3D Garden Design Images and 3D Videos

I use a program called Sketchup for my 3D garden design. There is a free version and one that you must pay for, which has a few more features.

However, most of the time I create landscape plans in plan view first. Plan view is a 2D design, where you view it as if you were above the property and looking down on everything.

Once this is completed, I go to my 3D landscape software, Sketchup, and import the 2D design. This allows you to create the 3D image directly from the design, so that everything is accurate. For example, a patio would be the exact dimensions in the both the 2D and 3D designs. Plants would be placed in the correct positions. And so on.

The plants I use are a special palette that I purchased separately. I did so because I thought they were very artistic and gave an "artsy" look to the images.

One thing that is great about this program is that you can change hardscape materials easily.

Do you want to see what gray pavers will look like? Perhaps you are considering natural stone or brick. Various materials can be interchanged in this 3D landscape software to show different looks. Of course, they are schematic, but even so, they offer different impressions of various materials.

The animations are created two different ways. The first way is an animation through Sketchup. Various scenes can be saved, selected and used for a 3D video. This is how the above video was created. You can even position a person inside the house to see the view through a window.

The other way is through PhotoStory, a free software program. You must create images from the scenes and import them into the program. Then the slow moving "movie" is created.

As an aside, you can use any images with PhotoStory, not just 3D pictures. Take a look at my page Front Yard Landscaping Ideas to see an example of this. I made the video from pictures.

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