Sketchup Tutorial Part 2 - Understanding the Basic

Style Setting for you project in Sketchup

This tutorial is just covers the very basic elements in Sketchup.

After you successfully setup your customized Toolbars (see previous tutorial), now it is time to customize "style" for the modeling in Sketchup. The reason is because some style settings aren't ideal for the complex modeling. Therefore, it is always good to go over each "style setting" and choose the stetting that will be the best for the modeling.


In this tutorial, you are only going to be cover the style setting that need for us to make template. We will cover individual style settings in the future tutorial.

In this tutorial, we are going to cover

1. Skecthup Styles
2. Edges
3. Back Edges
4. Profiles
5. Extension
6. Endpoints
7. Jitter

Edges

1. Window > Style

IMG.1

IMG.2 Style setting Box will appear

2. Style Setting  Box > Edit

Uncheck everything except Edges

IMG.3

IMG.4

Edges is basically the series of lines that needed to form the shapes. 

IMG.5 Just Edges is checked

IMG.6 Highlighted in yellow shows you an idea of the Edges 

IMG.7 Edges is unchecked - can you tell the difference?

If the Edges is unchecked, you can't see the lines and you also unable to select the lines. 

It is easier to do modeling when the Edges is checked so we will check the Edge on the Style Setting. 

Back Edges

Next, we will go over the Back Edges. 

Back Edges are located right below the Edges.

Or

View > Toolbars > Styles 

Style box will be appear and you can added to your menu.

*Note: Back Edges are only enable when Edges is checked.

IMG.8

or

IMG.9

The Back Edges is new feature that was added in Skecthup 8.0. If you are using Sketchup 6.0 or 7.0, you won't see this feature.  It is very similar feature as X-ray. People who uses Sketchup 6.0 or 7.0 can use X-ray instead of this feature (X-ray takes up more modeling data than using Back Edges mode). However, the X-ray takes up more modeling data and does not shows as hidden lines (See IMG.10). So as the modeling become more complex, it was very difficult to read the lines. 

IMG.10 X-ray mode, Not showing hidden lines as Back Edges mode and take more modeling data

As you can see in the Image, the Back Edges is feature that shows hidden lines of the model. 

We are going to disable Back Edges mode because we can simply turn on and off by clicking Back Edges on the menu (IMG.9). 

Profile

The Profile is similar to outline. It enable you to see the outline of the shape that you draw. 

IMG.11 by default setting, thickness is set in 2

IMG.12 Profile set by 20

Profile not needed while modeling, so it is best to be turned off while you are modeling.

Depth Cue

Depth Cue is the similar to Edge but the lines are showing thicker on the object that is closer and thinner as object is further. It is used when you want the objects look to be 3 dimensional.  

IMG.13 Depth Cue set by 20

Depth Cue also not needed while modeling, so it is best to be turned off while you are modeling.

Extensions

If you had architectural drafting experiences, you might be familiar with this feature. Extensions is lines that extended out from the objects so lines are crossover each other. This feature can be used if you prefer to give Sketchup model a classy look. 

IMG.14 Extensions set by 20

  

Extensions are also not needed while modeling, because it will be very hard to read the lines when you do the complicated modeling.  So it is best to be turned off while you are modeling.

Endpoints

Endpoints is feature that make lines bold at the end of the points.

IMG.15 Endpoints st by 20

   

Endpoints also not needed while modeling, so it is best to be turned off while you are modeling.

Jitters

Jitters is feature that make lines that are not straight. The best way to use this feature is when you want to give the model that looks like sketch. 

IMG.16 Jitters applied

Jitters also not needed while modeling, so it is best to be turned off while you are modeling.

So we just finished up with Sketchup Styles that available for us to use. 

In this tutorial, we covered Sketchup Styles 

Edges, Back Edges, Profiles, Depth Cue, Extensions, Endpoints, and Jitters.  

All of these styles are very effective if  you can use them appropriately. However, when we modeling, it is best to use Edges and turn off the rest.

In this Tutorial covers:

1. How to apply Styles to Skecthup models
2. Available Styles available
3. Best Style Settings for Sketchup Modeling 

Contact me if you have any question.