Google SketchUp: create textures - how it works
In this practical tip, we will show you how you can use Google SketchUp to create a wide variety of textures for your design.
Insert textures with Google SketchUp
With the free design software "SketchUp Make 2014" for Mac OS and Windows, you can create and design three-dimensional objects in just a few steps. So that you get a realistic picture of your 3D construction, you can add different textures in "SktechUp" or even create your own.
- First start Google SktechUP and open your design that you want to enhance with textures.
- Then click on the icon with the "filling bucket" in the menu bar. A new window opens with a material library (see screenshot). Here you can fill in individual areas of your model depending on the function with the specified textures from the material folders. To do this, select your desired texture and then click on the area in your design that you want this texture to be.
Create your own textures in Google SktechUp
If you don't find a certain texture in the given material collection from SktechUp, you can also create your own textures for your 3D object. That's how it's done:
- Click on the small symbol with the "+" in the materials window to create your own textures (see screenshot above). In this new window you can, for example, change the color of existing materials or add new material surfaces to the collection for your model.
- Go to the "Search for material image file" folder so that you can select your own saved textures on your computer for your 3D object.
- Select your desired material texture and click on "Open". The selected file is added to the SketchUp material library.
- Before you use your own texture for your model, you can make individual subtleties. For example, change the proportions or the transparency of your texture. Your own texture is ready and will also be available for your next design.
To make your designs and 3D constructions look even more realistic, you can have shadows shown in Google SktechUp.