Sweet Home 3D: Design a House

Yesterday we began exploring features of Sweet Home 3D -- a free 3D home design program which does rendering, animation, etc. The program has an active developer community and a lot of extra models you can download for free.

Sweet Home 3D: http://www.sweethome3d.com
Sweet Home 3D Models: http://www.sweethome3d.com/importModels.jsp

Our goal over the next couple of days is to design a house with at least one bedroom, a kitchen, a living room, and a bathroom.  You are welcome to create additional bedrooms, a family room, a garage, a workshop, or whatever.  Just have fun with it.

When you are finished, take some "photos" (renderings) of different rooms and/or angles to put on your portfolio.

Other web sites with 3D models

The following sites offer also some 3D models at OBJ, DAE, 3DS or LWS formats supported by the furniture import wizard of Sweet Home 3D:

		Google 3D Warehouse (a big choice of models at DAE/Collada format)
		Resources.blogscopia (free well designed models shown also here)
		ArchiBit Generation (various well designed models)
		Flying architecture (various models with regular updates)
		Kinnarps (office furniture)
		Free the models (furniture tested in Sweet Home 3D)
		Kolo (bathroom furniture)
		Creative-3D.net (a lot of importable furniture, but monochrome)
		Klicker (a few chairs and trees)
		Model3D.biz (various models, but a few models can't be imported)
		Baumgarten Enterprises (a few interesting models, generally for industrial purpose)
		3DPlants.com (a lot of plants but without colors, except for the Plant of the month)

OTHER USEFUL DOCUMENTATION:

Create Multi-Story Homes:   http://www.sweethome3d.com/multiLevelHouseGuide.pdf

Creating Sloped Roofs/Ceilings/Etc:   http://www.sweethome3d.com/slopingCeilingGuide.pdf

Plug-Ins & Extentions (Haven't checked yet):    http://www.sweethome3d.com/pluginsUserGuide.pdf


This video tutorial does a pretty good job of showcasing the tools in Sweet Home 3D -- although it's a much earlier version:

Rhino: Begin Room Layout

(You can click any of the images below to enlarge)

We begin this project by placing our floor.  If your room is rectangular (as the example shows) it is pretty easy to plot it out.  I started my room in coordinate 0,0, entered 144" (12 ft.) for the length and 120" (10 ft.) for the width -- and then specified 3" for the floor thickness.

Next I began adding walls by specifying the length, height (I did 96" for 8 foot ceilings), and the wall thickness (I did 3" -- but remember to add to your room length when adding walls)

Next I added the remaining walls.  After you get two connected walls you can simply copy and paste to make new walls.

I remove one wall so I can see into the room easier -- similar to a dollhouse view.  I also add a doorway and window opening by doing a boolean difference.

Next I began adding some details.  In this case, a mattress and box springs (two boxes with filleted edges), and feet for the bed.

I continue adding details by adding "lofted" curtains (2 curves lofted together), a pillow, and a rug in front of the door.  I am also in the process of adding a poster to the wall -- in this case just a box (.25 inches thick) with a texture I will apply next.

I add textures, lights, gloss, transparency, etc for my nearly finished scene.

Guest Speaker: FIDM

Today we have a guest speaker from FIDM: Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising.  Computers will be off and students will be receiving credit for paying attention.

According to FIDM: This modular presentation consists of eight fascinating topics specifically for teens to help them prepare for careers today and in their future.  Choose two per classroom period:  Mapping Your Future with FIDM’s GPS; Bragging: How to Pitch Yourself; Tools to Land the Job; What to Ask/How to Answer; The Art of Staying Employed; Character & Ethics in the Workplace; Job-Ready Dress and Business Etiquette Around the World.

Buy: Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Design Premium Student Edition

Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 Design Premium Student and Teacher Edition

Several students have been asking about purchasing Adobe Photoshop.  As a student in a high school or community college, you have access to buy the full Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium for $449.  I know that's very expensive [I can't afford it myself] but if you are looking at entering a career in design, image editing, etc., it's a must-have -- and regular price is $1899!

Included in this bundle is:

• Adobe Photoshop Extended
• Illustrator
• InDesign
• Dreamweaver
• Flash Professional
• Flash Catalyst
• Fireworks
• Acrobat Pro

Again, this isn't something you need for my class, but it's definitely a good deal.

If the full suite isn't for you but you really want Photoshop, you can buy Photoshop individually for $199.

Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended Student and Teacher Edition

Photoshop: Movie Poster

Today we will begin creating a Movie Poster with Adobe Photoshop, but before we begin we should ask, "What makes a good movie poster?"  A good poster is attention-grabbing, succinct, convincing and memorable.  There isn't a specific color scheme, layout, or design that works best, but there are some definite characteristics that are general rules of thumb.
Some main characteristics of good poster design etiquette include:

1. Arrange the image(s) and text without a lot of  “busy” clutter. 
2. Arrange the design and lettering to attract the attention of passers-by.
3. Consider how effective it will look next to other movie posters.
4. Text and design should be large enough to be seen from a prescribed distance, usually 8-12 feet.
5. Use harmonious color combinations.
6. Design and text style must complement each other.
7. Use a modern up-to-date art style, unless you are deliberately trying to create a poster that is mimicking an older style.
8. The design should not detract from the impact of the words.

When I was a child, most of the advertising for upcoming movies was done via posters in the lobby of the local theater as "Coming Attractions."  The movie poster could make [or break] a movie.  Sometimes the movie poster was scarier [or more exciting] than the actual movie.  A few iconic movie posters that I recall include:

You can view more examples of movie posters at sites like http://onesheetdesign.com/ or http://www.movieposter.com/.

Assignment Requirements:

• Dimensions: 27 inches (width) and 40 inches (height)
  (This size is known as a One-Sheet and is the most common among US movie poster sizes)
• Resolution: 100dpi (or pixels per inch)
• Images: All images / photos must be high-quality /high-resolution
• File Type: Save your project as a PSD file until you have completely finished
• Text / Graphic Elements: 
• Movie Title
• Names of Main Actors / Actresses
• Fictitious Credits
• Movie Rating
• Dolby Stereo Logo
• Hook or Tag-Line [optional]
• Quotes from Fictitious Movie Review(s) [optional]

Your assignments is to create a poster for a movie that doesn't exist.  Some ideas include:

• A sequel or prequel to a movie that you would like to see
• A movie being made out of your favorite video game
• A movie made from your favorite book (or comic)
• A remake of a movie with better actors than the original
• A parody of a movie, book, actor, etc.

An example I created in class was for the fictional movie "Bieber Fever." It consisted of many separate pieces including a zombie, Justin Bieber (he's the one on the right), some "ruins" I downloaded from PhotoXpress, a foggy cemetery, and an ominous red sky.  I also downloaded a couple fonts; "Living Dead Dolls" for the title, and "Steel Tongs" for the "credits" at the bottom -- my personal favorite font for movie poster credits.  Steel Tongs can be downloaded and installed free (download it here).  Not only does it have the proper style of movie poster text, but it has built-in characters for "Written by", "Directed by", etc. -- as well as logo's for DTS, DVD, Closed Captioning, etc.

Finished Version

Components of Image

If you are having trouble thinking up a movie, think first of different movie genres.  I have a general list of genres below, or you can read more about genres here: http://www.createyourscreenplay.com/genrechart.htm

• Action (Disaster): Stories whose central struggle plays out mainly through a clash of physical forces.
• Adventure: Stories whose central struggle plays out mainly through encounters with new "worlds."
• Comedy: Stories whose central struggle causes hilarious results.
• Coming-of-Age Drama: Stories whose central struggle is about the hero finding his or her place in the world.
• Crime: Stories whose central struggle is about catching a criminal.
• Detective Story/Courtroom Drama: Stories whose central struggle is to find out what really happened and thus to expose the truth.
• Epic/Myth: Stories whose central struggle plays out in the midst of a clash of great forces or in the sweep of great historical change.
• Fantasy: Stories which are animated, or whose central struggle plays out in two worlds - the "real" world and an imaginary world.
• Gangster: Stories whose central struggle is between a criminal and society. A cautionary tale, rooted in a main character who commits crimes (This genre is often blended with Film Noir).
• Horror: Stories whose central struggle focuses on escaping from and eventually defeating a Monster (either human or non-human).
• Love (Romance): Stories whose central struggle is between two people who each want to win or keep the love of the other.
• Science Fiction: Stories whose central struggle is generated from the technology and tools of a scientifically imaginable world.
• Social Drama: Stories whose central struggle is between a Champion and a problem or injustice in society. Usually the Champion has a personal stake in the outcome of the struggle.
• Thriller: Stories whose central struggle pits an innocent hero against a lethal enemy who is out to kill him or her.
• The Black Comedy: A comedy that uses death and morbid doings as the root of its humor. Surfaces regularly. Most recent incarnations, Very Bad Things and Pulp Fiction.

I suggest using components such as movie ratings, logos (i.e. Dolby, 20th Century Fox, etc.), etc.  Here are some examples that you can click and copy -- or you can locate them online.

Some student-created "fake movie posters" can be found here (http://www.phswebclass.com/BIMM/movie_projet/student_examples.htm) and some other examples include:

Homework Reminder: Upcoming Projects

We have a couple assignments coming up that will require a little planning.  Your homework assignments are as follows:

• 3D Photography:  Your assignment is to find some areas where you can see depth (something in the foreground, middle, and background) and take some pictures.  We will then use those pictures to create 3D anaglyph (red & blue) images.
1. Stand as still as possible and aim your camera at a subject that doesn't move (i.e. a sleeping animal).
2. Note where the center of the viewfinder is at and take your first (left) picture.
3. Move the camera about 2.5 - 3 inches to the right (about the distance between the center of your eyes).
4. Aim your camera at the same point (as noted in step 2) and take your second (right) picture.
5. Repeat with a variety of subjects/locations.
• Logo Concepts:  Begin playing with (sketching) a series of logos which represents you in some way. 

• If you were a company right now, what would your company name be?  I might do "AskGriff" or "Griffith Enterprises" or even something more generic like "Obsidian" or "Konocti Education Technology".  
• I might choose to focus my logo on a computer or a camera or a silhouette of Mt. Konocti.   I might even opt to simplify my AskGriff cartoon character and build that into a logo.
• Begin thinking about color schemes for your company.  KHS is orange and black... Pepsi is red, white and blue... McDonalds is yellow and red.  We're going to START with black & white, but color is important and will be incorporated later.
• I'm not looking for a finished product, here -- just rough sketches for logo concepts.

Design and Composition Basics: The Rule of Thirds

The most basic principle in photography, layout or design is The Rule of Thirds.  The basic idea is that you can divide your photo into an equally divided 3x3 grid.

The idea is that the human eye focuses most on the areas where the lines intersect.  So if we put the focal point of the photo in one of the intersections, the image becomes more attractive or interesting.

Another use of the Rule of Thirds is to place the subjects eyes on the horizontal line.  Ideally one of the eyes would be on one of the interesctions, while the eyes would be looking to the opposite side into the empty space.  This image of a cat is fairly close.

If you are taking (or cropping an existing) landscape photograph, the Rule of Thirds can be used to help add interest to the shot.  Sometimes the horizon line is on [or close to] one of the two horizontal lines.  Sometimes the picture can be divided into three areas -- the foreground, the focal point, and the background.  In the example below, the horizon line follows the bottom line while the subject of the photo is exactly on the interesection.

Here are a few more examples demonstrating the Rule of Thirds:

Now look at the following photographs and see if they follow the Rule of Thirds -- and if so, in what ways:

The Rule of Thirds is utilized in movies as well as photographs.  This is an example of a commercial with the Composition Lines overlayed on the movie.

This guy did a music video about the Rule of Thirds:

A more advanced explanation about the Rule of Thirds can be seen in the video below:

http://blog.muddyboots.org/2007/07/rule-of-thirds.html

http://www.everydayhdr.com/?p=1367