Google SketchUpGoogle SketchUp

-- A A briefbrief introductionintroduction --

Luana ValentiniInternetGIS course - 2011

Create 3D models and share them with the worldCreate 3D models and share them with the world

Google SketchUp is software that allows you to create 3D modelsof anything you like.

• Model anything you can imagine:‘Redecorate your living room. Design a new piece of furniture. Model yourcity for Google Earth. Create a skate park for your hometown, then exportcity for Google Earth. Create a skate park for your hometown, then exportan animation and share it on YouTube. There's no limit to what you cancreate with SketchUp’.

You can build models from scratch, or you can download what youneed. People all over the world share what they've made on theGoogle 3D Warehouse. It's a huge, searchable repository ofmodels and it's free.

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/?hl=en-GB&ct=lc

3D tools3D tools

Orbit tool – to look around the 3D model

Zoom tool – to zoom in/zoom out

Basic Tools:

Pan tool – to move your view (without orbiting)

or use the scroll wheel to navigate:

Roll the wheel forward and

backward to zoom

Press and hold the wheel to orbit

Press + Shift to pan

Draw shapes (1)Draw shapes (1)

Rules:

1. Draw a closed loop of edges to create a surface

2. Watch the axis directions and use inferring to li ne un edges

Inferring: ability of SketchUp to line edges for you

Simply hold on to the point you want to line up with for few seconds and thengo back and draw slowly until SketchUp shows you a dotted line

Draw shapes (2)Draw shapes (2)

Rules:

1. Learn and use the different inference points

� End point

� Middle of an edge

� Intersection

� On the edge

1. Always draw to and from existing edges

– don’t draw new edges over existing edges

� On the face

midpoint -midpoint

Drawing (1)Drawing (1)

Rectangle : to be accurate with the rectangle type thedimensions separated by a comma (e.g.: 3m,5m) andpress ‘Enter’.

Line : you can type the length of the line. Any edge canbe subdivided: right click and choose ‘Divide’, then movebe subdivided: right click and choose ‘Divide’, then movethe cursor to choose the number of segments.

Press ‘Esc’ to stop using any tool. Right click to see ‘Entity Info’.

Circle/Polygon : you can type the radius of the circle.You can change the number of sides by typing a numberfollowed by the letter ‘s’ (circles have a default of 24sides, polygons 6). Hover your cursor over the edges tosnap to center points.

Drawing (2)Drawing (2)

Arc : is a 3 steps process:

1) define the first end point of the arc;

2) define the second end point of the arc;

3) define the radius of the arc.3) define the radius of the arc.You can type an exact radius if needed and also snap to a ‘half circle’inference or draw arcs tangent to adjacent edges (magenta lines andarcs to indicate tangency), also in sequence (blue: the new arc is tangentto the previous one).

By default arcs have 12 segments, type a new number + ‘s’ if you wantto change it.

Freehand – be careful not to cross over edges

Tools (1)Tools (1)

Push/Pool tool

It works on any flat shape, in anydirection (direction perpendicular tothe surface)the surface)

Accuracy:

� begin an action (such as push/pool)

� type in a value (e.g.: 15cm for 15 centimeters, 4.5m for 4.5 meters)

� press the ‘Enter’ key

Tools (2)Tools (2)

Push/Pool tool

Use the inferring capacity to be precise.If sides are parallel you can also cutopenings (unless you have an edgeopenings (unless you have an edgeon the other side).

Move toolYou can move:

• Endpoints

• Edges

• Surfaces

• Selected Entities

• Grouped Objects

Follow me tool : this tool requires aprofile shape and a path to pull theshape along.

Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOxrFN7JbiQ

Tools (3)Tools (3)

Tape Measure tool :

1) measure edges and distances;

2) create construction geometry/dashed guidelines;

3) resize individual groups or the entire model.

Protractor tool : to measure angles and createconstruction guide lines. To measure an angle, click onceand release to anchor the center point. Then click again todefine a reference point and a third time to finish and createthe guide line. You can always type a value.

Axes tool : allows you to reorient red, green, blue axes. Clickonce to place the axes origin, then move the red axis in thedesiderated position and click again to place it. Do the samefor the other two axes.

Tools (4)Tools (4)

Eraser tool

It only affects edges, not surfaces. You can hold the button down anddrag over multiple edges. Toggle X-Rays mode on to erase edgesbehind a surface.

Hold the ‘Shift’ key to hide edges � you don’t erase edges.Hold the ‘Shift’ key to hide edges � you don’t erase edges.

Hold the ‘Ctrl’ key to soften an edge � surfaces with a smoothgradient. Unsoften edges by holding ‘Ctrl’+’Shift’

Selection toolYou can select individual entities by clicking on them with the Select tool.A single click will select edges, surfaces and objects that are groupedtogether.

E.g.: one click select the surface, a double click selects the surface andits bounding edges. A triple click selects all connected geometry.

Components vs GroupsComponents vs Groups

There are 2 ways to isolate geometry in SketchUp. You can create a Group or aComponent . Groups and Components look very similar, but they behavedifferently.

�Select all the necessary geometry, then choose ‘Make Group ’ from the ‘Edit’menu. That geometry now behaves as one entity.

�Select the geometry for all the objects, then choose the ‘Make component ’�Select the geometry for all the objects, then choose the ‘Make component ’icon from the toolbar. (Click the ‘Create’ button on the Create

Component window that appears).

Groups and Components appear the same, with a bounding box indicating theyare unique entities.

BUT: * Groups have no relation to each other; any copy of a Group is acompletely unique entity.

* Components are linked to each other, any change to one component isreflected in every instance of that Component.

���� If you are not going to make any copies of your object, make it a group.

ComponentsComponents

To make changes to geometry inside a component you need to ‘edit’ thatcomponent: right click on the component and choose ‘Edit Component’, thenmake changes (or double click on the component with the Select tool). Rightclick outside the component and choose ‘Close Component’ when finished (orleft click outside the component with the Select tool).

Any components you create are stored in the Components Browser:

‘Window’ > ‘Components’

• Goal: get great levels of detail into your model withoutovertaxing people systems who want to browse the scenesthat you have made.

Modeling for Google Earth (1)Modeling for Google Earth (1)

� Clean surfaces that are not seen in anyway (e.g.: interior surfaces,bottom surfaces, etc.) or invisible geometries.

� Important detain only, according to the scope.

� Whenever possible, use single flat faces.

� Simplify curves: the default arcs and circles in SketchUp are toocomplicated to work well in Google Earth (e.g.: 8 faces instead of anarc).

� Colours: for small faces or hard to photograph areas in your model,

Modeling for Google Earth (2)Modeling for Google Earth (2)

� Colours: for small faces or hard to photograph areas in your model,plain coordinated colours can work nicely.

� Hide edges: once you have put the texture, turn on hidden geometry,select all and right click on edges to hide them.

� Resize and cut your images before using them as textures beforeimporting them.

Texture Optimization in Photoshop (1)Texture Optimization in Photoshop (1)

View > Show > Grid> Grid

if you want to see a grid as a reference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHOKb_Q28Iw

Texture Optimization in Photoshop (2)Texture Optimization in Photoshop (2)

Save for Web & Devices…

The smaller the images the better the performances will be

File > Import…

and navigate to the optimizedimage that you want to use as atexture.

Texture ApplicationTexture Application

texture.

Click on the lower left cornerand drag till you cover thesurface, then right click: Texture > Position

Right click and uncheck fixed pins. Move the yellow pins freely in the position on thephoto of the actual building edges.Click and drag the pins in the correct position on the model.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9D3RymsC864

• You can start creating the model in the correct locationimporting the view from Google Earth .

• Click on the icon 'Add Location' to select the area youwant to import:

Model Positioning (1)Model Positioning (1)

want to import:

• Google Earth tools:

Model Positioning (2)Model Positioning (2)

Obtain Google Earth viewObtain Google Earth view

View terrainAdd a new building

Obtain/share model or component

StreetView Photo texture

Preview in Google Earth

Model Positioning (3)Model Positioning (3)

• If you haven’t created the model in the correct position, you canalways click on the lower left corner icon (‘Model Info’) and go to the‘Position’ tab:

http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/buildingmaker?hl=en-GB&ct=lc

For some cities where Google has a proper imagery dataset you have thepossibility to easily build up a 3D model of buildings.

Google Building MakerGoogle Building Maker

Levels of Detail:

CityGML plugCityGML plug --ininhttp://www.citygml.org/

Assign surface types:

CityGML plugCityGML plug --in (1)in (1)http://www.citygml.org/

Export:

CityGML plugCityGML plug --in (2)in (2)

• http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en_uk/product/gsu.html

• http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en_uk/training/videos.html