Rendering in SketchUp

293
Chapter 17: The Shadow Menu
Fig. 17.5: 
You can set specific dates and times (SketchUp).
Fig. 17.6: 
The effects of the Light slider on Shadows. Top shows a low setting causing faces to shade 
darker. The bottom shows a higher setting resulting in lighter face shading.

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294
Part 4: Setting Light with Shadows
Fig. 17.7: 
The Dark slider affects the strength of Shadows. Top shows a high Dark setting causing 
shadows to be flat. Bottom: A lower Dark setting creates greater shadow contrast. 
Use Sun for Shading
Check the Use Sun for Shading box to simulate the shading of surfaces as if Shadows were 
on. Use the Time, Date, Light, and Dark values to adjust the way surfaces appear, again, as if 
a shadow were being cast in the model. Checking this box provides a quick demonstration of 
how the shadows will cast in your model, without eating up the computer resources used by 
Shadows (Fig. 17.8, Fig. 17.9).

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295
Chapter 17: The Shadow Menu
Fig. 17.8: 
The model with an unchecked Use Sun for Shade box
Fig. 17.9: 
When the Use Sun for Shade box is checked, the model faces take on a simulated hue as if 
Shadows were turned on.

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296
Part 4: Setting Light with Shadows
Solar North
The Solar North option is available only in SketchUp Pro. The Solar North menu displays and 
adjusts the direction of north in the model. Adjusting Solar North alters the direction of cast 
shadows. To find Solar North, select View 
F
Toolbars 
F
Solar North. The Solar North tool has 
three options:
3
3
Toggle North Arrow
3
3
Set North Tool
3
3
Enter North Angle
The North tool and Enter North Angle tool are useful when you’re composing good light for 
renderings, as discussed in Chapter 18.
Toggle North Arrow
Clicking this option on will display an orange arrow indicating the direction of north in the 
model.
Set North Tool
The tool allows you to manually set the direction of north in your model, either by using your 
mouse or entering a value in Measurements.
Enter North Angle
Entering a value into this menu will rotate solar north. The values are entered in degrees 
(Fig. 17.10, Fig. 17.11).
Fig. 17.10: 
The Solar North menu is shown with the Enter North Angle option. The angle of the sun is at 
180 degrees.

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