Fog Magic (hidden gem)

petropix · 30 Nov 2011, 05:51

One SketchUp feature I absolutely adore is how a model toggles to a soft, greenish fog when editing a component or group. For me this has compelling illustration potential. One highlights a particular feature (really pops) while maintaining the model's depth, context and complexity that's very easy on the eyes.

To achieve this effect for export you take a screen shot and subsequently retouch/erase the component's bounding guidelines in Photoshop. Not a pleasant task, and of course you're confined to a mere 72 dpi resolution. Ideally, it would be great if one could fully render the featured component, while leaving the rest of the model in that soft, dreamy fog.

Anyone interested in pursuing this? How complicated to write a ruby script? I would pledge copious amounts of good will, and maybe even a few bucks..

Gaieus · 30 Nov 2011, 06:17

You can expand that bounding box out of view - just add some dummy geometry inside the group/component somewhere farther away. (I am not ure it is posible to get rid of it via ruby). But I know exactly what you mean (although my "fading colour" is not green - this is something style setting dependent).

jeff hammond · 30 Nov 2011, 06:24

@petropix said:

To achieve this effect for export you take a screen shot and subsequently retouch/erase the component's bounding guidelines in Photoshop.

nah.. just do a 2D export while the component is open

@unknownuser said:

I would pledge copious amounts of good will, and maybe even a few bucks..

thanks! send $ to jeffhammond @ imrich.com

Gaieus · 30 Nov 2011, 06:29

@unknownuser said:

nah.. just do a 2D export while the component is open

Are you saying Jeff that it works for you? A 2D export (to me) comes out just as if the components wren't open at all.

jeff hammond · 30 Nov 2011, 06:35

@gaieus said:

@unknownuser said:

nah.. just do a 2D export while the component is open

Are you saying Jeff that it works for you? A 2D export (to me) comes out just as if the components wren't open at all.

right.. works for me.
should work for petropix as well since he's on a mac.

[edit— i guess i could of used a different file to illustrate but the one posted is 'ghosted' due to editing the component and the bounding box doesn't export with it]

petropix · 30 Nov 2011, 06:42

Nope, I tried that ages ago.. doesn't work as a 2-D export (but I'll try it on the mac). Sorry Jeff, you lose out on the big bucks! I suppose a work-around would be to to export as alpha layers to Photoshop and go at it with filters--- but hey, I got a life..

Ruby anyone??

Gaieus · 30 Nov 2011, 06:45

Dran Mac users - again...
And I was already hoping for a dug moment!

jeff hammond · 30 Nov 2011, 06:47

@petropix said:

Nope, I tried that ages ago.. doesn't work as a 2-D export (but I'll try it on the mac).

you have sketchup on mac & pc but you choose the pc version ??

here's one with the green template which i assume you're using a variation of..

@petropix said:

I suppose a work-around would be to to export as alpha layers to Photoshop and go at it with filters—

wouldn't you need to use a mac for alpha exporting as well? or can windows su do that now? or a ruby?

[i'll see if i can come up with any more windows digs before bedtime ... ]

driven · 30 Nov 2011, 11:35

I like the effect with 'fog' turned on as well, it's the only time I use 'fog' or 'shadows'

john

thomthom · 30 Nov 2011, 11:52

@unknownuser said:

@petropix said:

I suppose a work-around would be to to export as alpha layers to Photoshop and go at it with filters—

wouldn't you need to use a mac for alpha exporting as well? or can windows su do that now? or a ruby?

Export 2d with Alpha
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?t=30819

petropix · 30 Nov 2011, 15:45

Many thanks!

Jeff, how did you DO that? Doesn't work on my mac. Btw, after 25 years of mac slavery I proudly proclaim I've broken the chains. But as a fellow mac aficionado says, it's not polite to discuss operating systems and money in distinguished company.

Gaieus: thanks for the bounding box tip-that's brilliant!

Hello Mr. thomthom. tomtom here..

t.t.

thomthom · 30 Nov 2011, 16:15

Tom ti thom tom?

driven · 30 Nov 2011, 17:54

@petropix said:

Jeff, how did you DO that? Doesn't work on my mac.

I'm sure Jeff does something similar...

File >> Export >> 2D Graphic >> PNG [or Tiff] >> Options >> 300 DPI [or whatever] >> Anti-Alias >> Export.

john

jeff hammond · 30 Nov 2011, 18:46

@driven said:

@petropix said:

Jeff, how did you DO that? Doesn't work on my mac.

I'm sure Jeff does something similar...

File >> Export >> 2D Graphic >> PNG [or Tiff] >> Options >> 300 DPI [or whatever] >> Anti-Alias >> Export.

john

mine are jpg exports but yeah, i just export 2D as normal (or what i perceive as normal for everyone else besides me?)

just double click on the component/group which gives you the ghosted look and the bounding box etc as shown in your first post.. at that point, do the 2D export procedure..

if this isn't working for you, even on mac, then there may be some sort of setting that i'm not thinking about which toggles the behavior.. so maybe everyone can do it?

[re: the mac vs. pc thing... i'm seriously just joking about that stuff.. for every positive/advantage i can give about mac, the same (if not more) can be thrown back at me from the windows side.. it's just funny to me that the pc/mac battle still rages on]

petropix · 30 Nov 2011, 19:02

Kudos to Jeff! This will work on Mac skp 8! I was trying in v.7. No need for complicated alpha exports, not to mention my elaborate and, in retrospect, quaint workaround.. heh, heh.