Graphics and Media Lab

Perform the following steps to create a simple texturized 3D model of a building.

• Step 1: Find the desired area in Google Earth
• Step 2: Pass map from Google Earth to SketchUp
• Step 3: Select contour of the building on the map using 'Axes' and 'Rectangle' or 'Line' tools
• Step 4: Lift the constructed face using 'Push/Pull' tool
• Step 5: Select face of the model
• Step 6: Press 'GML Texturizer' toolbar button
• Step 7: Open image
• Step 8: Select wall
• Step 9: Adjust texture ratio and resolution
• Step 10: Check 'Change model in SketchUp options' if necessary
• Step 11: Press OK
• Step 12: Copy constructed texture to other faces
• Step 13: Pass model from SketchUp to Google Earth

Step 1: Find the desired area in Google Earth

• Open Google Earth.
• Find the desired area.

Desired area in Google Earth

Step 2: Pass map from Google Earth to SketchUp

• Open Google SketchUp.
• Use 'Get Current View' tool (press 'Get Current View' toolbar button or use 'Google->Get Current View' menu).

Google Earth map passed to SketchUp

Step 3: Select contour of the building on the map using 'Axes' and 'Rectangle' or 'Line' tools

• In case of necessity use 'Axes' tool (press 'Axes' toolbar button or use 'Tools->Axes' menu) to set proper axes corresponding to the building of interest.

Using 'Axes' tool to set proper axes

• Use 'Rectangle' tool (press 'Rectangle' toolbar button , use 'Draw->Rectangle' menu or press 'R') or 'Line' (press 'Line' toolbar button , use 'Draw->Line' menu or press 'L') tool to select contour of the building on the map.

Using 'Rectangle' tool to select contour of the building on the map

Step 4: Lift the constructed face using 'Push/Pull' tool

Use 'Push/Pull' tool (press 'Push/Pull' toolbar button , use 'Tools->Push/Pull' menu or press 'P') to lift the constructed face.

Note: You can set any height and proper height can be estimated further.

Initial 3D model of the building

Step 5: Select face of the model

Use 'Select' tool (press 'Select' toolbar button , use 'Tools->Select' menu or press 'Space') to select face of the constructed 3D model.

Selected face of the 3D model

Step 6: Press 'GML Texturizer' toolbar button

Press 'GML Texturizer' toolbar button . The following dialog will appear:

GML Texturizer dialog

Step 7: Open image

• Press 'Open image' button .
• Choose image.

Note: Use and  buttons for navigation between images in current folder.

Opened image

Step 8: Select wall

Click at four corners of the wall of the building. The texture will be constructed.

Note: Zoom with mouse wheel , or  and buttons.

Note: Right click or Shift + Left click enables 'Pan' mode.

Note: Click and drag vertice to move it.

Note: Press 'Clear' button to clear current wall selection.

Selected wall

Step 9: Adjust texture ratio and resolution

Texture ratio is set to the ratio of the selected face in SketchUp by default. Optimal texture resolution is automatically computed according to the selection to preserve best quality.

• Press 'Guess' button to estimate the proper texture ratio by Computer Vision methods, which preserves the actual proportions of the building.
• Press 'Original' button to set texture ratio to the ratio of the selected face in SketchUp.
• Use slider and text box to adjust texture manually.
• Use width and height text boxes and buttons to adjust texture resolution manually.

Step 10: Check 'Change model in SketchUp options' if necessary

• Check 'Do not change' if it is not necessary to change width or height of the building model in SketchUp.
• Check 'Change width' to set proper width of the building model in SketchUp according to the estimated texture ratio.
• Check 'Change height' to set proper height of the building model in SketchUp according to the estimated texture ratio.

Note: Usually the height of the building model in SketchUp should be changed according to the first selected wall of the building and building model should not be changed for all other walls of the building.

Step 11: Press OK

Press 'OK' button to pass the constructed texture to SketchUp.

Note: Press 'Options' button for advanced options of texture export.

Resulting 3D model of the building in SketchUp

Step 12: Copy constructed texture to other faces

If some walls of the building are not represented in the available images already obtained textures can be used for rendering of these walls.

• Choose wanted texture in 'Material Browser'.

'Material Browser'

• Use 'Select' tool (press 'Select' toolbar button , use 'Tools->Select' menu or press 'Space') to select the wanted face of the constructed 3D model.
• Use 'Paint Bucket' (press 'Paint Bucket' toolbar button , use 'Tools->Paint Bucket' menu or press 'B') tool place the selected material on the wanted face.

Placing selected material on the selected face with 'Paint Bucket' tool

• Press 'GML Texture Fit' toolbar button . Texture is properly fitted to the face.

Final 3D model of the building with properly placed texture

Step 13: Pass model from SketchUp to Google Earth

Use 'Place Model' tool (press 'Place Model' toolbar button  or use 'Google->Place Model' menu) to pass the constructed model to Google Earth.