Create a component ( from image ) without bounding box

[nathalia.p.souza]

Hi team,

I am creating components from images without a background , but sketchup creates a bounding box the same size as a full picture (not the outline of the object - that is what I want).

This is bringing me problems as I need to bring the object with very close real dimensions.

Is someone able to help me with this ?

Thanks

[DaveR]

The bounding box of components and groups are always rectangular prisms. There is no way around that. It shouldn’t prevent you from creating the object at the desired size, though.

[mihai.s]

@nathalia.p.souza

… bounding box the same size as a full picture (not the outline of the object - that is what I want).

Explode the image, trace it, make component.

Create component from an image in SketchUp

YouTube search

[nathalia.p.souza]

Hi Friend,

Thanks for the video. This is exactly what I am going now.

Hard to believe there is no app that automatically deletes the background and creates an outline of the object. I thought that just deleting the background would create a new “limit” of the object using the outline of it.

Thanks for the video again.

Nathalia

[DaveR]

I opened your image in an image editor, deleted the black background and replaced it with transparent pixels. Then I cropped it tight and saved it as a .png file which I imported into SketchUp.

There are several extensions that will automatically trace around the limit between transparent and non-transparent pixels to create a face shaped like the image which would be useful if you want the thing to cast a shadow. Fredo6’s Pic2Shape is one, TIG’s Image Trimmer which is part of his SKM Tools come to mind. Both are available from Sketchucation.

[Alan4]

@nathalia.p.souza

Hard to believe there is no app that automatically deletes the background and creates an outline of the object

Two things to add:

• If you are working with an image that supports an alpha channel (like PNG), you can use a transparent background.
• There is a preference setting to hide the bounding box when selecting an object (though it doesn’t work in the version I’m currently using).

[DaveR]

@Alan4

• There is a preference setting to hide the bounding box when selecting an object

No there isn’t. There’s an preference setting to show only the bounding box when a group or component.

[nathalia.p.souza]

@DaveR

Image Trimmer

Hi friend,

Is there any chance to get one of those extensions for free (temporarily)? I just started to work with Exhibition Design, and I’m still figuring out the best way to represent 3D objects in the project without modelling them (which you agree is impossible most of the time). I don’t need a very precise object representation, but something recognizable enough and with very close dimensions - so we can work with a feasible project.
Can you give me any other tip ?

Thanks

Nathalia

[DaveR]

@nathalia.p.souza

Is there any chance to get one of those extensions for free (temporarily)?

TIG’s SKM Tools is available without charge. There is a trial period for Pic2Shape.

@nathalia.p.souza

best way to represent 3D objects in the project without modelling them (which you agree is impossible most of the time).

Actually I don’t agree. For things like your sculpture, a simple 2D image or a component with the Always face camera property selected can work fine and help to avoid file bloat. This is from a piece I designed more than 15 years ago that uses the same method with a Face Camera component for the sculpture (made by the client) on the glass shelf.

@nathalia.p.souza

Can you give me any other tip ?

Other tips? Keep your models as simple as you can. That makes them easier to work with and you have less time invested in the model.