Five Stones beveled glass entryway

[iagman]

This is the entryway to the Five Stones home.
The glass pattern was designed and drawn in Turbocad.
The CAD pattern was imported into photo editing software where
the float glass pieces were given texture and clusters were given beveled edges.
This file was saved as png to preserve transparency.
Before the real glass was cut and leaded, this rendering was made.
To do this, an entryway facade was constructed to scale in 3D using
Google Sketchup. The brass hardware was also constructed in 3D.
Wood and stone textures were applied to surfaces.
The b&w png file was then imported into Sketchup and fitted in place.
For scale, the 2D man and cat were added, then scene was rendered.
With today's technology we can digitally peer into the future.

[pendowski]

Very nice work. Thank you for the rundown of programs used.

You can probably do all of this work in a single program (xara is very capable) but it is nice to stretch your expertise.

Sketchup gives you a lot of ability to 'move the image around' in a 3D space for perspective and scale.

[iagman]

Thanks for your comments.
Yes, Xara is a wonderful program and has some great tools, but no 3D abilities.
It isn't intended to compete with CAD since it lacks the real-world precision of such software.
Precision is a necessity for anything that will be constructed and and expected to fit perfectly.
Perhaps my single biggest complaint would be the efficiency of Xara's tracing tools.
For tracing, Turbocad has the best spline tool I've ever seen. It smooths
curves automatically between click points and positions the line perfectly atop the traced element
and joins all segments with "sweet curves". After tracing a complex design, say the outline of a person,
the job is finished; no going back and having to adjust lines.
But then CAD can't take a design down some of the roads I want to travel. So, a switch is made to
another program that will allow me to continue working toward whatever goal I have in mind.
The various software are like body parts; you can walk on your hands but feet work better. You
can grasp item with your toes but fingers work better. You can sit on your head...well, you get the picture.
iagman

[wizard509]

Nice work, but I see a few places that could use some improvement, one of which is the shadow at the left side is almost the same value as the wood trim and gives a false impression of that the glass panes to the far left angles in. I guess it's how you see it at the time or which part you happen to be looking at because above looks correct. It's just where the wood meets the (outdoor carpet?) that causes the problem for me. There are a few other places that could use some sparkle, and I was wondering about the brass plates at the base of the doors, could that reflect what is in front a little or at least not be rendered so flat, maybe is really is but that is an opportunity to (cheat a little) for pictorial interest. Don't get me wrong but I think you did a great job.

One other point, I am wondering about is; is there a reason the weave of the (carpet) is horizontal and not say parallel to the entrance area or perpendicular to it? Maybe this isn't your call but, perhaps add a spot of color to the center ellipse of each door to help break up the sea of gray.

[iagman]

Thanks for the comments.
Color is seldom added to these types of panels because homes are moved on average
every seven years. If blue glass was in the panel, for example, it could affect the next
potential buyer because it might be the color they dislike the most or clashes
with the couch they received from grandma. And it's really not needed, textured glass types
combined with beveled clusters stand on their own. The gray tones exist only in rendered graphics,
in real life it's a shimmering assortment of reflected light.