How would YOU model this?

SketchUp
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Namik_Pixel_01.skp (143.5 KB)
Namik_Pixel_02.skp (1.0 MB)

How would YOU do this?
I took a break from houses, point clouds, and trying to keep my head above the SketchUp water to play with a photo…
Having attended my first 3D BaseCamp in Vancouver this year, I kept thinking about the “pixelated” sculpture of an orca adjacent to the convention center. It was interesting artistically, but also made me think about the merging of the physical world and the digital world. Very apropos for a SketchUp Convention.
So, when I got home, play ensued with a photo of my dog, Namik. The photo was put through the pixelate filter in Photoshop. Then I wanted to make a pixelated “terrain” or relief sculpture in SketchUp.
This was a chore, as I don’t know how to import an image, then cut up the material so that each “pixel” retains the individual color that could then be manipulated with push/pull.
After playing with sandbox and not getting anywhere, I ended up just drawing a grid of unique squares the same size of each pixel and manually sampling the color from the eyedropper for each grouped “pixel square”. Only then could I push/pull or scale each object.
What I’m wondering is how could this have been done more quickly or efficiently? Also, how could I add shininess (gloss) to each “pixel” while retaining the color?
Two models: one with a single group and push/pull, the second with individual groups push/pulled
Just wanted to post something a little fun after using this forum mostly to find help in moments of desperation!
Thanks, ben

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I like what you’ve done here. No recommendations on quickness or efficiency. Here’s a little something I did with my dog (looks like a cat, oops) and push-pull. I didn’t go with squares but just drew lines and push-pulled. I hid or smoothened lines and tried different materials.

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Hey, thats fun. I always feel like I am catching up to problems that have been solved long ago.
The simple aesthetic of pixels has always been appealing to me.

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I think fun is the key sometimes. But did you try importing the image of Namik as a texture? You might be able to put the image on a surface (with a grid) as a texture and then push pull it that way.

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I did. I tried that in the first model. However, when the texture or material is pushed or pulled too much, another color from the referenced photo shows up on the side of the pulled out shape.
That’s why I went to a group per pixel strategy. Then it is only on solid color per group.

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Ah - I tried it too and got the same result you mentioned. It’s kind of a cool effect… unless it’s not wanted. We’ll have to wait for a Maestro to show the easy way on pixel painting.

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You might find Voxelize of some use,

1 Like
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Hey thanks. I’ll have a look