Hi - I am having a problem importing images with Transparens? Is this due to my graphic card or am I doing something wrong? I can add this PNG file to a Face - but not whitout.
Would be greatful for any advice. Thank you.
Share the file and the .png image so we can see what you are working with.
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Hi, thanks for helping.
I’m planning to show a few students how to use SketchUp on Monday. This file contains several images that I’ve added:
- The first two artwork-cats on the left are fine.
- The cat with the mug is a PNG file. I couldn’t add it without attaching it to a face.
- The two logos on the pink pattern are also imported PNGs and seem to be stuck to that surface.
- There’s another logo, which is a JPG.
- Finally, there are two walls.
- I can add to a wall, but only if I don’t create a group or component. This isn’t ideal because of the “stickiness” issue, if that makes sense.
Attached are the SketchUp file and two PNG files.
Tiina
I don’t see any attachments.
Sorry - I didn´t know how to attach (new here) - but here is a link (weTransfer)
Tiina
You’re importing them as images and sticking them on faces. In the Import window you should get an option to import them as a material instead.
Here I’ve imported the cat image as a material and applied it to the square on the left. in the middle I imported the image as an image and put it on another square. On the right I imported the image as an image but didn’t put it on a square. It’s just standing on its own.
If you orbit around to the back you can see and select the faces and delete them.
Across the top are your four images imported as images with no faces behind them. On the bottom ,the same four imported as materials and applied to faces. Note that since the rectangles on the bottom are larger than the area covered by the material, the material must repeat. The one on the left is the .jpg which doesn’t support transparency.
THANKS 
And can I “crop them” after my import. Sorry if this is a stupid Question - but this is what I usually do in Adobe and more…
Tiina
You’re welcome.
If you import them as materials you can adjust the size of the faces they are applied to which limits how much of them you can see. It doesn’t really crop the material. If you import them as images you can’t crop them in SketchUp.
Well, SketchUp is not an image editor. It’s a 3D modeling application. Images are primarily used to create materials in an attempt to add a little realism.
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Here’s an example from my models. The woodgrain materials and the “drawings” on the paper in the drawer were all images imported as materials.
I know - this is a little “getting-use” to. I tried the "orbit around and delete the face - but then the cat disappeared. I saw this video from Sketchup Erin - and it seems to me that he adds PNG just like that - no surface to attach to…
JPG vs PNG import files in SketchUp - Skill Builder
But now - on your answer I think that maybe I am not making mistakes…
Thank you and have a great weekend.
Tiina
Orbit around the back and then double click on the blue face and press Delete. That should only select the face and its bounding edges.
If you are going to import as an image then don’t start with a face at all.
Aaron did import the image as an image but then he exploded it so it became a material on a face. At that point he’s in exactly the same place as if he’d imported the image as a material and applied it to the face. Then to cut the flowers out of the white background he traced around them and deleted the white-painted face around the outside. He still didn’t crop the image, he just changed the shape of the face on which it is applied.
If you start by importing the image as a material you can skip the explode step and then just start tracing around the image.