SketchUp’s Match Photo feature can help you apply a photo to your model, or even create a model from a photo.Match Photo works best when your image meets certain criteria:

Materials, environments, and textures add images, colors, lighting, and textures to parts of your model. Applying these effects to your models adds an extra level of detail and realism. 

In SketchUp, you see a tan and blue background that suggests the earth and sky. The default background might be great for buildings, but looks a little strange for a model of a rocking chair, as shown in the upper-left corner of the figure. No matter what you’re modeling, you may just want a plain background with sketchy edges to communicate that your model is a blueprint or prototype. Or you may want a polished and detailed background that simulates an interior or a street scene. Notice how the different backgrounds change the look of the model in the figure.

3D Warehouse provides a few ways for you to find the materials you are looking for. You can always search for a material and download it into your model. You can also download materials used in the models that other users have added to 3D Warehouse. To download a material used in another model without downloading the whole model, follow these steps: