This IRender Tutorial will take you through the basic steps of Render Plus 's IRender nXt rendering engine.

Downloads and Installation

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Follow the links on the Downloads Page to download the latest version.

• See: How to Download and Install

Downloading & installing.

See: How to Download and Install

If you have any problems downloading or installing your IRender nXt trial software, we’re here to help. Contact us at Render Plus Support Email

Start SketchUp

When SketchUp starts,

• Click "IRender_nXt load" from the Plugins menu.

The IRender_nXt should appear:

If it does not appear, go to the menu "Window/Preference/Extensions" and make sure the IRender_nXt is checked.

Do a test rendering

With a very small drawing, or just "Bryce" in the empty drawing, click the "Render" icon.

• 
  Render - starts a new ray trace of your current model and settings.

This will load the Rendering Settings dialog.

For now, ignore the settings and click Start Rendering

This should create a rendering of your drawing.

(It will not be very exciting because there are no lights or reflections.

Step 1 - Get Basic Room

Either create a simple room, or

Click Open Sample Models ( ) to bring up the 'Load Sample Drawing' dialog and Pick 'Sample Room for Tutorial'

This model is also stored in the 3D Warehouse: Sample Room for Tutorial http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=ffd2c17f6a24c1c6620e7aea3bf2af5e

.

Click Render ( ) to render the room.

Step 2: Make the floor reflective

1. Right click on the floor and select Edit Material .
2. In the 'Reflection and Highlight' box, slide the 'Intensity' slider to 0.75.
3. Click OK
4. Render again. ( )

Step 3 - Adding a mirror

Create Mirror will create a mirror component for you to place in the drawing.

1. Select the Create Mirror Component icon: ( )
2. Set the 'Reflection' slider to 95%.
3. Click Create and Place to place the mirror in your drawing.
4. Render the model.

For more information on reflective materials, see the Reflection Tutorial .

Adding lights

IRender works with

• Standard SketchUp lights.
• Custom light fixtures created with the Light Fixture Wizard
• In addition, you can make your own lights by placing lamps in these or other components.

Step 4 - Create table & floor lamps

First, add a table lamp:

1. Click the Create Light Fixture icon ( ). The 'Light Fixtures' dialog will appear.
2. Select the 'Table' tab to create a table lamp.
3. On this tab, you can set the type and color of the shade and base, the physical dimensions of your lamp and its parts, and the intensity and color of the light emitted.
4. In the 'Component Placement Mode' box, select 'Single'.
5. Click Create Lamp to create the lamp component and place it in your model.

Now to add a floor lamp:

1. Open the 'Light Fixtures' dialog again and select the 'Floor' tab.
2. Here you can customize the lamp, as with the table lamp.
3. Select single placement mode, click Create Lamp, and place a floor lamp.
4. Render again. ( )

Step 5 - Create Spot and Point lights

To make it easier to see the spotlight and point light we are about to place, delete the lamps from step 4. First, we will create a spotlight:

1. Open the 'Light Fixtures' dialog again and select the 'Spot' tab.
2. Set 'Lamp Length' to 60 degrees. This will make it easier to see where the spotlight is pointed.
3. Click Color and change the color to yellow. This will distinguish light cast by the spotlight from the point light.
4. Click Create Lamp and place the spotlight on the side wall.

Next, make a point light:

1. Open the 'Light Fixtures' dialog again and select the 'Point' tab.
2. Click Color and change the color to white.
3. Click Create Lamp and place the point light on the side wall, away from the spotlight.
4. Render again. ( )

Step 6 - Aim the spotlight

1. To aim a lamp, right click on a lamp, and select IRender:: Aim Lamp
2. The lamp will automatically point at the cursor position.
3. Snap the cursor to a face, edge, etc. at which you want to point the lamp.
4. Click the left mouse button to point the lamp, or click escape to stop the operation.
5. Render to see the effect of the aimed lamp.

Step 7. - Create a ceiling light

1. Add a ceiling and a left hand wall.
   
2. Open the 'Light Fixtures' dialog again and select the 'Ceiling' tab.
3. Click Create Lamp and place the rectangular light on the ceiling.
4. Render again. ( )

Summary

This tutorial showed you how to add reflection and lights to a SketchUp model.

You can improve the final result by adding additional lights, placing a material on the walls, etc.

See the other tutorials for more information on reflection and lights.

• Room for Tutorial on 3D Warehouse
• Completed room on 3D Warehouse

See also

• IRender nXt Reference Manual
• IRender