SketchUp For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 8

Modeling with Textures, Photographs, and CAD Files

IN THIS CHAPTER

Applying textures and photos to a model’s faces

Building a model from scratch with SketchUp’s photo-matching tools

Giving your model a geographic location

Starting out with a 2D CAD file in SketchUp Pro

No matter how complex your models are, there is no doubt that they will be more interesting if you use textures — 2D image files — to paint faces in the model.

In concert with 3D geometry, textures provide visual cues that help people understand your designs more quickly. Modeling a face with a transparent material instantly conveys that it is probably made of glass. The same is true for using textures to paint faces that resemble wood, brick, or tile.

But textured models aren’t just more useful. Textures make your model look more attractive or realistic. If you are using 3D modeling to compel and convince someone about your great idea, mastering the texturing techniques in the first part of this chapter will give you an edge.

Real-world photographs are particularly useful textures. Not only can they inject ...