Adding Interior and Exterior Details

Prior to adding a roof, we will add a few details to the model we have created:

1. Previous 3D Model

   Chapters in a project are expected to be done in chronological order. However, if you want to start from this chapter, please download the last model created from previous lesson(s) from the 3D warehouse.

   Adding details to the bathroom.
   
2. Adding front terrace
3. Adding details to the front bedroom windows.
4. Creating rear terrace.
   

Detailing the Bathroom

In this tutorial, there are only two objects reside in the bathroom: a toilet and a shower corner. Both are downloadable from Google 3D Warehouse. (See: Freebies: Bathroom Components).
As usual, in order to prevent water from spilling out, the bathroom floor is always lower than outside floor. At the shower corner area, the floor is also lower than the rest of the floor, so the bathroom will be relatively dry.

1. Changing the field of view

   Tips and Trick

   Field of View (FoV) By default, SketchUp will provide you with a 35° perspective. This is assumed to be the "normal" perspective of human eyes. The number can be set between 1° and 120°. The main reason we have a larger FoV is that we can set our view closer to objects while keeping more object(s) in our view. Therefore, the camera can be moved more freely in a small space. However, the farther the camera from the object(s), the more distorted they appear. FoV can be modified from menu Camera -> Field of View. Type in the desired number using your keyboard and press enter.

   Editing in a very small space, just like this bathroom, is not easy because most of the time our view will be blocked by walls. One way to overcome this is to widen our view by increasing the field of view. The effect is similar with viewing through a wide lens camera. From the same distance, area included in our view will be wider. However, just like in photography, the wider the lenses, the more distorted the object will appear.
   Change the Field of View (FoV) to 60° and set your view so the whole bathroom floor and the bathroom door can be seen clearly.  Later in  this tutorial, we will revert our view back to 'normal'.
   

2. Lowering the bathroom Floor
   

   The bathroom floor is 3 cm lower than the living room floor. In order to do that, we need to isolate the bathroom floor from the rest of the floor by adding a line along the inner side of the door using Linetool. Afterward, we will push the floor by 3 cm using Push/Pulltool.
   
   

   

   1. Tip & Trick

      Isolating face using Line Tool Previously we remove line(s) separating faces so the faces will merge into only one face (aka: healing). And vice versa, to separate an area from a face we need to add one or more lines so the area will be isolated from the rest of the face. To ensure isolation, we need to use point and line inference provided by SketchUp. Sometime, it is desirable to make a line longer than necessary to ensure intersection. Later, we will remove the redundant line(s) when isolation has occurred.

      Select Linetool and create a line on the floor of the bathroom just below the inner side of the door. To ensure that the line will actually cut the floor, draw the line from one corner of the bathroom to the other corner.
   2. When the line is completed, SketchUp will automatically “heal” the door opening so it is now no longer open. Just select the redundant face at the door opening using Selecttool and press [Del] to cancel the healing in the area.
   3. Select Push/Pulltool and push the bathroom floor down. Without clicking any mouse key, type in [3] using the keyboard and press [Enter]. This will lower the face exactly by 3 cm.
   

   Animated Tutorial - Lowering the bathroom floor.

3. Detailing the bathroom.
   

   The shower corner floor is 6 cm below the bathroom floor, with an area measuring 80x80 cm. The shape of the floor is not completely a square. We will first create a rectangle measuring 80x80 cm using the Rectangletool. Then, using the Linetool, we will add a sloping line to finalize the shape. When the shape is completed, we will push the face by 6 cm using the Push/Pulltool.
   
   
   

   1. Tip & Trick

      List Separator in Measurement Box Some tools require more than one entry in the measurement box. Entries are separated by a List Separator. List separator symbol used in the Measurement Box is determined by your operating system setting. In this SketchUp tutorial, we will use a coma [,] as the List Separator. Check your Windows Control Panel to find the right symbol.

      Select the Rectangletool and click at the intersection between the floor, the east and north walls.
      
   2. Move your mouse so a rectangle is formed on the floor. Then, release the mouse button and type in [80,80] using the keyboard and press [Enter].
   3. Select the Tape Measuretool and click at the bottom line of the east wall to create a guide line.
      
   4. Move the mouse inward and without clicking the mouse. Then, type in [67] and press [Enter] to create a guide line 67 cm away from the wall.
   5. Select the Linetool and click at the intersection of the guide line and the bathroom corner area. Move the mouse to the other side of the corner to make a small triangle at the corner.
      
   6. When the line turns magenta, click at the opposite line. This will create a equilateral triangle so the opposite side will also has 67 cm length.
   7. Erase the rest of the small triangle and the guide line using Erasetool to finish the wall corner shape.
      
   8. Select Push/Pulltool and click and push the shower corner floor area. Then, without clicking the mouse, type [6] and press [Enter] to lower the floor by 6 cm.

   

4. Placing the toilet and the shower corner set.
   

   If you have not downloaded the toilet and table components, please open Freebies: Bathroom Components for links and saving folder.
   

   Tip & Trick

   Zoom-in and Zoom out If points/intersections are too small to select, you can Zoom-in / Zoom-out your view using the mouse Scroll Wheel. The zooming will not affect currently active tool/objects.

   The toilet component must be positioned so its back will rest at the middle of the remaining wall next to the bathroom door. Place the component toilet somewhere in the middle of the bathroom floor and rotate it so it will have the appropriate orientation. Then, move the toilet using the designated wall as the reference.
   The shower corner set will also need reorientation. Place the component in the middle of the bathroom floor. Rotate the component so the shower head/tap will be placed on the bathroom south wall. Then move the component so the curtain rod will be attached to each wall.
   
   
   1. Adding the bathroom toilet
      
      • Using the Components browser, select the Toto toilet from the Components folder and place it in the middle of the bathroom floor.
        
      • Point your mouse to top of the toilet component until the four red plus signs appear.
        
      • Click at the plus sign on the right of the component and rotate it clockwise. Without clicking any mouse button, type [90] using the keyboard and press [Enter] to finish rotating the toilet to its proper orientation.
      • Find an approximate middle point of the back of the toilet component and click to use it as the grab point.
      • Move your mouse in the green axis direction until the green inference  appears.
        
      • Press [Shift] to lock the inference and find the middle point of the back wall. Click at at the wall when the blue dot [midpoint] inference appear.
      • Click again the approximate middle point of the back of the toilet component to use as the grab point.
      • Move the mouse in the red axis direction until the red inference appears.
      • Press [Shift] to lock the inference and move your cursor until it touches the face of the back wall. Click at the wall when the “on face” inference appears to place the component at its designated position
        
      • find the middle point of the back wall. Click at at the wall when the blue dot [midpoint] inference appear
        
   2. Placing a shower corner.
      
      • Open again the Components browser and select the Shower Corner Set component.
      • Place the shower cornet set in the middle of the bathroom floor.
      • Rotate the component so the shower head will reside at the north wall. Use the measurement box to rotate accurately.
      • Use the end of each curtain rods as the grab points when  moving the component  so it will be attached on the designated walls.
        

   
   

   Animated Tutorial - Detailing the bathroom

5. Restore Field of View setting back to 35°.

   Restore the FoV to 35 using similar steps as detailed in (1) so the view is back to the  "normal" perspective.
   

Adding the Front Terrace

The front terrace is designed to look as illustrated in the image. The terrace consists of three main objects:

1. The floor, including a small step on the west side to enter the terrace
2. The roof terrace made of concrete cast. The roof width is the same with the width of the front/door window.
3. Two terrace posts with connecting overhead beam to appear like a gate.

Detail dimensions of each objects will be provided during each object creation.
For easy editing/modification, all the three main objects will be made into one group so editing this object will not effect any of the surrounding objects.

1. Preparing a initial shape for the terrace.

   
   We are going to use floor and roof terrace as the initial reference. To ease placements and sizing of objects, we will prepare a box (colored in blue in the adjacent image) with the following measurement:
   
   

   1. Length is similar to the floor length of 120 cm.
      
   2. Width is exactly the same with front door and window widths which is 171 cm.
      
   3. Height is based on the lower part of the  roof cast which is 275 cm above Point zero.

   We are going to use Rectangletool and Push/Pulltool. However,  we want to apply Grouping technique so new object(s) will be isolated from existing walls, windows, etc, therefore, editing will be done without fear of unintentional modification to these existing objects.
   

   

   1. Tip & Trick

      Editing objects within a Group To edit objects contained in a group, simply double click the group using Select tool By default, where we are in a group, all surrounding objects will be dimmed.

      Move the camera/view so that both the front door and the front window can be seen clearly.
      
   2. Select Rectangletool and click at the line separating the ground and the front wall just under the window. Drag the mouse to create a rectangle and immediately type in [171, 120], then press Enter.
      
   3. Double click at the the newly created rectangle using  Selecttool and activate context menu, then select Make Group.
      
   4. Double click the newly created group to enter the group. Raise the  rectangle using Push/Pulltool. by 275 cm.
      
   5. Exit the group and  move the right side of the group to make it parallel with the left side of the front door jamb.
      
   6. Name the group as 'Terrace' using  Context Menu -> Entity Info
      

   Animated Tutorial - Creating initial "block" for the front terrace

2. Creating Floors, Roof and Column Elements
   

   Measurement details of each terrace elements are shown in the illustration. We are going to make the elements within the group we created earlier.
   Notice that, of the three terrace elements, the column element touches both the floor and the ceiling. Therefore, we are going to make the columns also as a group so each elements can easily be edited without disturbing any other element.
   We would first make the front face of the box a group. Then create the terrace roof and floor and finish the column elements of the terrace.
   For the purpose of the animation efficiency, we will start editing the columns though the roof and the floor are not completely done.

   

   1. Move the camera as we did in step (1a).
      
   2. Double click at the group and make the front rectangle a group by itself. This group is designated to hold the terrace columns.
      
   3. Erase the two vertical lines on the back using the Erasetool so the bottom face is now disconnected with the top face.
      
   4. Using the Push/Pulltool., pull the top face by 15 cm, then pull the front of the newly created box by 50 cm to finish the terrace roof.
      
   5. Finishing the right side of the terrace floor
      
      • Raise the floor until it is at the save level with the interior floor, then push it by 3 cm to set the level to its final position. Or just type in [47] immediately after raising the face.
        
      • Extend the left side of the floor by 12,5 cm to the left using the  Push/Pulltool. to finish the left part of the floor..
        
   6. Add a stair step of 30 cm long and 10 cm below the terrace floor.
      

      • Tip & Trick

        Push/Pull & Control Push/Pull tool can be used to move a face so the object will be bigger or smaller. If  Control key is pressed while the Push/Pull is active, then the selected face will stay and a new face, and its surrounding wall(s), is created parallel to the starting face.

        Still using the Push/Pulltool, move the camera to the left side of the terrace floor. We need to add a floor step by extending the floor. Prior to pulling, press Control key so the cursor will change into . This will  maintain the original face. Select the left face and pull by 30 cm. Now we have a new box adjacent to the existing floor.
        
      • Push the newly created box by 10 cm using  Push/Pulltool to finish the stair step.
        
   7. Finishing the right side of the floor terrace.

      • Tip & Trick

        Line tool to recreate missing face(s) Sometimes, when we are manipulating an object, SketchUp can inadvertently delete one of its faces. To get the face back, just use the Line tool to redraw a line over one of the existing sides of the missing face.

        Remove the unneeded vertical face by deleting the vertical lines using the Erasetool.
        As shown int the animation, this may lead to erasing both of the right side of the roof and the floor. Use Linetool, and create a line over one of the sides to reclaim the missing faces.
        
      • Add the floor width by 12,5 cm to the left using the Push/Pulltool to finish the floor.
        

      For the sake of the animation flow, this step is 'postponed' until we have finished working with the left column (point h).
      
      
   8. Creating the left and top side of the column element.
      

      • Tip & Trick

        Exiting a Group Use Select tool and click any area outside the group to exit the group. To exit a group you will need to click a few times if the group is within other groups (nested group)

        Using Selecttool, double click at the front terrace group to  go inside the group.
        
      • Thicken the front side by 20 cm using Push/Pulltool. and also the left side by 25 cm.
        
      • Heighten the top side by 75 cm so now the total height is 350 cm.
        
   9. Finishing the terrace columns
      
      • Get inside the column group.
        
      • Thicken the right side of the column block by 25 cm using the Push/Pulltool..
        
      • Select  Guidetool to draw a Construction line at 40 cm away parallel from the top. Click at the top side and move the cursor downward the type in [40].
        
      • Select the Linetool and click at the intersection point between the column group and the top left of the terrace roof. Move the mouse downward parallel to the blue axis.
        
      • When the line turns blue, press the Shift key to lock the inference. Move the cursor downward and click at the bottom of the group. While still pressing Shift key, move the mouse upward and click at Construction line to finish the line.
        
      • Press Esc key to create a new line, starting from the intersection of the column group and the top right of the terrace roof using the same method for the right line. After finishing the left and the right line, connect the top of the two lines using Linetool to finish drawing the inner rectangle of the column block.
        
      • To finish the column elements, press the inner side of the column block using the Push/Pulltool. until the block is completely hollow.
        
      • Delete the construction line (Guide) using Erasetool
   10. Click twice outside all the groups to finish editing the group(s).
       
       

   Animated Tutorial - Finishing all the terrace elements.

Adding ornamental detail to the front bedroom windows

Detail shape and dimensions of the front window ornaments are shown at the following picture.
There will be no detailed steps for adding ornamental detail to the front bedroom window. Since the process itself is quite simple. The tools required during this process are the  Rectangletool and the Push/Pulltool.
The key is, after a rectangle is created, the dimensions are immediately entered using the measurement box to obtain the required dimensions. You can use double click to repeat a pulling operation when creating the vertical ‘pole’ of this window ornament.

You can watch the modeling process on the following animation.

Animated Tutorial - Adding ornamental detail to the bedroom windows.

Rear terrace detail

There are not many details for the rear terrace. We just need to add a 160x80 cm floor. To avoid rain water from spilling into the house, the terrace floor will be 3 cm lower than the interior floor. This floor area will be covered by main roof, so no additional roof is required.
No detailed steps will be provided to add this terrace.

We have accomplished ....

No	T o p i c s
1	Changing Field of View (FoV) so editing an object can be done in close distance without being obstructed by other objects.
2	Separating a flat surface using the Line tool.
3	Entering value(s) using the measurement box using Windows format
4	Fetching components from the Google 3D Warehouse.
5	Placing an object/component at the middle of a face using Midpoint reference.
6	Creating a new object as a group so its entities will be isolated from surrounding objects outside the group, and editing will not disturb those objects.
7	Using Push/Pull tool to create a new face.
8	Creating a group within another group (nested group)
9	Creating a line using the Line tool utilizing main axes inferences.
10	Entering and exiting group using the Select tool.

By now, we have completed all the floor and wall elements of the house. The next step of the tutorial is adding a roof and adding some finishing material to the floors and the walls so the model will appear more realistic.

Cheers

Harrynov