How to draw a cushion effect in SU

[garywayne]

As above.

Could someone explain to me how to draw a cushioned/padded headboard in SU.

Thanks.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

I'll see if I can give you some ideas. Have you got a photo of something like?

 

[garywayne]

Hi Dave.

Sorry no, I don't have a picture, but the idea is a padded or cushioned bed headboard surrounded by solid wood.

I hope this is of some help.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Gary, are you thinking of a pad with buttons or one big expanse of cushion?

This?

Or this?

 

[garywayne]

Hi Dave.

I was thinking about the buttoned type.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

I'll work something up for you but in the meantime, play around with the Sandbox tools. You can make a decent representation with them. Start with a larger area than you need and push in a dimple where the button will be. then keep only part of the area and make it a component. Copy that component and flip it to make the rest of the surface.

It'll be easier to see in images but my computer at work won't handle the load. I'll have to wait until I get home.

 

[garywayne]

Thanks Dave. I'll have a play later today.
I've never used Sandbox before. Should be fun.

Thanks.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Hi Gary, I hope you've been having fun with the Sandbox tools. Sorry I didn't get anything done last evening. SWMBO had other plans and you know how that goes.

I hit on a nicer (I think) way to do it what you want using a different plugin. I still need to do a tutorial sort of thing. Hopefully this evening.

Dave

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Does this look like what you have in mind? Ignore the wood bits around it.

 

[garywayne]

Hi Dave.

Yes, that is just the thing, except deeper buttons.

Playing with Sandbox is not so much fun as a bit frustrating. (Not being able to figure out what to do).

I've been unable to find tutorials on the web that explain, step by step on how to build from scratch. Most of the videos are so out of focus, or such a resolution that I am unable to see or make out what buttons are being pressed.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Gary, see if this will help. As to the depth, you can make that adjustment easily enough in the setup.

The Sandbox tools were really designed for creating topography. They have some interesting applications but I think the method I show in the link works more easily.

 

[garywayne]

Thanks again Dave, your an absolute gem.

I have printed off the tutorial, and downloaded the "Soap Skin Bubble" plugin.

One last question. Where do I extract the plugin file to? Is it the TOOL folder?

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Gary,

Glad to help. Unzip the file and extract the files inside to the Plugins folder. Then restart SketchUp. Make sure you go to Window>Plugins>Extensions and check all the boxes. If the toolbar doesn't show, turn it on from View>Toolbars.

 

[garywayne]

Thank you sir, you are so kind.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Not at all.

 

[garywayne]

Sorry for being a pain, but.

In my final SU model the grid lines are still showing. I followed your instructions to the letter.

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Is there anything that I can do?

 

[SketchUp Guru]

The image is kind of small so I can't tell for sure but do you have Hidden Geometry turned on? Look under the View menu. It should be turned off.

 

[garywayne]

Thanks Dave.

Hidden Geometry was turned on. Turning it off makes no difference. I suppose that's because the cushion is a jpeg.

So. I take it I will have to re-draw the cushion.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

So you exported a JPEG of the drawn cushion with Hidden Geometry turned on? Did you save the drawn cushion? If you did, you should be able to correct the issue and export a new JPEG.

If you didn't save it, I would suggest you do this time. It might be useful later. It would also be nice because you can change the color of the model before exporting the image if you need to modify that.

 

[garywayne]

I exported a 2D graphic of the cushion as a jpeg with Hidden Geometry turned on.

The jpeg of the cushion is saved in my picture folder.

The original model of the cushion has been deleted to save file size.