Hi. Do you do lighting in SketchUp or Rendering program? And how do you do it when you can’t see the ceiling because of the model. I tried Section Cuts and they don’t work when I create it with the ceiling which I need to put the lights on - don’t I.
Regards Glenda
SketchUp only has a “sun” for lighting. Typically for interiors most people would use a rendering application and there are many to choose from.
Not sure what you mean as far as the ceiling oges. It would help if you at least share a screen shot of the sort of thing you want to accomplish.
Thanks Dave for that
With the ceiling, I mean that I can’t get an angle that I can actually put the lighting fixtures in.
Should I have done it before I did all of the model?
Regards Glenda
Not sure what you mean. Can you share a drawing or something that illustrates it.
Hi Dave
Thank you for trying to help me but I don’t know how to provide you with a screen shot.
Regards Glenda
Is there something you are using as a reference for what you want to achieve? You could share an image of it? You know what they say. a picture is worth a thousand words.
Glenda. Separately group (or use components) your ceiling, roof, all walls and the floor. Give them ceiling, wall and floor Tag etc.(Layers). Then you can hide the parts that are blocking your view by switching off view of the tag. I locate lights by hiding the floor and taking a view upward. I also move them around from above like a lighting plan where I can either see the fixture against the ceiling face or use x-ray view to see through the ceiling. Sometimes I hide the walls or simply use a view inside the room. Navigating a model is part of the process that you will find easier the more you model. SketchUp, unlike some design tools does not give you a built-in lighting layout mode, but you have to find your own way.
If you know how to make a screen shot (every designer should learn–very useful), you can just drag it into this message window. Or drag in a SketchUp file it that helps show what you are trying to do.
attached are screenshots looking up at the ceiling lights
(in parallel projection as for a plan) and down at indirect lights in another ceiling.Hi. Thanks for all your help. Unfortunately due to being a novice at SketchUp, I didn’t group everything together, some things yes but not all so now I am not sure if I can do that. Will give it a go. But your picture gave me an idea as I had already done a RCP for the lights, so I might be able to use the positioning to put on top of the ceiling and then pull through??
Regards
I’d use components for the lights. You can use the RCP to help you position them. You can use “hole-cutting” components for recessed lights. Just check that if you are using a renderer it supports hole cutting components (just have to run a test render).
Thanks. Ah yes hole cutting, I remember seeing something about that in one of many YouTube videos 
