Sketchup and Photoshop Rendering - Sketchup Styles

Tutorial by:

Christopher Wingate (wing0124@umn.edu)

This group of tutorials will go over how to create a rendering using Sketchup and Photoshop.

Overview

The process is based on exporting a series of images from Sketchup using Styles, overlaying them in Photoshop, and using layer masks to add realism and drama to the image. The process can be used to create a variety of architectural images, from quick elevations (this example), to photorealistic perspectival renderings.

We will be creating this image in the tutorial.

Three types of layers are used to create the rendering.

• • Sketchup Selection Layers - These are exported directly from Sketchup and serve as guides to quickly select areas within the image. They are not visible in the final image.

• • Sketchup Visible Layers - These are exported directly from Sketchup and make up the graphical base of the image. There are three types of Sketchup Visible Layers

    • Sketchup Material Layer

• • • Sketchup Shadow Layer

• • • Sketchup Linework Layer

• • Photoshop Pixel Painted Layers - These are overlays added in Photoshop to add dynamics to the image.

When these layers are combined, they quickly create a rich image.

This part of the tutorial will go over how to use Sketchup Scenes and Sketchup Styles to set up and export the Sketchup Layers mentioned above. Part 2 of the tutorial will cover how to create the Photoshop Pixel Painted Layers and combine all the layers in Photoshop to create the final image.

Sketchup Scenes

Open "Sketchup and Photoshop Rendering.skp"

Scenes is the tool that allows you to set up views in Sketchup. It is critical for this technique to save your views as scenes. This will allow you to come back to the exact same view when exporting images, ensuring that they overlay perfectly on top of one another.

Click on Window > Scenes to open the Scenes window.

The Scenes window is pretty straight forward. You can see a list of scenes I already created in the Sketchup file along with thumbnail previews. To create a new scene, simply press the + button in the upper left corner. This will essentially remember all of your current settings including view position, hidden geometry, shadow settings, and Styles settings. Shadow settings and Styles settings will be covered later in the tutorial.

If you check the "Show Details" box on the Styles window, you will see a list of all of the settings a Scene can save. By default all of the boxes are checked.

When you add a Scene, it also creates a tab on the top toolbar. Clicking on these tabs will jump between Scenes. If you right click on the tab, a pop up window will give you the same functionality as the Scenes window (you can create, delete, and update scenes).

Try to create a scene. Rotate your model to get a view you want to capture, and hit the plus button. Your scene has now been created. To test the scene, orbit your view slightly. Now click on the scene you just created within the Scene window, and your view will return to its previous position.

I have already created 5 views in this sketchup model. One is a birds eye view and the rest are elevational views of the model. For the rendering we will be using the "South" scene.

Shadow Settings

Shadows add depth and realism to a rendering. Sketchup has a very accurate shadow engine built into it. It automatically simulates a sun and its placement according to the location of your model and the time of day you set. This sun angle then generates shadows.

Click Window > Shadows to open the Shadows Settings window.

To turn shadows on, click the Show/Hide shadows icon in the upper left of the Shadow Settings window. Now move the Time and Date sliders to see the shadows move across your model. If you then click on the "South" scene again, you will see the sliders move back to the position they were saved at by the scene. They will also turn off. That is because I had them turned off when I created the scene.

If you want accurate shadows for your model, you need to input your location into Sketchup. Note that this model was not Geo-located. It simply used the default sun location. However, if you want to know how to Geographically Locate your model within Sketchup, simply google "Geo Locate Sketchup Model".

Sketchup Styles