How CSK does it!

Outline of steps from paper to 3D.

What to do after the ​
End of Design phase.
Start your CAD dwg
● Scan hand drawings of plans
● Import to AutoCAD (drag and drop works)
● Scale using scale command or align command in AutoCAD
● At this stage only minor changes in design can be expected but nothing more.
● DO NOT design in CAD

of following ​
CAD dwg​ layers
● slab outline
● walls
● structure (column + beam)
● Staircase
● Doors windows
● site (boundary + contour lines) [contour lines should be of few segments of polylines]
● Furniture (it is advisable not to export furniture layer into sketchup, unless you know what you
are doing)
● hatch (DO NOT import to sketchup)
●
blocks in AutoCAD will work components in Stekhup. Make use of this property: for doors, windows,
columns, light fixtures, and so on. Provided they are concurrent throughout the design. Same type of
windows throughout.

NEVER EVER EXPLODE HATCH in AutoCAD. Unless you know what you are doing, or you are trying to
hurt someone real bad.

If by any sad chance, you have done all your dwg in ​ layer 0. ​
There is still hope, provided you did your
dwgs in ​polyline​
, and selecting each lines to put into respective layers. Or the lines have designated
line-width or ​
line type or ​color​ Select similar’ or ‘Quick select’ ​
, select them using ‘​ option in right click
drop down menu. ​ This is still take some time, so it is advisable that one does the dwg in respective
layers.

SKETCHUP
● Open a new file
● Go to ​File>Import>cad.dwg
● Make sure to import units too from the options panel
● Open layers panel. One will see layers as found in AutoCAD.
● In layers panel, work with elements separately in isolated groups.
 ● For example, if the walls need to be isolated: turn off visibility of all layers ​ except “​
wall layer”.
Select all the visible ​lines representing walls. ​Right click and group them. This prevents lines of
certain groups interacting with lines of other groups.
● Isolate all the elements of all layers separately. So now you have groups consisting of walls,
slabs, etc.
● Start forming the 3D mesh of these elements (3D উঠােনা কেরা )
● Make/Generate faces from selected edges. There is a certain plug in I use called ​ generate face
(sketchup8), one may find other similar extensions in Extension warehouse for newer like: ​ s4u
Make Face​ ​ttps://extensions.sketchup.com/en/user/6256/store
h
● If for example the walls (rectangles) do not have any surface yet, try drawing diagonals to form
surface. Erase the diagonal line afterwards.
● If they still don’t form surfaces, the drawing lines are not coplanar. Flatten in AutoCAD, restart the
process.
● Push pull to form the mesh with respective length, height, width and/or thickness.
● Remember to work in groups. For example, each walls of a single room can be and should be
grouped separately unless otherwise.
● But keep walls within walls and slabs within slabs.
● One may try to group according to floors it is fine.
● Blocks imported from AutoCAD are components in sketchup so make use of them

The best models are those which are accurate and light. And segmented through proper group.
Accurate in terms of dimensions
Light in terms of smart modelling with 'lower no of entities' e.g. a circle or curve with 32 segments
consists of higher entities and a circle or curve of 8 segments consists of lower entities. If the detail is
not required then always go for lower entities. Smoothening the object will depict a perfect circle or
curve.

And always save. If it closes unexpectedly find the autosave_file in the root destination of the file
previously saved.

Do not try to import trees, grass, textures, etc. in the form of mesh.

CLEANUP3​
In case the 3D file is still heavy, try using ​
Explore plugins for your creativity and work flow in Sketchup, but not right before the submission.
Some of the important sketchup plugins (for me) are: (They all should have tutorials in youtube)
1001 bit tools Weld Architect’s tools Edge tools2 Artisan

Podium V2 Joint Push Pull Zorro2 Fixed area Hide all edges

Unhide all edges Unhide all entities CLEANUP3 Make faces 1.4 Loop Subdivision smooth

Installation of plugins is easy and can see youtube for help. ​ All these are available, in ​
Extension
Warehouse and ​ www.sketchucation.com​ . ​
There are hundreds of plugins made by amazing people,
and uploaded them for free, for the world.
END of modelling. Onto PRESENTATION

Export​from Sketchup
File>export
While exporting refer to the dialogue box button “Options...” to reveal properties needed for the export.

Export to ​
Lumion
skp​
File>export> 3d graphic (to export 3d in forms other than .​ )

Export to ​
Illustrator
File>export> 2d graphic

Export to ​
Photoshop
File>export>2D graphic
Formats: pdf, jpeg, png, etc.
(exporting in .pdf has greater flexibility since it primarily is a vector, can be resized without losing details
according to the canvas. Once placed and or rasterized any resizing will deteriorate its quality)
If exported in JPEG mind the resolution in the options.

One of the key is to identify what needs to be highlighted in the presentation. Do not overwhelm the
renders if the design doesn’t require or complement it. A simple or minimalistic design requires simple
renders and vise versa. ​
Always try to bring out what is the best part of the design even it is only one
render.

Using different style

(with/without lines)
(with/without surfaces)
(with/without shade and shadow)
Xray view enhanced
Back edges
Background & foreground
Reference from dk ching