Twilight Render

Twilight Render is a rendering plugin that you can insert into Google Sketchup and create detailed models and scenes with ease.

To be able to use the plugin you need to have Google Sketchup installed on your computer. Before commencing the installation you have to set the path for the plugin in the Google Sketchup plugins folder.

Once installed you see it as a new toolbar in the Google Sketchup interface. Easy to access and to move around, it can even be docked alongside the other tools. From the bar, you can add new point and spot lights and fine tune then using the provided light editor. To help you figure out the light positioning as well as other orientation needs the plugin also provides you with a set of additional axes and a grid that lets you figure out the composition using the rule of thirds.

Twilight Render also focuses on ease of access and versatility. In this sense you get to edit all the elements you add from the toolbar directly from the context menu. You simply right click the object and you get access to materials, layers, lights and scenes.

The plugin really focuses on delivering photorealistic results and for this it offers you ray tracing, photo mapping, by-directional path tracing, various masks and the ability to use a selected geometry for the entire scene.

If you’re unsure of what settings to use for the best possible render, the plugin provides you with a large collection of express and tech presets that you can apply to the project at hand. This is in some way a trial and error process but it does give you the chance to see which limits you can push.

In closing, Twilight Render is definitely a powerful tool that has much more to offer than what is presented here. To convince yourself, all you have to is just give it a try,