Creating Hatching in Layout from your SketchUp Model – The SketchUp Essentials #51
Three ways to create wall hatching in Layout.
One of the biggest questions I’ve received since starting to work with Layout is how to create wall hatching or shading.
In this video, I’ll teach you three different ways to create wall hatching in Layout.
Method #1 – Add Hatch Manually in Layout
The first, and probably the most simple, is to simply trace a hatch pattern fill onto your walls in Layout itself. Layout has a series of built-in patterns that you can use in your models. However, this isn’t like applying a material in SketchUp – you’ll actually have to select a pattern in the shape style section, then trace a shape onto your model.
You’ll also want to make sure to put these hatches on their own layer so you can turn them on and off if you decide to do it this way. The nice thing about this is that it gives you more control over your hatching, but it also creates problems. For example, this hatching isn’t dynamic, meaning if you move things around in your model, you’re going to have to re-trace your hatching.
Method #2 – Apply hatch as a texture to back side of walls
Another way to do this is to apply a material to the back side of your walls. This would be done inside SketchUp, then you’d have to create a new style that shows materials. You could then adjust your hatch sizing using the material editor. This is a good solution, but it means you’d have to keep up with painting the back sides of your walls as you create them.
Method #3 – Apply a watermark as a mask, and change back side of wall color
The final way to do this is a method created by Michael Brightman, and it’s a pretty clever way to do this. What you’re going to do is use a watermark to create a wall hatch. The way this works is you’re going to go find a hatch image. I searched Google for an image that would work. Basically, it’s an image of diagonal black lines on a white background.
We’re going to create a new style to use for this, so go into the styles section, select the style that you want to use as a base, then click the plus button to create a new style.
Now, go into the watermarks section and click the plus button. Navigate to the image you downloaded and select it. Now it’s going to ask you if you want to use this as an overlay or as a background. We’re going to select overlay. If you look at this, what it’s going to do is overlay this image over your whole model. You’re going to want to select the box for “create mask.” Create mask will basically “mask” your model so that wherever the colored parts of your image exist, they’ll cover the dark parts of your model.
Finally, you’re going to go in and set your faces so that they’re black. This way, your hatch pattern mask will create a hatched effect in your walls.
Did you like this tutorial? Please consider subscribing below for more great SketchUp content!
About Justin Geis
Hi, I'm Justin Geis, and I'm the founder of The SketchUp Essentials. I started using SketchUp as part of my work as a general contractor in 2008. I quickly realized the power of the software and started using it for personal projects. I started The SketchUp Essentials as a place to share easy to follow SketchUp tutorials and tips to help everyone harness the power of 3D Modeling in their lives. When not working with SketchUp, I enjoy playing soccer and spending time with my wife and our two dogs.
