Rendering in SketchUp

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Part 3: Modeling Detail
Fig. 15.10: 
The interior scene midground is balanced with the foreground, leading the 
viewer’s eye to capture the entire scene.
Background
The model background is the area off to the side or in the distance of the midground focus 
(Fig. 15.11, Fig. 15.12). For many site and building models, the background might be empty, 
which can be distracting. For interior models, the background is typically the view out of a 
window, doorway, or opening. Backgrounds include the area where a sky would be present in 
the real world.
Fig. 15.11: 
A sky and buildings (included as an image) are included to create the background and provide important 
settings for the building.

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249
Chapter 15: Camera Scenes, Composition, and Backdrops
Fig. 15.12: 
A sky and city image is enhanced using Photoshop to help provide context 
for the interior scene.
The background can be filled with backdrops, such as sky or neighborhood images, 3D 
building models, and 2D FaceMe components such as trees. Filling in the background goes a 
long way in making a model appear in context and realistic.
Background also refers to parts of the model that are not directly seen. Many renderings will 
utilize reflective surfaces, like glass. Reflective surfaces with nothing to reflect will have reflec-
tions that are curiously blank and flat (Fig. 15.13).
Backgrounds should encircle the model’s main content. This will allow reflective objects to 
mirror the detail of the backgrounds (Fig. 15.14, Fig. 15.15). In many cases, simply placing an 
image backdrop away from the camera view but facing reflective objects is enough.
Fig. 15.13: 
In this rendering of buildings without a backdrop or background, the windows and other 
reflective surfaces (including the six surfaces set up to act as mirrors) appear flat.

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