How to Insert an Image in Sketchup

Would you like to learn how insert an image into Sketchup? Today, we will talk about the methods to be able to insert images in this application Google. We will leave you some real examples of landscaped inserts and some techniques to achieve a beautiful inclusion of landscapes and other methodologies of using this great programWe invite you to stay and learn more about how to insert an image in Sketchup.

Methods for inserting images in Sketchup:

Now, we will see what are the techniques to insert an image in Sketchup, each of them has different but effective means. Let's see:

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Example 1: To insert an image in Sketchup

Below is one of the photos of the room to insert an image in Sketchup.

Now here is the store that will be modeled in Sketchup.

The idea is to insert a 3D image, rendered in Artlantis, into the image and create a sort of photo-realistic union. As if the store had been photographed and already existed. Well, let's follow these steps to get started:

Matching Perspectives to Insert an Image in Sketchup

• Step 1:: First, you will have to import the photo and adapt it in SketchUp. To do this, you need to import the photo into: File > Import.

NOTE: : Be careful to check: use as a new adapted photo.

• Step 2:: Now you will have to adapt perspectives. This process is so complicated.

NOTE: : Do you see the 2 green dotted lines and the 2 red dotted lines? This will help you define the perspectives.

• Step 3:: First you will match the green lines to define the green axis. Practice, the ground will give you its lines very clearly. Take the corner of the first line and match the lines. Do the same with the red lines.
• Step 4:: Do you see the axis? 0; 0; 0? The intersection between the red, green and blue solid lines? Here you should position this point on the image. In this example it was placed near the first post.
• Step 5:: You're almost done, now you need to climb everything. When you move your mouse to the horizon, an icon with two arrows appears. Keep tilting and moving your mouse until the ladder matches.
• Step 6::Here is the result from my side.

• Step 7:: Now, try to see how it looks by displaying the 3D overlay. To do this, you need to go to the window Style > Edit and uncheck Colour per layer. This is what it looks like:

• Step 8:: I update the scene to maintain the positions.

Rendering in a renderer

To do this step you must download a renderer, we recommend using Artlantis, which you can download here LINK.

• Step 1:: Now, you need to go to the Artlantis rendering software. It works with any software.
• Step 2:: Make some material and light adjustments. The most important thing is that you must use an HDRI image metropolitan to obtain realistic reflections and a tint as close to reality as possible, like the following image:

• Step 3:: Runs the rendering.

Overlaying images in Photoshop

Now, the other step to insert an image in Sketchup, you will need to use another well-known program (Photoshop). This is the procedure to give those final touches:

• Step 1:: Now we have to overlay images in Photoshop. It will import the two images into the same file. Here you need to do that the two images match reducing the opacity of the top image and finding the exact position.

• Step 2:: Then use a mask to be able to superimpose the image correctly. Eliminating the little man on the right, for example.
• Step 3:: Add small lighting, contrast and shadow effects to better integrate everything. You can see all the settings and layer styles on the right.

• Step 4:: Add reflections to the floor duplicating the insert and turning it over. Then you give it a little blur and reduced opacity and you're done.
• Step 5:: Now you have to match the colorimetries. Here you must use the raw camera filter.

And here is the final result!

image

This is roughly my method for inserting an image into Sketchup.

Example 2: To insert an image into Sketchup from an adapted image

Now, we will see how to insert an image in Sketchup from an image adapted for landscaping, but it also serves to complete existing models.

image

• Step 1:: First, we will focus on the first use. That is, modeling from photographs. We will go to Google / Images and write the word "home", For example.
• Step 2:: You choose an image of a house. When taking photos of the object (or in this case, of the house to be modeled), it is advisable to take all the angles of the house, and not just one where you see a right angle. It is worth remembering that this is necessary for modeling using photographs but also photographs of facades, in particular to apply them in texture.

NOTE: : It is best to choose a good quality photograph, with a good right-angle view. This is an important point. It is also essential that the chosen object is in the centre of the photo. If the model is not taken in the middle of the photo, the lens tends to distort the perception. This will penalise the modelling and you will not be able to model the object perfectly.

 Below is an example of an image that matches the criteria: House centered and at right angles

• Step 3:: After saving the image, you need to go to SketchUp.
• Step 4:: The next step is to go to File / Import. As for the format, you must choose “all supported image formats” and “use as new adapted photo”.
• Step 5:: On PC, this drop-down menu is on the right side. You choose the saved photo and click "To import".

NOTE: : Don't worry if you see lines everywhere. There are red lines that serve to show the fleeting perceptuality of the photo. The green lines allow you to identify the lines that recede at 90° in relation to the red axes of the photo.

Red and green lines extended to infinity give new points. Connecting the two points allows the creation of a yellow line that corresponds to the horizon of the photo.

• Step 6:: From above, in transparency, you will see the SketchUp model, where Suzanne appears. You will position it by clicking and dragging on the origin point, right at the beginning of the photo.

• Step 7:: The idea is to correctly place the points on parallel lines in the photo. Then you can zoom (but not orbit), for example, to place the red lines at specific points. You will notice that the ground was not chosen because it is never straight. You will have the impression that it is, but if you take the angles in the photo and consider that the windows have been made level, you will see following the red axis that there is a slight slope. That is why it is better to avoid leaning on the ground lines.
• Step 8:: The last check to do, which is quite important, is to see if the blue axis follows the ridge which is perpendicular. At the same time, it is possible to correct any alignment errors. Before leaving the modeling of the photo, it is good to fly over the axes where we see two small arrows appear.

• Step 9:: Then you must do click and drag down to adjust the scale. However, this is not a precision tool. This is a simple dimension adjustment. Once all this is done, you will click on: "Finalizar".

Finishing the modeling

• Step 1:: Then you need to exit the photo modeling mode. There are no more lines. If you want to find them, click on the scene that bears the name of the image you imported. If you ever notice that the axes are wrong, just right click, when you are in this scene, and click: «modify the adapted photo»The idea of ​​this first step was to tell SketchUp where the camera was when the photo was taken.
• Step 2:: The second step concerns modeling by tracing the edges. You have to take the tool "line". When you want to do a modeling, you should always start from the origin because it is easier (hence the interest of positioning it well from the beginning). You have to be very careful with the location of the axes and their corresponding colors.
• Step 3:: Hold down the key "Shift" and you will find the midpoint. When modeling a rectangle, the top edge is made up of lines.
• Step 4:: Then you will take the tool "Move" and you'll get a nice click in the middle corner.
• Step 5:: Press the top arrow and go up so that the ridge of my roof is consistent. Then the lines will be fairly parallel.

• Step 6:: After you have modeled one side of the house, you will still need to build the other sides.
• Step 7:: Then, take the tool "push". Where you will notice a slight lack at the bottom, it is normal. It is due to the fact that the floor is not straight. So you can correct that later.
• Step 8:: When taking the tool push, in orbit, you must press “Alt” for mac or “Ctrl” for PC, and you can push the roof to give it a little thickness, all while leaving the original face.

Removing guides

• Step 9:: By pressing «Alt» again and double clicking, you will set the same thickness. This step is essential to make the roof have the same thickness.
• Step 10:: Then you will take the tool of "line", you click and hover over the breakpoint. When it is green and has blue dots, you click again.

NOTE: : This allows us to remake a face. All that remains is to erase the excess edges. If the face has disappeared it is because you did not double click while pushing. Switching from orbit mode to photo modeling allows you to manage imperfections, returns, parallels, symmetries, edges...

• Step 11:: To remove guides, you must go to “Edit” and “Delete Guides”. It is better to check these than to delete them. This avoids problems.
• Step 12:: Then, entering the adaptive modeling scene, place Suzanne right in front of the house.
• Step 13:: You are going to do space bar and three clicks on the house.
• Step 14:: Then right click and «Project photo». SketchUp will ask you if we want to crop the partially visible faces. Then you should answer NO.
• Step 15::So you project textures without cutting Suzanne's shadow.
• Step 16:: You can do this again with other things in the house, like the fireplace, for example. This way you get the texture back.

Example 3: To insert an image in Sketchup (Photo Opening Function)

This feature allows you to insert a photo into your model and adapt it to the perspective of the photo. Textures from the photo can be projected onto the model.

Activate the Fit a Photo feature

To activate this feature, you can choose between the following two options:

First option

• Step 1:: Go to window of menu – Adapt a photo. dialog box appears Adjust photo:

• Step 3:: Then, you need to click on the icon Adapt new photo. The window will appear Select background image file. Choose an image file from your folder.

NOTE: : Supported files are: JPEG image (*.jpg), PNG image (*.png), Photoshop (*.psd), TIFF file (*.tif), Targa file (*tga) and Bitmap Windows (* bmp).

Step 4:: Click the button Open.

Second option

• Step 1:: go to the menu Archive- Import. The window appears Open.
• Step 2:: Check the option Use as new suitable photo.
• Step 3:: Choose a supported image file.
• Step 4:: Click the button Open.

Example 4: To insert an image in Sketchup

To start, it is imperative to download 3 software necessary for operations:

1. Sketchup: which you can download from this LINK. The software is free
2. Model Converter X: You can download it from the FS Developer website at this LINK.
3. xml library creator: which you can download from this LINK.

How to insert an image in Sketchup (available options)

To start insert an image in sketchup With this method, we have 2 options available:

1. While manufacturing from scratch the desired 3D object (polygons with texture sets) with the software.
2. or directly import the ready object through the Firefox 3D IMAGE BANK.

In this option, we will simply retrieve a ready-made object and place it in FSX in its actual location on the photorealistic texture. Therefore, in this example, the object will be retrieved ST BENEZET PONT. Follow these steps:

• Step 1:: In Firefox you must connect to the bank in this ENHANCE.
• Step 2:: Investigate the famous bridge and arrives at the dedicated page as in the image below:

• Step 3:: Then, you must download the model:

• Step 4:: the downloaded file is in the format skp. You must open the SKETCHUP software and open the previously downloaded file:

• Step 5:: You will get the visualization of the object in SKETCHUP; now you save it in another file format. The idea is to export the 3D model and in DAE type.
• Step 6::To do this you must go to: EXPORT, 3D MODEL.

• Step 7:: You select a path, ideally you should select an empty folder in the project name:

• Step 8:: The object is saved on the PC with the DAE extension in the project folder. It is linked by a subfolder with the name of the DAE file. This subdirectory includes all the textures of the 3D object. These textures are mostly in JPG format.
• Step 9:: You can now close SKETCHUP.

How to insert an image in Sketchup with MODEL CONVERTER X: convert object for FSX

• Step 1:: start the application.
• Step 2:: click the button TO IMPORT on the left side and open the previously created file in DAE format

• Step 3:: Import may take several seconds depending on the size and complexity of the 3D object

3D object integrated into the software

Now, we will start the conversion:

• Step 1: Create textures. To do this, click on the icon called «Materials Editor»

• Step 2:: A new window opens:

• Step 3:: Textures appear on the left side of the window, 4 tabs at the bottom of the page to modify the parameters…
• Step 4:: When designing a 3D object in Sketchup, you may need to use transparent textures (initially in .PNG format)… in this case, you will also make them transparent for FSX:

• Step 5:: we select the desired texture.
• Step 6:: In the drop-down menu, you must validate the option "TRANSPARENT", We validate the choice by clicking on
• Step 7: Then you move on to optimization which consists of reducing the number of texture files, to do this click on the tab «DRAWCALLS»

• Step 7:: You must click on the first button «PREDICT», you wait There calculation (more or less long depending on the number of textures.
• Step 8:: Then the number of existing textures (BEFORE) and their number after the optimization is performed (AFTER) are shown in the Texture column.
• Step 9:: remains to be validated by clicking on the second button called "Minimize".
• Step 10: In the last step, you change the size of the textures to the standard Flight Simulator and then you rename them using the name of the object (OBJET.DAE) to avoid duplicate names in the FSX or P3D texture folder.

NOTE: : Your texture files are saved in DDS format, so you will need to copy them into the TEXTURE folder of your scene.

Second step: the MODEL file

• Step 1:: The operation is even simpler, still under MODEL CONVERTER X, you click on EXPORT OBJECT.

• Step 2:: The file is exported in MDL format.
• Step 3:: You can close MODEL CONVERTER X, here is the result of your manipulations:

How to insert an image in Sketchup with Library Creator xml: integrating the object into the FSX library

• Step 1:: start the application
• Step 2:: the first time, click on Options y Fsx bgl comp path to get the route of the exe of the FSX SDK.

• Step 3:: Always in the options, click on the relative path.
• Step 4:: Now, you integrate your 3D object into the software: click on Archive NEW LIBRARY.
• Step 5:: once named, click on the button ADD MDL OBJECTS and select the file MDL generated in CONVERTER MODEL X

• Step 6:: the file is visible:

• Step 7:: Now you create the BGL file which will contain the initial 3D object to be managed by FSX: click on ARCHIVE and then COMPILE BGL.

• Step 8:: BGL file is generated…
• Step 9:: You close the software. In the Windows Explorer, these are the files obtained:
  • DAE file and subfolder of the file name.
  • DDS files (FSX textures).
  • The newly converted BGL file

Example 5: To insert an image in Sketchup Under FSX: place the created object from the library

• Step 1:: Integrates the work done in Flight Simulator X:
  • copy the BGL file to…/FSX/scenery/global/scenery
  • copy the DDS files to…/FSX/scenery/global/texture
• Step 2:: With 3D object placement software, all you have to do is place your object underneath FSX.

NOTE: : There are two software capable of performing this operation:

• Whisplacer: is a free tool that allows the insertion of objects into FSX thanks to the SimConnect API. It has become a complete tool capable of performing the same tasks as the SDK's object placement tool for editing scenes.
  • Whisplacer includes the following features:
    • Preview / map view.
    • read/write XML scene files.
    • read/write scene files in BGL format.
    • Live preview of objects in FSX.
    • Inserting/Editing windsocks, effect rectangles and exclusions.
    • Overview thumbnail of all standard FSX library objects.
    • Filling lines and polygons
    • French language interface
    • You can download it at this LINK
  • Instant Scenery 2:Instant Scenery 2 is a tool for adding 3D objects into Flight Simulator X scenes. This paid app allows you to enhance scenes by adding objects. It is possible to move and remove these objects with the mouse and see the results of our actions directly in the flight simulator view without having to reload scenery every time. This method allows all objects to be placed correctly the first time.
    • You can download it at this LINK

Also, you can opt for the product payware to insert an image in Sketchup. Here's how to place the Saint Benezet Bridge in realistic photo texture:

• Step 1:: Under FSX, with a photo-realistic texture background, it must be positioned in the desired location

We see the bridge cutout, but there is no default 3D bridge in FSX

• Step 2:: You launch Instant Scenery2

• Step 3:: The first library will appear

• Step 4:: Then you select the library created in Library Creator xml, Here bgl

• Step 5:: The bridge finally appears under FSX, it remains to place it correctly…

NOTE: : You have now successfully placed a 3D object available in the Google 3D Object Library into the Flight Simulator X environment. All that remains is to re-stretch the object on the objects available in the library.

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As you can see, inserting an image in Sketchup is very simple, just follow these steps and you will be able to create hyperrealism in your photos. The extra tools are also necessary, but you can practically make your edits and insertions in Sketchup yourself. We hope we have helped you.