Modeling a natural/live edge in Sketchup

[Mark Bolton]

Anyone have any tips / tricks for representing a non-straight edge in SU? I have a trim package that won't be live edge but the corners of the material will incorporate any missing knots, defect, wain, and so on. I can just render them square and note it but it sure would be nice to have the edges cut away irregularly but it'd seem geometry would get a little over the top.

Been playing around with line style a bit but figured someone had to have been down this road before (Dave?).

Thanks.

[Dave Richards]

I'm not exactly certain what you mean by, "...a trim package that won't be live edge but the corners of the material will incorporate any missing knots, defect, wain, and so on."

To draw live edge boards, I'd use the freehand tool. Trace an image of the board if you need to. Draw the top and bottom edges. Tweak the edges as needed. Join with Curviloft.

This is an oldie and I just pulled the live edge shape out of the air. Since I didn't have the boards for the project, yet, there was no edge to trace and I didn't spend more than a couple of minutes on it. I only wanted to insinuate that the front edges are live ones.

[Mark Bolton]

Hey Dave,
This isnt a live edge per say its a trim package for a home that will incorporated a rustic natural edge on the trim, sills, nosings, and so on. I was trying to come up with a way to represent that in SU without having to actually draw the edge. As I mentioned, I can note it to the customer but I was hoping to show a wavy/irregular line on these edges in SU. Im wondering if I cant create and save some trim components with a given line style and then re-size them as needed.

[Dave Richards]

It would be helpful to see an image of the molding you're talking about. I expect you could create components that can be resized but if you want to show the wany, live edges, you'll need to draw them. If the moldings are as I'm imaging, changing the length would involved using Scale but keep in mind that scaling the length would change the wany edges, too. Or you might make the component for the longest possible piece and just cut them off as needed.

Line styles are a model attribute not a component attribute. You can only use one line style at a time. Even if you save the molding component with a sketchy line style, when imported, the component will be shown with the currently active style in the model. Depending upon how much post process work you want to do, you could use multiple line styles but that involves exporting multiple images with different elements shown and different line styles. It's not difficult but it takes some thought.

[Mark Bolton]

It would be helpful to see an image of the molding you're talking about. I expect you could create components that can be resized but if you want to show the wany, live edges, you'll need to draw them. If the moldings are as I'm imaging, changing the length would involved using Scale but keep in mind that scaling the length would change the wany edges, too. Or you might make the component for the longest possible piece and just cut them off as needed.

Line styles are a model attribute not a component attribute. You can only use one line style at a time. Even if you save the molding component with a sketchy line style, when imported, the component will be shown with the currently active style in the model. Depending upon how much post process work you want to do, you could use multiple line styles but that involves exporting multiple images with different elements shown and different line styles. It's not difficult but it takes some thought.

Thanks Dave, that was my fear/thought as well. I have never played around a lot with line/styles but I was under the assumption that it applied to the entire model.

Ill try to post a couple images that may show what Im after but if you just imagine perhaps some #2 common material that may have a bit of a barky edge here and there, or a knot at the edge of the board (on the corner), and so on. Those will all remain. They will get softened in sanding but will be left. I also use a bit of hand planing, spoke shave, sanding, to break the edges hard making them look at bit rustic/aged. I was just hoping to have a way to show this a bit in SU but perhaps I can find a good texture that will give the impression of a rustic surface as opposed to having it drawn that way.

Thanks,
Mark

[Dave Richards]

Mark, you could create new materials that would give the large surfaces the rustic appearance but the outside edge of the tree would need to be geometry to look convincing. I'd keep the geometry simple to reduce file bloat.

You could create a sketchy style that is rather ragged but it would get applied globally without you did some post process work.

[Mark Bolton]

Mark, you could create new materials that would give the large surfaces the rustic appearance but the outside edge of the tree would need to be geometry to look convincing. I'd keep the geometry simple to reduce file bloat.

You could create a sketchy style that is rather ragged but it would get applied globally without you did some post process work.

Thanks Dave,
The global will be a problem as there will of course be windows, commercial door slabs, and so on in the drawing that will need sharp edges. These are just concept renderings so go over the top with work isnt really needed. Was just hoping for a bit of a work-around. Im looking into the textures now...

[Dave Richards]

Understood on the concept drawings.

Textures: When I make them, they are generally images of entire boards and not those worthless little square textures commonly available. I usually make four or more from the same log, too. Then I can pick out the areas I want pretty much like you would in the shop with real boards.