Understanding Rendering Basics

• What is rendering? Overview of rendering concepts (lighting, materials, and realism).
• Introduction to rendering tools compatible with SketchUp: V-Ray, Twinmotion, and Enscape.
• Setting up a SketchUp model for rendering: cleaning geometry, organizing scenes, and layers/tags.

Overview of Common Rendering Software

• V-Ray: Industry-standard rendering tool with advanced material and lighting controls.
• Twinmotion: Real-time rendering software with a focus on interactivity and animation.
• Enscape: Fast and intuitive real-time renderer with seamless SketchUp integration.
• Comparison of software features, use cases, and system requirements.
• Choosing the right rendering software for different project types (realism, speed, animation).

Materials and Textures

• Applying and editing materials in SketchUp vs Rendering engines
• Importing custom textures and working with many kinds of mapping.
• Enhancing material realism with reflectivity, transparency, bump maps and more

Introduction to Lighting

• Overview of natural and artificial lighting in renders.
• Setting up sunlight and shadow parameters in SketchUp.
• Using rendering tools to add and adjust artificial lights.

Camera Angles and Scene Composition

• Setting up camera views and perspectives in SketchUp.
• Framing scenes for impactful visuals.
• Animating walkthroughs and flyovers using rendering tools.

Rendering Workflow and Settings

• Configuring rendering settings for speed and quality (resolution, output formats).
• Understanding and optimizing render times.
• Post-processing options with rendering tools (color grading, effects).

Final Project and Best Practices

• Students render a prepared SketchUp scene, applying lighting, materials, and camera settings.
• Troubleshooting common rendering issues.
• Exporting final renders and creating a portfolio-ready presentation.

Wrap-Up and Resources

• Tips for choosing the right rendering tool for different needs.
• Recommendations for continued learning (tutorials, forums, and documentation).

Q&A and feedback