I'm a fan of Sketchup and rendering and everything there is about the world of 3D.
In my blog I write (in Italian) everything I've learned over the years. If you want to give an opinion I'd be very grateful.
Articles/Tutorials:
How to create this field for football with Sketchup
How to model a Fiat Car 500 with Sketchup
Creating a Screw with Sketchup