Sketchup to Photoshop to After Effects

Here’s a collection of links that helped me figure out a process to bring a 3D model from Sketchup to After Effects via Photoshop.

1) Install this plugin to export an .obj file from Google Sketchup:
http://sketchuptips.blogspot.com/2007/01/wavefront-obj-exporter.html
Apparently the “pro” version of Sketchup will export obj without the plugin, but it’s $500 and I felt cheap.

2) Import the .obj file into Photoshop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqrIz2-FqH8
3) Setup lighting in Photoshop:
http://layersmagazine.com/add-lighting-to-the-3d-model-in-photoshop.html

4) Import the Photoshop file into After Effects:
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/AfterEffects/9.0/WS510B8F17-8644-43ce-977F-96784840A64B.html

UPDATE: Now that After Effects CS6 includes built-in raycasting, this probably can be simplified somewhat.

This entry was posted in uncategorized and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

Comments are closed.