Another FSUT Already. Can You Believe It?

[SketchUp Guru]

Here's another try at the Friday SketchUp Tips. The last one didn't seem to draw much comment. Maybe it wasn't that useful for a lot of folks. Maybe this one will be.

Adding Materialsto the Library

SketchUp comes with a number of textures that can be applied to your model. There are a gazillion more images out there that can be used as textures. You just have to go get them and add them to the library. A Google image search on, say, "wood texture" yields "about 2870" hits. Not all of them are useful but many are. You can download the JPG images and save them for use in SU. Other searches will yield more.

Once you've found a texture you want, save it into the Materials folder. this is found under SketchUp in the Program files on your PC. It's slightly different on a Mac but the idea is the same.

Now that you've got the texture on your computer how do you make it available in SU? first, open SketchUp. then open the Materials Browser.

1. Click on the Create button.
2. Browse for the file.

3. Select the desired image file. Its name should show up here.
4. Type a name for the new texture. Here, I used 'Beech V' for the name. The V indicates to me that it is a vertical grain. Later I'll make a horizontal version of the wood grain using an image editor and add it as 'Beech H'. this makes it easier to apply wood grain textures with the proper orientation. This is especially useful on curved surfaces. You can edit a texture's orientation after applying it but you must do it for each surface that needs adjustment. This can become quite tedious and time consuming. It's much faster to make a rotated texture and save it once.
5. You might need to adjust the size of the texture tiles to make the grain look realistic. For this texture 2'x2' was too big. It worked better at 6"x6". If you aren't sure about this setting you can always edit it later after you've applied the texture to a surface and had a look at it.
6. Click Add. This adds the texture to the In Model set of textures.

You are now ready to use the texture in your current model if you have one open. If you want to be able to use the texture later continue reading.

Before going to step 7 make sure you have the appropriate library selected under the Library tab.

7. Right click on the texture in the In Model dialog box. Choose Add to Library.

Now the texture is added to the Library. when you close the SketchUp session you will be asked if you want to save the change to the Library. Choose the affirmative. Next time you open SU, you should have the new texture available to you.

Here's the beech texture I used for this example in case you'd like to add it to your collection.

Next time, if there's interest, I'll show how to create a new library with a large group of textures. It might be a good way to spend an hour when it is raining and there's nothing to watch on the telly.

 

[Roger]

All tips welcome. I like Sketch, but it does have a 'learning curve' so everything like that is useful. Thanks

 

[garywayne]

Nice one Dave.

Only the other day I said to my wife that we could do what you just said so we could add veneers to her designs.

Now I can actually do it. Cheers.

 

[Alf]

Good tip on the horizontal/vertical grain. Ta muchly, Dave.

Cheers, Alf

 

[andrewm]

Now that's what I call good timing. I've been trying to do this but kept putting it off.

Is there any source for free tilable textures to cover larger areas? Tiling a small sample looks like - well tiles

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Thank you all. I'm glad there was some useful information.

Andrew, wood grain is difficult to make seamless since the grain is naturally nonrepeating. There are some tileable textures out there to download. You just have to snoop for them. Another option is to use a freeware program called Wood Workshop which will generate quite believeable wood grain textures.

Here's a sort of mahogany texture I did with it.

And here is a maple texture.

 

[wizer]

ahh brilliant. I have been meaning to post related to this. But seeing as its on topic i'll ask in here.

For some reason in sketchup I have lost all textures and colours. I have the 'in model' textures in colours, but am unable to select a new colour.

Any ideas ?

 

[Steve Maskery]

Andrew,
Yes, tiling is a problem isn't it? But it is possible to do it well.
These are the criteria for successful tiling.

The left hand edge must follow on seamlessly from the right hand edge.
The top edge must follow seamlessly from the bottom edge.

Easy. But how do we achieve that?

You need a graphics editor such as PaintShop Pro. Then it's easy.

1 Take you original texture, and cut it neatly in two down the middle.
2 Transpose the two halves. This means that there will be a line down the middle that looks funny, so we have to deal with that. One way is to overlap the two halves, in different layers, then rub out the top layer a bit to show the under-layer. This smooths the two halves together. It's easier on bland textures than bold ones, but it does work.
3 Repeat the process ACROSS the middle.

The texture now tiles seamlessly. If I get a mo over the weekend I'll do some illustrations.

That's my contribution!

Thanks again Dave, much appreciated. Although the texture bit isn't new to me, I delighted to see SU being promoted in this way, and it becoming the "industry standard" for us home woodies.

And to those who are struggling to find time to play, I would encourage you not to give up. You will find that suddenly everything clicks and drops into place.

Edit - I must use the Spell-Checker. My excuse is no contact-lenses, whats yours?

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Good information Steve. thanks for adding that.

WiZeR, I'm not sure as to the cause of your problem but let's start with looking at file locations. Go to Window>Preferences>Files. Check that the File Location for Material Libraries is ...Google\SketchUp\Library or whatever the path is. Also make sure Texture Images is ...\Materials.

If these aren't set to those choices, browse to them and select them.

If you make a change to one or both of those, see if there's any change in behavior. If not try closing SU and repoening it. If that doesn't change anything, let me know.

 

[Alf]

If I get a mo over the weekend I'll do some illustrations.

Yes please!

 

[Roger]

A lot appreciate it - but maybe not reply! I can’t help that – but believe me ……… it is welcome

=D>

 

[garywayne]

Dave and Steve. Thank you both.

With both of your tips, I can now show Sheela (my wife) what her veneering is going to look like.

PS. Dave, I have downloaded Openoffice. Works a treat. Takes a bit of getting used to though.

 

[John McM]

Thanks chaps,
I've had a play with this now and it works a treat. I've managed to draw a simple model with 1 texture (walnut) to the outside components and another (beech) to the inside runners etc, really shows up the construction
methods especially when you orbit around. SU gets better by the minute.
Cheers
John McM

 

[Nick W]

There are already quite a few locations of dowloadable materials mentioned on this forum. Search for 'materials'.

 

[garywayne]

A good place for wood tiles/swatches whatever you call them, is the veneer supplier web sites.

I hope this is of some help.