How to render flat-shaded perspective top view?

SketchUp
1

I’m working on a board game project, and the board consists of a house, divided in rooms.
My question is 2 sided:

  1. How do I set my camera at a dead on top view angle with perspective?
  2. How do I go about rendering it, and is it possible to achieve a similar effect as in this image (Objects closer have thicker lines, flat shade, maybe with a flat shadow)
    850×755 129 KB
2
  1. draw a vertical line (guide or edge) right through the middle of the room. Then apply the ‘Position Camera’ tool to … position the camera on that line, looking down.
    Click and hold down the tool on the line. While holding down still holding down the Lmouse button, drag the cursor down on that line towards the floor and only then let go of the Lmouse button.

Play with the FOV (Field o View) to more or less exegerate the perspective view.
Menu Camera > FOV > type a view angle and hit [Enter]

3

Menu camera and chose parallele projection and it will be flat

4

As for your point #2, there is not way to determine the linewidth based on distance from the camera, but you may try playing with Fog to see if you can get the look you want.

5

Thanks guys for your replies.
As for the camera positioning, isn’t there a way to a camera which is always fixed (like you would in a 3d animation program)? It seems hard to ever get the exact same frame twice.
When I switch to the top view, and play with the FOV I can find what I want, but it seems rather arbitrary, because as soon as you zoom in or move your view, the perspective changes.

@Aaron: I don’t know if the fog will help me, but it seems like a cool feat!

6

Use scenes to create fixed views you can return to when needed.

7

Thanks, DaveR, good tip.

Is it possible then to have an export image to a vector format? Like .svg, .pdf, .ai, …? So I can import in Illustrator and tweak a bit?

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You can see the export options available to you in File>Export.

9

SketchUp Pro can export to PDF or EPS. Both can be opened in Illustrator, and they are identical in content.
From SketchUp Make you can use a PDF printer with the curiously-named “Use high-accuracy HLR” printing option enabled (PC, on the Mac it is called more sensibly “Vector printing”). The result, again, is identical.

Anssi

10

Thanks, sounds interesting, are there similar options in the Make version?

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Did you look at the export options available to you in File>Export? you should do that so you are familiar with them.

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There is actually a way for that. Go to Styles > Edit tab > Edge Settings and tick the 'Depth Cue.

1 Like
13

Golly! Always more to learn!

14

Perhaps I should have included an empty line.

Anssi

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