How to Create Ivy/ Crawler in Google SketchUp

Below is the tutorial of Zernan aka Zdesign sharing his workflow on his Ivy. Kudos to Zernan on his patience in modeling and sharing this.

Now I would like to cut the process and at the same time to introduce some scripts/plugins to automate and cut the modeling process. I will be using the following scripts in modeling: 1. Sandbox tool. This is included in the Google SketchUp. 2. Tools on Surface by Fredo which can be downloaded HERE. 3. Make Fur by Takahata which can be downloaded HERE. The idea behind this tutorial is more on how to automates Zernans approach and not really to do a super realistic ivy or creeper. I think the element of exploration will be left to you.

Step 1. Creating the general shape where the creeper will crawl. Here I used the sandbox tool of SketchUp and created a mesh. Then I used the Smoove tool to play the surface.

Step 2: Using the Tools on Surface script by Fredo. This script is a an excellent tool for terrain. Here, I drew the boundary of the crawler, creeper.

Step 3: Creating the Ivy/Creeper/Crawler based on Zernans tutorial

Step 4: Manipulating the component surface

Step 5. Applying the material I used Zernans jpeg material, but I converted it into png file and removed the white background (making the negative space as transparent).

Step 6. The Vray Material. Sketchup 1.48.66 up supports transparency of the material. TIFF or PNG files with transparency will not need a transparency map. All we need to do is to TICK use color texture for transparency.

Here is the test render in Vray SketchUp.

Step 7: Making the Ivy/creeper Component Be sure to make the face into a component to save file size.

Then copy, resize, and rotate the component. Vary the position and scale of the other copies. Save it again into a new component. I will call this bunch_ivy.

Step 8: The boundary of the Ivy. I erased the unwanted areas.

Step 9 - Using the fur maker script. I opened the Make Fur script and I choose CROWD (Web dialog).

Step 10: Selecting the area where the ivy will crawl. Select the boundary area. I ticked the ivy_bunch and entered in the dialogue box density 2000, jitter 10 and standup no.

Enter. The image below showed the components of the Ivy bunch crowded the selected area.

Here is the sample render in Vray SketchUp. Sorry if it does not look like an Ivy. I think with few more exploration, this can be further developed. I hope you find this useful. Nomeradona