Rendering in SketchUp

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Chapter 18: Composing Light
Composing Light tools
When setting light, aim for surfaces to have a balance of brightness and shade. Good contrast 
helps create depth and focus, adding a realistic quality to the rendering (Fig. 18.7). Use these 
tools in conjunction with “Composing Light Strategies.”
Fig. 18.7: 
A rendering with good contrast and balance between light and shadows (SU Podium)
redirecting Light
Light composition involves altering the direction of light and shadows in the model. Light in 
SketchUp comes from an invisible sun source. Imagine the SketchUp model surrounded by a 
giant dome. The light source runs east-west across the dome, depending on the direction of 
North in the model, imitating the sun’s path (Fig. 18.8). As you learned in Chapter 17, the 
Time and Date sliders are the primary tools used to modify the direction of light and shadows 
(Fig. 18.9).
However, achieving the desired lighting direction 
is not always possible using just the Time and Date 
options. You can also alter the direction of North in 
SketchUp Pro by rotating the light source around the 
dome. The rotation changes the sun angle, casting 
light from different directions. Rotate Solar North by 
45-degree increments (45, 90, 135, 180, 225, 270) until 
you are happy with the light effect (Fig. 18.10).
Fig. 18.8: 
The sky dome illustrates how light runs 
east-west in SketchUp, simulating sun positions 
and angles.

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Part 4: Setting Light with Shadows
Fig. 18.9: 
The Time and Date sliders affect 
the sun and direction of light in a SketchUp 
model.
Shadow Settings
The following Shadow menu settings are a good starting point for those new to rendering. 
They will yield good, consistent results. For most exterior renderings (buildings and site 
plans), set Time between 10:00 AM and 2:30 AM and set the Date to September 9. Set the 
Light slider to 80 and the Dark slider to 35. Adjust Solar North as needed.
Keeping Shadows off, save the scene once the camera view and lighting are set. Move to 
another camera position, reset the light (keeping the Shadows off), and save another scene. 
Repeat the process for as many views as you want for rendering.
Use the Scene Properties options and confirm that layers, shadow settings, and camera 
views are selected. The scene tools and methods are reviewed in Chapter 12 and Chapter 15.
Shadow Boxes
A shadow box is a grouped 3D cube. It can be positioned anywhere in the model and casts 
shade into a scene. When positioned off camera and placed on layers, shadow boxes provide 
flexibility when you’re composing light (Fig. 18.11). Use Shadow Boxes to cast shade into a 
scene’s foreground and onto building facades (Fig. 18.12, Fig. 18.13). You can learn about other 
uses in the next section. To create a shadow box, use the following procedure.