• 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: