"is there an equivalent in vue or rhino?"

Not that I know of. So I have to learn C4D too? sigh.. :)
There is also Maya Toon but I have never seen any of the 3D programs accomplish anything similar to what Diane Miller do with her photographs. I don't want TOO much watercolour and not 'Toon' like look and feel. You must be able to paint on the surface like with a real brush. You should be able to mix photos and 3D without anyone noticing. The examples I posted in #2 and #3 was done with Piranesi. #3 was made by Wangwang, a chinese artist who have a chapter in the latest book 'Mastering Piranesi', and the other #2 by David Walker, an experienced architect who is generally considered the most acclaimed artist at their forum.

I am determined though that there is nothing you can do in Piranesi that you can not do in Photoshop.