Rendering in SketchUp

6
Part 1: Overview and Concepts
Fig. 1.8: 
Rendering of cover model
This book will teach you how to create renderings with photorealistic qualities. By apply-
ing the methods taught here, you will be able to generate images that appear richer and more 
realistic than non-rendered images exported directly from SketchUp. Don’t expect expert 
results immediately, though. Most users have to work through a learning curve, and their 
first attempts can range from non-photorealistic to photorealistic (Fig. 1.9 and Fig. 1.10). To 

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7
Chapter 1: Introduction to Rendering in SketchUp
generate more realistic images, you’ll need to practice the concepts outlined in this book with 
diligence and repetition. The more effort you put in, the better your results and the faster you 
will advance, steadily increasing the level of realism in your renderings (Fig. 1.11).
Fig. 1.9: 
Non-photorealistic rendering
Fig. 1.10: 
Photorealistic rendering (Shaderlight)

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8
Part 1: Overview and Concepts
Fig. 1.11: 
Rendering with hyper-realistic qualities
Computer rendering is a huge and endless topic. It is not possible to cover every nuance and 
method of rendering in a single book. Similarly, there are multiple ways to accomplish some 
of the processes outlined in this book. This book is simply intended to be an introductory to 
intermediate guide for people approaching rendering for the first time. 
Using this Book
This book is ideal for many levels of SketchUp users. People who have been using SketchUp to 
generate models for specific goals or projects will benefit from this book. Intermediate and 
advanced users can shine with this book, leveraging what they already know to build quick 
models and generate renderings.
However, if you are brand new to SketchUp, this book is not for you. The book does not offer 
basic SketchUp instruction nor does it give detailed step-by-step modeling guides. If you are 
interested in learning SketchUp basics, SketchUp for Dummies by Aidan Chopra is an excellent 
resource.