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    Workflow - best way to use Sketchup > Illustrator > Indesign

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    • J Offline
      Jorgensen
      last edited by

      Hi Anssi

      Thanks for your input....

      I'm having problems using the paint buket (live paint) in illustrator - but that's sure an illustrator problem 😄 - so I might look in such one...

      I'm trying to get PDFs out, in scale, and with nice sharp graphics and the shaded face style.

      If I print PDF as 'normal' as 'High Definition' it seems that the PDF is like a bitmap (see Plan stuen.pdf).

      If I use the HLR setting in combination with 'Hidden line', in Face Style, I get a vector based PDF (see Plan stuen HLR BW.pdf) - nice, but no colors.

      If I use the HLR setting in combination with 'Shaded', in Face Style, I get a nice sharp vector PDF, but somehow it is to dark 😞

      bla bla bla bla bla................ It seems that the 'Use the sun for shading' was cause the problem 😄

      1.201 Plan stuen.pdf
      1.201 Plan stuen HLR BW.pdf

      sketchup pro 2016 16.1.1449 64 bit | windows 10 pro | i7-3770k @3.5 GHz | 16gb ram | gtx 780 ti / gtx 980 ti | nvidia driver 368.39

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      • B Offline
        bertu
        last edited by

        Jorgensen,

        There are possibilities to go the way as you intend, kmead mentions and Anssi and I use it from time to time. But f o r g e t i t ; there is no given best workflow. Transforming sketchup objects to those in Adobe Illustrator® is too accidental. Even simplest objects need a time consuming brush up as Anssi describes. For you it might easier, quicker and more reliable to choose the pixel way to Adobe Indesign®.

        bertu

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        • A Offline
          arjay99
          last edited by

          what i do is creating floorplans by making sections. Using layout for making the lines (in the styles section. i use 0,18) thinner and making sure of the right scale. then i export them to pdf-file (at 300 dpi).

          now you can use photoshop to fill in the sectioned walls. Make sure when saving to save as pdf AND jpeg.......with pdf you can reuse the layer structure to alter the picture. Use the jpeg for indesign. pdf's made in photoshop will corrupt the indesign file.

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          • S Offline
            swedishnitro
            last edited by

            I'm with the previous poster on this one. Illustrator is essentially my middleman tool when designing for output. I export the view or section as a PDF and open it in illustrator - the first thing I do is change the line weights and manually correct the scale (I'm sure you can probably scale in Layout then export as a PDF but I haven't got round to using Layout yet). If you want colour work, well Photoshop seems to be the best answer - I take multiple styles and blend them in Photoshop, then import straight into InDesign for final PDF output. Sounds a little longwinded I know, but it works for me and I have no problem with it.

            http://www.jordanjlloyd.me

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            • E Offline
              Eamon
              last edited by

              hey swedishnitro
              would love to see some of the results, as your process sounds great...
              E

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              • S Offline
                swedishnitro
                last edited by

                Here you go Eamon, knock yourself out. They take between one and two days to do depending on the view. I use a Sketchup model as either a base for the view and work into it, or I photomatch into an existing model. I don't actually like straight up renderings, so I use them as a base or a reference and work into it using the brush tool and a graphics tablet.

                301 Moved Permanently

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                (www.sketchucation.com)

                My first post with a thumbnail of the sketchup model going in on photomatch.

                My first attempt at subverting an SU model in photoshop.
                http://jaylloyd.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/table_layout.jpg

                I'll post up some line work in a second.


                UP_Orchard_View.pdf


                UP_Kitchen_Garden_View.pdf

                http://www.jordanjlloyd.me

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                • S Offline
                  swedishnitro
                  last edited by

                  And some linework taken straight from the SU model and lineweights changed in illustrator. Its fantastic when you can use the model you spent a while doing, as drawings like this literally take minutes to put together.

                  Exploded-Building.jpg

                  And a perspective section. In this case, the SU became the background perspective, with the detail draw in Microstation and both files were PDF'd and put together in illustrator.

                  SJS_1_50_Section.jpg

                  http://www.jordanjlloyd.me

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                  • T Offline
                    tegin
                    last edited by

                    My way can be weird. I generally model everything ('cause I love to design in 3D) then section the model and export the othographics as DWGs (fix, organize and give lineweight in AutoCAD). After that, get render with Vray for SU. If I have time, I usually export it to 3Ds MAX and render with Vray, Photoshop or illustrator for further visualization. Finally, create a layout with pdf exported DWGs and renderings in InDesign. Go and get it printed as pdf export from Indesign.

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                    • P Offline
                      parsleymorris
                      last edited by

                      Hello

                      I export my Sketchup files into Illustrator as EPS files. The problem I've been having is that, if I want to edit the lines, I discover that they are all broken up into little segments.. I've tried to solve this by installing the Concatenate plug-in into Illustrator but this doesn't seem to have any effect.
                      Can anyone give me advice as to the best way to export a file into Illustrator that is then easily edited there?

                      Many Thanks

                      Ben

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                      • S Offline
                        synergy
                        last edited by

                        @swedishnitro said:

                        And some linework taken straight from the SU model and lineweights changed in illustrator. Its fantastic when you can use the model you spent a while doing, as drawings like this literally take minutes to put together.

                        [attachment=1:39mu7k43]<!-- ia1 -->Exploded-Building.jpg<!-- ia1 -->[/attachment:39mu7k43]

                        And a perspective section. In this case, the SU became the background perspective, with the detail draw in Microstation and both files were PDF'd and put together in illustrator.

                        [attachment=0:39mu7k43]<!-- ia0 -->SJS_1_50_Section.jpg<!-- ia0 -->[/attachment:39mu7k43]

                        How can we change lineweight in exported .pdf files from sketchup in illustrator?

                        We have to export by layer and change the lineweight each time or what?

                        cheers

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                        • S Offline
                          synergy
                          last edited by

                          Anyone?

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                          • DavidBoulderD Offline
                            DavidBoulder
                            last edited by

                            My preferred method is to bring SketchUp into Layout, setup scale and layout on the page for multiple pages, and then export that to a PDF.

                            I can then work on the PDF's in Illustrator or InDesign. Then when the design updates, it's one easy click in Layout to re-export the PDF's. If you are working in InDesign, the PDF's can be linked so they are updated.

                            If you are working in Illustrator, you may have a little bit of grouping work to setup Live Paint. It has been a while since I used it, but I thought all linework gets put into one group?

                            No matter what you do, I think layout is worth it to correctly scale and position your file. No reason to do that by hand. If you use vector export you get linework as vector but still get an image for fills and shadows. If you use a style with no face colors then you can isolate shadows this way.

                            --

                            David Goldwasser
                            OpenStudio Developer
                            National Renewable Energy Laboratory

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                            • I Offline
                              iborov
                              last edited by

                              Hello,

                              I was just working on a new Workflow. Think is COOL & CLEAN as soon it gives you vector lines, no need to Live Trace etc.

                              1. SketchUp > Layout.
                              • ! putting VECTOR in the rendering Style. (SketchUp Model } View)
                              • putting all in to scale, put dimensions, put symbols etc.
                              • Putting the right size of the page (ex. A1, A0 etc.)
                              1. Layout > Illustrator CS5.
                              • (export DWG/DXF AutoCad 2004) in AutoCad 2007 it gives me a dialog box and every time need to close it.
                              • Output Space } Model Space } Scale (the same as the model)* I haven't still tried to import a file with many different scales. So I don't know know what will happen.
                              • The rest of the options are the default.
                              1. Illustrator
                              • set the page to be the same as the Layout Page.

                              RESULT:

                              • Having all the lines as vectors. COOL & CLEEN
                              • No need to Expand the file or to clean the Clipping Mask. Because this was my problem usually using the exported PDF from Layout.

                              Have fun.
                              !B


                              RESULT

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                              • I Offline
                                iborov
                                last edited by

                                • 1 Step. Before Illustrator.
                                  *)Layout > AutoCad
                                  joining linies together, making different line weights.

                                !B

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