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Old 04-15-2012, 05:14 AM
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sporticus sporticus is offline
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How best to turn unfolded sketchup model into picture for colouring?

Ok, this is the situation. I have designed a model in sketchup. I have unfolded the various components and have aligned them all flat next to each other.

I want to export them for the adding detail and colouring in part. For teh actual colouring I will be using paint shop pro 9 as that's what I have and am fairly familiar with it. Although if there is a program that is free or cheap that can import the model better for colouring then let me know!

I have Ultimate Papercraft3D but this is hard work. Even though the model is all unfolded it splits it down into load of tiny pieces. I also think it rescales it to the wrong size. I used to have Pepakura many years ago, but lost it in one computer breakdown.

I'd like advice on how to export the model from sketchup in away that means I end up with the model in the same scale as designed and so I can save it as a good quality flat image I can then colour etc.

Any advice gratefully recieved.
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Old 04-15-2012, 06:38 AM
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I use and have has some success with Gimp for color and layout and Sketch up for modeling and scaling. I am unfamiliar with other programs though.

CT
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Old 04-15-2012, 06:44 AM
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You have to use layout in sketchup. Export to layout and you can scale it any size you want. If you design 1:1 then just print it out or save it as a PDF. Or export it as a png, jpeg etc.... If you design in real time size then you can use layout to scale, the scaling sizes ar built in or you can Create your own custom scales.

Gimp is great free program.
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Old 04-15-2012, 10:30 AM
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Thanksfor the ideas so far.
It appears Layout is part of the pro version, and I can't afford $500 for a hobby program! I have tried exporting as a 2d jpeg and png but it only seems to export as the screen shows which is therefore not a scale model. Also the quality was really poor.

I have considered printing but can't seem to work out how to alter the layout so that the pieces end upon pages rather than across all the joints. Also seems a bit mad to print and then scan again.

Any further tips welcome. I probably should have said I only have the free version not the Pro one.

I might try gimp as my paintshopro is playing up a bit. The colour pallatte dsoens't show up but appears on the desktop when I shout the program!!
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Old 04-15-2012, 10:49 AM
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You may find my CSS Texas tutorial thread interesting. I show how I scale the pages in sketchup.
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Old 04-15-2012, 03:35 PM
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Ok so your not using pro. Here is the way to do it in the free version. SU8

This is from Dummies.com for sketchup

How to Print to Scale from Google SketchUp 8 - For Dummies

I used this method for a long time before I bought Pro. The trick is to make a rectangle on your model the size of you paper so you know it will fit inside the page. Make mutiple pages in layers. Turn layers on and off and print to scale per the link. This should work fine. Then use a free PDF printer to print PDF. Then manipulate this image in your paint program.
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Old 04-15-2012, 04:07 PM
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Thanks guys. After a bit of head scratching and the subsequent removal of splinters from under the nails, I think I understannd the methodology. I'm going to give it a go with just an uncoloured version of the model first to make sure I've got it sorted.

Previously I have not known how to export a textured sketchup model so just left them blank. CT's tutorial has inspired me to have a go at doing a chunk of the texturing in sketchup. Thanks for link Mike. It makes sense....I think!
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Old 04-15-2012, 04:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sporticus View Post
Thanks guys. After a bit of head scratching and the subsequent removal of splinters from under the nails, I think I understannd the methodology. I'm going to give it a go with just an uncoloured version of the model first to make sure I've got it sorted.

Previously I have not known how to export a textured sketchup model so just left them blank. CT's tutorial has inspired me to have a go at doing a chunk of the texturing in sketchup. Thanks for link Mike. It makes sense....I think!
Yes SketchUp can cause great deals of anxiety, but I gotta tell you that it is the same with all software. Pick one you like and stick with it. The learning curve is steep, but once you get it. It is all downhill after that. I have some very expensive Cadd software that I don't use because of the time to beat it into submission. I would like to use Rhino but the cost stops me. Good luck and call again if you get stuck.
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Old 04-15-2012, 04:21 PM
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Cool. I have exported as a2d image and changed the size in pixels and then resized. This seems to have sorted out the definition issue I had.

Will now work out how to texture a few bits and then try them and all going well get on with the rest of the model!!
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Old 04-15-2012, 09:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mldixon View Post
You have to use layout in sketchup. Export to layout and you can scale it any size you want. If you design 1:1 then just print it out or save it as a PDF. Or export it as a png, jpeg etc.... If you design in real time size then you can use layout to scale, the scaling sizes ar built in or you can Create your own custom scales.

Gimp is great free program.
You don't HAVE to use Layout. There are several other options including some SVG exports that can go into a program like Inkscape. Look for SVG plugins.

Ryan
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