Architectural_Design_with_SketchUp

Architectural Design with SketchUp
NN
NN
NN
NN
you make a copy and place two of them side by side, they will behave like two physically
separate objects.
Use components for repeating objects. As soon as you have an object that will be
copied multiple times in its current shape (e.g., floor joists or streetlights) or simply scaled,
use components instead of groups. Components save file space and keep SketchUp
working smoothly.
Model as precisely as possible. Use SketchUp’s precision modeling tools to create a
model that is accurate and doesn’t contain “crooked geometry” or gaps. A common
problem occurs when one corner of an otherwise planar face moves out of plane. At that
point, SketchUp needs to triangulate the face, which in turn breaks it up and makes texturing
and other modeling tasks harder (e.g., using the Push/Pull tool or moving edges).
Try to avoid this by modeling orthogonally where appropriate and using dimension entry
and object snaps wherever possible.
Keep the polygon count low. Because SketchUp is a polygon-based modeler, any
curved shape must be approximated by a certain number of polygons (typically, triangles,
rectangles, or polygons with more than four edges). The more polygons a model has,
the more the graphics card will have to work to display the model and any shadows on
it. This is true especially if you turn on edge display or even custom styles. A technique
to reduce the polygon count is modeling circles or arcs with only the minimum number
of edges needed. It is also beneficial to use components as much as possible, especially
for curved objects that repeat.
Use proxy components if needed. If you need to work with high-polygon objects—for
example, detailed trees for rendering—then insert proxy components (which can be as
simple as a box with the rough outline shape of a tree) into your model while you work
on it. This keeps the polygon count low and lets you work well with SketchUp. You can
then either replace these before you create renderings or—depending on your rendering
software—replace them during the rendering process (outside of SketchUp).
TIP
Make sure the components’ coordinate axes (the ones that you see in the component
editor after you double-click a component) are at the same location—for example, at the
center of the bottom of the objects. Otherwise, replacing the components will shift them.
NN
Don’t use textures that are too large. If you use image-based textures, use only the
image size that you need. Images can have very high resolutions, and several images with
textures that are too large can slow down SketchUp significantly.
46