Rendering in SketchUp

Fig. 17.2: 
The SketchUp Shadow menu and features
Show/hide Shadows
Click the Show/Hide button to turn Shadows on and off. When they are turned on, you can 
adjust the Shadows settings.
the UtC Menu
This pull-down menu provides options for setting Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). Generally, 
do not use this menu unless you need to set a specific time and date for shadows for a particular 
location. Adjusting the UTC can distort and create inaccurate shadows. At the end of the chapter, 
you’ll learn how to set custom locations and shadows in SketchUp.
the time and Date Sliders
The Time slider modifies the time of day (Fig. 17.3, Fig. 17.4, Fig. 17.5). It moves the light 
source east to west, simulating a typical day from sunrise to sunset. The time of day affects 
the color and amount of light. Early morning and afternoon times provide less light and 
longer shadows. Setting the time around noon gives the most light with the shortest shadows. 
Setting a time when there is normally no light (for example, 3:00 AM) will cause the model to 
appear dark with Shadows on.
The Date slider adjusts the day and month of the year, replicating sun angles associated 
with seasons. You can enter specific dates to customize the length and quality of shadows. 
Winter shadows (December 21 to March 21) will be longer and darker. Summer shadows will 
be shorter and brighter.

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Part 4: Setting Light with Shadows
Fig. 17.3: 
The Time and Date sliders affect the direction of shadows (SketchUp).
Fig. 17.4: 
The settings will be referenced and applied to the rendering (SketchUp).
the Light and Dark Sliders
These contrast settings affect the light and dark values of surfaces and shadows. The Light 
slider causes faces to be lighter or darker. The Dark slider causes shadows to be lighter or 
darker. In tandem, they alter how dark or light the model appears when Shadows are on or 
when Use Sun for Shading is checked (Fig. 17.6, Fig. 17.7). Most IRPs ignore these settings; 
however, they are useful for assessing the quality and direction of the shadows in a model 
prior to rendering.

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