give them just rendered shots, animations, or panoramas (using GoCubic). I find that the clients just want to see the end product. It’s the contractors who need more information. I’ve used Layout to make a drawing set and also exported to CAD as a deliverable.

[John Pacyga]

Here is a list of trees I think are the best from the 3D warehouse. If you have already downloaded these, please forgive me.
http://sketchupland.posterous.com/best-3d-trees-from-3d-warehouse
Depending on what you are doing, 2D trees/shrubs are good alternatives. Some 2D picture “face me” plants can look just as good or better than a 3D low-poly plant in 3rd party rendering programs. They also keep the model small and easier to manipulate.

There are some free models on the XFrog site, but they are HUGE and need to be edited for SketchUp use. (Download the .3ds files and use Fixtreed ruby on them.)

Form Fonts has an “exchange” part of their website, but I don’t know if it restricts the use of the components or if there are plants of any value. I’ve heard good things about their plants that you buy (low-poly but good quality).

[John Pacyga]

I agree with the others, start with quality components (with good detail) and textures. My blog may have some ideas for where to find these at http://sketchupland.posterous.com/ If there is something specific I can answer, let me know. I will have some upcoming articles about depth of field and other tricks that can increase the quality of a model in the coming weeks.

I think also look at the settings you use under Styles. Sometimes getting rid of the lines around the components, or changing the color of the linework slightly (I use light grey regularly), goes a long way. I will have something about editing or making your own styles soon. (This is an fast and a cheap way to get more out of SketchUp.)

[John Pacyga]

Daniel Tal’s SketchUp work with ASLA might be a really good place to start:

http://www.asla.org/sustainablelandscapes/videos.html

He illustrates what landscape architects bring to a project.

[John Pacyga]

http://sketchupland.posterous.com/best-3d-trees-from-3d-warehouse

This is my best list of 3D and some 2D/ 2.5D trees from 3D warehouse.
Wyatt’s wisdom is right on: use 2D trees everywhere, 3D when you need the quality up close when it matters.

[John Pacyga]

I would suggest working at “one to one” or  at actual size.  All of the component including people should be at life size.  If you have the Pro version, a separate program called Layout gives one a “paperspace” view of your SketchUp file at a scale.  (Layout is sort of like InDesign and AutoCAD put together to use with SketchUp files.)  I’ve posted one image from a project that used Layout in my Land8Lounge Folio.  Without it, you might be able to get close by exporting images of an object with a known length to get a scale…but then you will need to make sure it prints correctly every time…

Overview of SketchUp Pro (including a quick overview of Layout)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfxC2ZB_9g8

More on Layout:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWCve65JJhI

[John Pacyga]

One can view and download Android apps via a new Google website:

http://market.android.com/

[John Pacyga]

There is a Droid app for this.

[John Pacyga]

Google’s Free Apps for Android:

http://www.google.com/mobile/android/#utm_source=hc_header&utm_medium=Android&utm_campaign=topic=19501

(The menu across the top can take you to other phones…)

[John Pacyga]

Oh, you have to try Google Voice.  Check out the website, because it can do a lot!

I haven’t found any tree or plant ID apps… 

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