You add shading in SketchUp by enabling the Shadows feature and adjusting its settings. Here's how:
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Enable Shadows: Go to View > Shadows. This toggles the shadows on or off.
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Access the Shadows Panel: Typically, the "Shadows" panel is located within the "Default Tray." If the Default Tray is not visible, go to Window > Default Tray > Show Tray. Then, find the "Shadows" panel.
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Adjust Shadow Settings: Within the Shadows panel, you'll find controls to manipulate the appearance of shadows. This includes:
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Time of Year (Month and Day): Adjusting these settings changes the sun's position in the sky throughout the year, influencing the angle and length of shadows.
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Time of Day (Hour and Minute): This allows you to set the time of day, directly affecting the shadows' direction and intensity.
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Light and Dark Sliders: These sliders control the overall lightness and darkness of the shadows.
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Use Sun for Shading: When enabled, this uses the sun's position to create shadows. Disabling it allows you to manually set the light source.
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Understanding the Impact of Settings: Experiment with the various settings in the Shadows panel to achieve the desired effect. Pay attention to how the different times of day and year, as well as the light and dark sliders, affect the realism and visual impact of your model.
By using these steps, you can effectively add and control shading in SketchUp to enhance the visual representation of your 3D models.
