3D Master: Sketchup + Layout + Lumion

HIGHILIGHTS

• Lines and surfaces are the bricks of Sketchup

• Every single model is done by lines and surfaces

• When we close three or more lines in a coplanar plane we create a surface

• If we eliminate a line which is part of a surface, the surface will dissapear

• In Sketchup models are not solids. We work instead with lines and surfaces as an origami

HIGHLIGHTS

• Groups and components have similar properties but at the same time are different.

• When we make a group is like if we create a box and we place the geometry seleced inside. It is the same as when we create folders in Windows os Mac and we put inside different files.

• Thanks to groups the geometry is not gonna glue with eachother

• We can have groups inside groups like a matrioshka doll

• We will use the outliner to understand groups organization of the file.

• Components will have the same properties as the groups and few more

• Thanks to components any change in one copy will affect the rest of the copies

• We will use components when we are working with modular elements as pillars, windows, doors, wc, etc...

HIGHLIGHTS

• The outliner helps us to understand and organize the model in terms of hierarchy

• Simple geometry doesnt appear in the outliner

• Groups appear in the outliner represented by a square

• Components are represented by a square divided in four

• We can select, copy, erase, etc...using the outliner

  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

• Objects in Sketchup are formed through surfaces. They are not solid even though they appear to be.

• To get them to behave like solids we will use the Bolean operations tools

• Surfaces have a front color and a back color. You have to orient the front color towards the camera to avoid producing errors in the renderings later, when we apply textures to them.

• These errors can appear too if we want to use a 3D printer for our model.

HIGHLIGHTS

• It is very important to draw based on guide lines previously

• Guide lines are drawn from some point on a real edge, which is not a vertex

• The guide points are drawn from the vertex of real edges or from endpoints of those edges

HIGHLIGHTS

• The width and length measurements of a rectangle must be separated by a semicolon

• Type the number of sides directly in the exact measurements bar as soon as we select the tool

• Once the rectangle/circle/polygon has been drawn, that number of sides could also be changed from the entity's default information tray (will be seen later)

  
  

HIGHLIGHTS

• To build an arc that is not too polygonal, we must change the number of sides

• The two-point arc is widely used in Sketchup for drawing curved elements

• To draw a curve with continuity, we must look at the colors that the arc tool marks us, to draw tangents to the last curve

HIGHLIGHTS

• Face styles are part of the default styles tray

• Solid with textures: to see our elements with their applied textures

• X-rays:  we can detect edges and vertex that are behind different surfaces and work with more agility.

• The use of X-rays is essential to draw skillfully in Sketchup

HIGHLIGHTS

The eraser tool has many different functions:

• erase: just hit the tool and drag it over the lines. It doesnt work with surfaces

• select: drag it over the lines you wanna select and press space bar too before you release

• hide: drag+shift

• soften: drag+Ctr

• smooth: drag+Ctr

• unsoften/unsmooth: drag+ shift+Ctr

We have as well the Soften edges tray

HIGHLIGHTS

• The push/pull tool is the main tool for making volumes

• To make a supplementary extrusion keeping the original surface, you have to press the letter ctrl (win) or alt (mac)

• We can make positive and negative extrusions depending on whether we add volume or subtract it

HIGHLIGHTS

• To move an element you have to mark a start point and an end point in a given direction

• If we want to copy an element, we must press ctrl (win) or alt (mac) after selecting the starting point of the movement

• To make a multiple copy we must make a first copy, and then, without deselecting the element, insert * or / , depending on the type of copy we need

HIGHLIGHTS

• If we want to copy an element, we must press ctrl (win) or alt (mac) after selecting the starting point of the movement

• To make a multiple copy we must make a first copy, and then, without deselecting the element, insert * or / , depending on the type of copy we need

HIGHLIGHTS

• To rotate an element we need, first of all, to mark the plane on which the rotation is to be performed. For that when we press the left mouse button, we must keep it pressed and move the mouse to be able to choose between the different planes

• To copy while rotating, the process is the same as when we make a copy with the move tool

HIGHLIGHTS

• We can scale with the scale tool or with the tape measure tool

• To scale proportionally we must strech out a grab point located at a corner

• If we press the letter ctrl(win) or alt(mac) while scaling, we set the anchor point in the center of the geometry

• The measure tool scales all geometry in the scene proportionally (except external components)

HIGHLIGHTS

The order to use the follow me tool is as follows:

1- select the path

2- select the follow me tool

3- select the area I want to extrude around the path

HIGHLIGHTS

• To be able to use the solids tools the elements have to be groups

• If the solid is not detected even though it is a group, it is because there is some error in the geometry that we must detect and repair

HIGHLIGHTS

• The measure tool has four functions: measure, guide line, guide point and scale (the whole drawing)

• The protractor tool is used to measure angles through guide line drawn with the given angle

The Text tool in SketchUp is a versatile feature that allows you to add annotations, dimensions, and labels to your 3D models. Here’s a detailed guide on how to use the Text tool effectively in SketchUp:

Adding Simple Text Annotations

1. Select the Text Tool:

   • You can activate the Text tool by clicking on the "Text" icon in the toolbar or by going to Tools > Text from the menu bar. You can also use the keyboard shortcut T.

2. Click to Place Text:

   • Click on the location in your model where you want to place the text. This can be on a specific point, edge, face, or in empty space.

3. Enter Text:

   • After clicking, a text input box will appear. Type the desired text and press Enter to finish.

Adding Screen Text (Always Facing the Camera)

1. Select the Text Tool:

   • As with simple text annotations, activate the Text tool.

2. Click in Empty Space:

   • Click somewhere in the empty space of your model, not directly on geometry. This ensures that the text will always face the camera.

3. Enter Text:

   • Type the text you want to display and press Enter.

Adding Leader Text (with a Leader Line)

1. Select the Text Tool:

   • Activate the Text tool from the toolbar or menu.

2. Click on a Point, Edge, or Face:

   • Click on the specific point, edge, or face you want to annotate. A leader line will automatically extend from the object to the text.

3. Enter Text:

   • Type your annotation and press Enter.

In SketchUp, dimensions are used to provide precise measurements and annotations for your 3D models. This is crucial for creating detailed, accurate designs and for communicating measurements to others. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to use dimensions in SketchUp:

Using the Dimension Tool in SketchUp

Adding Dimensions

1. Activate the Dimension Tool:

   • You can activate the Dimension tool by clicking on the “Dimension” icon in the toolbar or by selecting Tools > Dimensions from the menu bar. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut D.

2. Select Points to Dimension:

   • Click on the first point you want to measure from.

   • Move your cursor to the second point you want to measure to and click again.

3. Place the Dimension Line:

   • After selecting the two points, move the cursor to position the dimension line. Click to place the dimension line where it is most readable and practical.

4. Adjusting the Dimension:

   • You can click and drag the dimension text or endpoints to adjust its position for clarity.

Types of Dimensions

1. Linear Dimensions:

   • Measure the distance between two points in a straight line, either horizontally or vertically.

2. Aligned Dimensions:

   • Measure the distance between two points along a specified line that is not necessarily horizontal or vertical.

3. Angular Dimensions:

   • Measure the angle between two lines or edges. Activate the Protractor tool for precise angle measurements.

4. Radius and Diameter Dimensions:

   • Measure the radius or diameter of circles and arcs. Click on the edge of the circle or arc to display these dimensions.

Customizing Dimensions

1. Editing Text:

   • Double-click on the dimension text to edit it. You can add prefixes, suffixes, or replace the measurement with custom text.

2. Formatting:

   • Adjust the appearance of dimensions by going to Window > Model Info > Dimensions. Here, you can change font style, size, units, and arrow styles.

3. Units:

   • Set the units for dimensions (inches, feet, millimeters, etc.) in Window > Model Info > Units. This ensures that dimensions display in the units you are working with.

Tips for Using Dimensions

• Snapping: Ensure that snapping is enabled to make accurate selections of points. Snapping helps in aligning dimensions precisely with the geometry of your model.

• Groups and Components: When dimensioning within groups or components, make sure to enter the group or component to ensure dimensions are correctly associated.

• Layer Management: Organize dimensions on different layers to keep your model organized. This allows you to control the visibility of dimensions without affecting the model geometry.

• Dimension Style: Maintain a consistent dimension style throughout your model for a professional look. Adjust settings in the Model Info dialog to match your project's requirements.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The axis change tool allows us to place the coordinate axis of the model in the position that we want temporarily

• To return the axis to their place of origin we must press the right button on any axis in a place with geometry behind it, and choose the option restart

HIGHLIGHTS

• The section tool will draw a plane that will extend the entire length of the model, from one end of the drawn geometry to the other

• To contain the section to a certain space, we must use the tool inside a group

• Right-clicking on the same section plane already drawn, we can find more options

HIGHLIGHTS

• The entity information tray is used to obtain information on any geometry of the model: edges, surfaces, groups or components

• In addition to obtaining information, it also allows us to make changes to the geometries, such as changing the number of sides of a circle or polygon, the length of an edge, hiding a group or even blocking it, among others.

HIGHLIGHTS

• We can use materials from: the Sketchup library, from libraries that we have in our computer or from internet pages

• Visit the websites mentioned in the class to get amazing textures and resources

• From file-import-image we can also bring images, which we can transform into materials

HIGHLIGHTS

• We can use materials from: the Sketchup library, from libraries that we have in our computer or from internet pages

• Visit the websites mentioned in the class to get amazing textures and resources

• From file-import-image we can also bring images, which we can transform into materials

HIGHLIGHTS

• We can use materials from: the Sketchup library, from libraries that we have in our computer or from internet pages

• Best textures libraries are mentioned in the class

• From file-import-image we can also bring images, which we can transform into materials

HIGHLIGHTS

• The components are like the groups but as a fundamental characteristic, they allow us that any change in any of them is reproduced in all its copies

• The components are going to be very useful when we work with modular elements that are going to be repeated many times in the drawing, such as pillars, windows, porticos, etc...

• If we carry out material or scale change operations from outside the component, the changes will not be applied to the rest of the copies

HIGHLIGHTS

• The styles are used to configure how we are going to see all the elements of the drawing

• We can use styles edited by ourselves and adapted to our tastes, in order to work more comfortably

• Sketchup has a library with different preconfigured styles

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tags help us to order the drawing and hide geometry that we are not interested in seeing at certain times

• Being able to hide geometry will allow us to work more comfortably and will allow the computer's graphics card to move the drawing better when we need it

• We cannot delete the default tag and neither can we delete the tag in which we are active

HIGHLIGHTS

• The scenes are used to save a specific view to which we can return whenever we want

• This scene saves information about: camera location, visible layers, shadows, styles and fog, active sections, hidden geometry, and axis position

• Throgh the movements of the camera between scenes, we will make our animations

HIGHLIGHTS

• Solar north is placed by default in the direction of the Y axis

• It is convenient not to activate the shadows while we work to prevent the graphics card from slowing down

• Within the default shadow tray we can find more options to configure our sunshine

HIGHLIGHTS

• When we search for something in the warehouse library, it is convenient to use the search criteria: by popularity. This criterion will order the models by number of downloads

• We can search for models in the search bar in different languages to have more options

• When we download a model, it should be downloaded in a separate file to organize its layers and correct its errors before transferring it to our file. In this way we will also generate a library of models on our computer

HIGHLIGHTS

• Terrains can be created from scratch in sketchup, or we can bring contour lines from another program and turn them into a terrain

• The tools to create or edit terrains are called sandbox

• Terrains, like the rest of the sketchup geometry, are formed by triangulated surfaces, which next to each other form complex meshes

HIGHLIGHTS

• When we Geo-locate a territory from sketchup, we will do it through Google-Earth and as a result it will load two layers in our model: location terrain and the location snapshot

• The location snapshot is the aerial photo of the chosen territory. The location terrain is a terrain generated by sketchup, which represents that territory and has the aerial photo applied as a texture on its surface.

• To work these lands we must do it with the sandbox tool

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Photomatch tool will help us to draw three-dimensional spaces from a photograph

• We will need the photo to have two vanishing points so that the tool can be used accurately

• The operation of the tool consists of creating a scene that positions the camera at the same point from where the photograph was taken

HIGHLIGHTS

• Dynamic components are components with different extra functions such as: scale changes, parametric control, position changes, size changes, color changes, animations, etc...

• Within the component library, those that have a green triangle means that they are dynamic components

• To work parametrically with our geometry, dynamic components are the best option

HIGHLIGHTS

• Animations are created by joining the camera path from the first scene to the last scene

• To control the speed of the camera we must go to model info-animation

• To export our animation in mp4, we must go to file-export-animation

HIGHLIGHTS

• Plugins are small programs made by external developers, which are incorporated into sketchup providing new tools

• The extension of these plugins are .RBZ

• The main libraries to download plugins are: Extension warehouse, Sketchucation and Ruby Library

SOME IMPORTANT PLUGINS

• Rouncorner

RoundCorner performs the rounding of the edges and corners of 3D shapes along a 2D profile, in 3 modes: Round corners, Sharp corners and Bevel. RoundCorner also supports concave corners (always rendered as Round) and non-orthogonal edge faces. Corners can have 2, 3, or more edges.

• Fredo Scale

With FredoScale you can orientate the selection box around a set of objects and interactively apply a number of geometric transformations, such as Scaling, Tapering, Stretching, Planar Shear, Twisting, Bending and Rotation. By extension, some transformations can be performed without a selection box.

• Solar north

Provides tools for you to set and display the solar north an

• Solid inspector

Inspect and repair solids in SketchUp

• Select n isolate

This plugin allow you to isolate selected items by hiding them

• Clf Shape Bender

Bend a group or component to match an existing curve

• Curviloft

Curviloft is a script dedicated to Loft and Skinning, that is, generation of surfaces from contours.

Loft by Spline joins separate contours, open or closed, by smooth splines

Loft along Path joins contours, along a given rail curve.

Skinning creates surfaces bounded by 4 or 3 contiguous contours

• Bezier Spline

Draws a variety of Polylines, Bezier and Spline curves, all in 3D

• Joint Push Pull

JointPushPull is a suite of extrusion tools operating on faces.

• JHS Power Bar

Where should I look for these plugins:

- Extension Warehouse

- Sketchucation

- Ruby Library

SOME IMPORTANT PLUGINS

• Rouncorner

RoundCorner performs the rounding of the edges and corners of 3D shapes along a 2D profile, in 3 modes: Round corners, Sharp corners and Bevel. RoundCorner also supports concave corners (always rendered as Round) and non-orthogonal edge faces. Corners can have 2, 3, or more edges.

• Fredo Scale

With FredoScale you can orientate the selection box around a set of objects and interactively apply a number of geometric transformations, such as Scaling, Tapering, Stretching, Planar Shear, Twisting, Bending and Rotation. By extension, some transformations can be performed without a selection box.

• Solar north

Provides tools for you to set and display the solar north an

• Solid inspector

Inspect and repair solids in SketchUp

• Select n isolate

This plugin allow you to isolate selected items by hiding them

• Clf Shape Bender

Bend a group or component to match an existing curve

• Curviloft

Curviloft is a script dedicated to Loft and Skinning, that is, generation of surfaces from contours.

Loft by Spline joins separate contours, open or closed, by smooth splines

Loft along Path joins contours, along a given rail curve.

Skinning creates surfaces bounded by 4 or 3 contiguous contours

• Bezier Spline

Draws a variety of Polylines, Bezier and Spline curves, all in 3D

• Joint Push Pull

JointPushPull is a suite of extrusion tools operating on faces.

• JHS Power Bar

Where should I look for these plugins:

- Extension Warehouse

- Sketchucation

- Ruby Library