Non-PhotoRealistic Tools

Soft Shadows from NprTools

Non-PhotoRealistic Tools to help create Non-PhotoRealistic materials, renderings and other features for use with SketchUp
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Non-PhotoRealistic Tools are contained in SpaceDesign and are used to help create Non-PhotoRealistic materials, renderings and other features for use in conceptual or formal renderings.

Click on any heading below for more information

NprTools-toolbar.jpg


Toolbar Icons
  • NprTools32.png - About NprTools
Lets you make program settings and enter license information.
Similar to soft shadows, but applies a texture pattern to the model to be used to draw the shadows.
Lets you create your own sketchy textures to be used with SketchUp or Sketchy Shadows.
Saves an image of your model with colored, transparent or softer edges.
Special colors and styles to achieve a crayon look.
Saves special images - such as edges only or shadows only which you can combine in Photoshop or another paint program for special effects.
This also has a valuable feature which will make any image or pattern tileable or repeatable for use as a SketchUp material.
  • Help System32.png - Help System
Goes to the SpaceDesign help system

Getting Started

After downloading and installing SpaceDesign, follow these steps to try it out.

Soft Shadows

Nprtools-quick-setup.jpg
  1. Load or create a small model with shadows.
  2. Click the soft shadows icon ( Sketchy Shadows32.png ) to load the soft shadows wizard.
  3. Use Medium Softness and Medium Shadow Spread for your first trial - it will merge about 25 images.
  4. Use Soft Shadows
    (Note: Sketchy Shadows do not work on the ground plane - you must have a face to cast Sketchy Shadows onto whe you want to test Sketchy Shadows.).
  5. Click OK to create and view the soft shadows


Sketchy Shadows

Patterns tab.jpg
  1. Load the Soft and sketchy Shadows dialog ( Sketchy Shadows32.png ).
  2. Select the Patterns tab.
  3. Select one of the line patterns.
  4. Check Use criss-corss shadows
  5. Click OK to create Sketchy Shadows
  6. Read below more more settings and examples.


Soft Shadows and Sketchy Shadows

Soft Shadows created by merging images with different sun positions.

Sketchy Shadows32.png

Soft Shadows creates an image from SketchUp with softer shadows from the sun. This is accomplished by merging images with sun sun set to slightly different dates and times.

Sketchy Shadows adds a pattern to the model to be used for the shadows.

Sketchy Shadows creeated by adding a pattern to Soft Shadows


Sketchy Textures

Sketchy pattern in model.jpg

Sketchy Textures32.png - Creates new textures from standard patterns and SketchUp Sketchy Styles.


Soft Edges

Soft-edges.png

Soft Edges32.png


Crayon Colors

Crayola colors.jpg

Crayon Colors32.png - Select from 132 Crayola® colors and use a special Crayon Style for display.


Tileable Textures

Tileable pattern created with NprTools

Save Image32.png - NprTools includes an algorithm borrowed from Paul Bourke's Article for making patterns tileable.

Any pattern can be converted into a Tileable Texture.


Save Model As Image

Lines mode - no faces or materials.
Face mode - no edge lines.

Save Image32.png - Saves images from your current model in several modes. (Usually for use combining them later in Paint Programs).


See also