Rendering in SketchUp

Skylight portals
This unique feature offers an exciting way to light a scene. The skylight is a square surface light 
placed over windows and open portals. It samples exterior lighting and streams it into the 
scene, just as with a real skylight or window (Fig. 29.6, Fig. 29.7).
Fig. 29.2: 
Shaderlight point light

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Chapter 29: Shaderlight Simulated Lighting
Fig. 29.3: 
Rendering of point light
Fig. 29.4: 
Shaderlight spotlight

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Part 6: Shaderlight by ArtVPS
Fig. 29.5: 
Rendering of 
spotlight
Fig. 29.6: 
The red 
circle over the geom-
etry of the portal indi-
cates the direction the 
light will emit.

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Chapter 29: Shaderlight Simulated Lighting
Fig. 29.7: 
Skylight Portal rendering
Unlike all of the other lighting in the model, the Skylight Portal option actually uses the 
SketchUp Shadow menu to set the lighting. In essence, it conveys and focuses exterior lighting.
When you’re positioning the Skylight portal into the model, you should consider the follow-
ing points:
3
3
The Skylight Portal square must be placed onto a surface that contains a transparent 
material such as window glass or an unobstructed opening; otherwise, it won’t be able 
to sample the light and stream it into the scene (Fig. 29.6). Place the Skylight portal to 
cover the entire window or portal opening.
3
3
The Skylight portal must be oriented in the right direction. The Skylight portal has two 
directions: one side emits light that needs to face into the scene, and the other side, 
which samples light and faces away from the scene. The Skylight Portal geometry indi-
cates which side is which by including emitter geometry on the side that should face the 
scene (Fig. 29.6). You might need to rotate the Skylight portal to face the right direction. 
Use the Move tool’s crosshairs to rotate the light (Fig. 29.8).
area Lights
Not to be confused with a point light, the Shaderlight area light is a square surface light similar 
to the skylight. Whereas point lights mimic lightbulbs, producing light from a single point, 
area lights produce a light across the entire surface. Area lights for Shaderlight do what LEMs 
accomplish in other IRP programs (Fig. 29.9, Fig. 29.10). These lights are great to use for ceiling 
lights, acting like fluorescent tube lighting and strip lighting.

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