I want to export my model as a plain lineart so I checked Hidden Line and choose transparent PNG. But when I successfully exported it, the background is transparent but the model has a white fill color (attached image).
How can I export with a fully transparent background? I just want the lines only.
Change the face setting to Wireframe.
Wireframe would show all the back edges. You could export as 2D DWG then import to SketchUp again. Go to parallel projection, top view and try and arrange it the same as before. Now export a transparent png.
First attempt, exporting transparent PNG:
Exported 2D DWG, imported 2D DWG then exported as transparent PNG:
That works, but lines that are supposed to be hidden are showing.
You can use hide on edges you don’t want showing.
Thanks for the tip though. It might be tedious to do but it actually works if you have a lot of time.
You can also export to PDF or EPS from your hidden line view.
This is neat. It’s working very well. Thanks so much!
Presumably you want to use the line work as an overlay with another image? If so, you can export it as the black lines on white with or without the transparent background. Then in your image editor, set its layer to Multiply.
Alternatively you could use LayOut to generate the image. That would give you easier control over line weight and image size.Render as Vector with the background turned off and you’ll get only the visible lines.
Using Layout like that, only the background would be transparent, the faces will still be opaque which is not what the OP wanted. You can get that just from exporting with transparent pngs from SketchUp.
Export, Import, Export, is a bit clunky though. Any better ways of doing this?
No. That’s incorrect. There are no faces with Vector rendering if the viewport face style was set to Hidden Line.
This is the exported PNG in my image editor. Not a face displayed anywhere.
I don’t know what the OP’s application for the PNG is, but if vector can be used instead of raster I would rather use the EPS/PDF route as it is resolution independent. It can even be turned into a PNG in any PDF editor (Acrobat, PDF Xchange…)
Ok, you’re quite right. I didn’t try hidden line in Layout. That looks good.
If you use Hidden Line in SketchUp and export as transparent PNG, the faces are opaque and filled with the background colour.
Yes. That’s the reason for the OP’s post.
Thank you DaveR, using the multiply image blend mode did the trick. I use Scribus to format exported PDFs & images from Sketchup, renderer, and CAD with title blocks.
Good deal. You can also combine other image exports that way. I sometimes create the appearance of soft shadows without having to defile a renderer that way.
