Sketchup Export to Blender
To export from Sketchup to Blender, here are the steps:
- Prepare Sketchup files for exporting. Check the overall integrity and than group or un-group all geometry into desired, logical parts.
- Texture the model. Sketchup uses very easy and fast methods for texturing. It work well for segments which are flat, or drawn on an extruded curve. Texturing them before exporting isn't necessary but may lead to time conservation.
- Export from Sketchup. File -> Export -> 3d Model (this option is only included in Sketchup pro). Choose export type "OBJ File". In export options tick "Swap YZ coordinates". If you would like to create a folder with copies of texture images also tick "export texture maps".
- Import to Blender. File -> Import -> Wavefront (.obj).
- Check imported geometry. Basic hierarchy will be preserved - with "groups" and "components" from Sketchup recognized as Blender "objects". All of them will have origin point at the point of import. For static objects this may be irrelevant, but for those that will be animated it can be fixed manually or with Object -> Transform -> Origin to Geometry . This method moves the origin to the median point calculated from all vertices and is sufficient for most purposes. Materials from Sketchup will be also preserved and imported as Blender materials.
