SketchUp UK Blog

Google Earth is amazing. It gives you a pinpoint-accurate satellite view of our planet in full colour, in all its glory, making it an excellent tool for SketchUp. This article takes a look at how to export 3D buildings from Google Earth to SketchUp. 

So, why would you export Google Earth to SketchUp? Because it gives you a real-life image of the world we live in, which means the drawings you base on it will be accurate as well. Read on to learn about how to import Google Earth into SketchUp and add a new, exciting dimension to your ideas, designs and drawings.

Overview of 3D Buildings from Google Earth to SketchUp

Take a look at Google Earth. Maybe find the place you’re at right now. As you’ll see, the 3D buildings in Google Earth give you 100% accurate digital representations of the real world in every detail. SketchUp does much the same thing, creating hyper-real designs using computer-aided design or CAD software. 

Google Earth lets you view and explore 3D buildings and other structures from a bird’s-eye view, from far above. SketchUp lets you create and modify 3D models in great detail, giving you finer detail than Google Earth. As you can imagine they’re a great match. Together they give you everything you need for attractive, inspiring designs.  

 

There are many cool benefits to using Google Earth to find 3D building models. There’s easy access to a vast library of 3D models from around the world. You can view buildings from countless different angles and perspectives. And you get the opportunity to explore them, and the fine details involved, via a flexible virtual environment. 

 

There’s more. Bring 3d buildings from Google Earth to SketchUp and you’ll find SketchUp enhances 3D models from Google Earth by adding more detail and realism. You can add exciting textures and materials, and modify or customise models to suit a specific design project or satisfy your creative curiosity. When you combine models you can draw complicated multi-building designs quickly, beautifully, and convincingly. 

 

All this means you effectively spend less time doing more, and the results are stunning. This in turn makes it easier to get your ideas across, convince stakeholders, and get sign-off on your designs. 

 

Next, how to import Google Earth into SketchUp.  

Exporting 3D Buildings from Google Earth to SketchUp

So how do you export 3d buildings from Google Earth to SketchUp? Luckily it’s a simple process with just a few steps. Here’s a super-simple bulleted guide to exporting 3D models from Google Earth to work on, play with, and create from:

 

  • Open Google Earth

  • Find the 3D building you want to export into SketchUp 

  • Click on the File menu 

  • Select ‘Save Place As’

  • Choose the .kmz file format, the official Google Earth file extension 

  • Save the file to your computer

  • Open SketchUp

  • Click on the File menu

  • Choose ‘Import’ and pick your saved KMZ file

  • Follow the instructions to import the 3D model into SketchUp

How can you tell which are the best models to export? Go for models with a high level of detail, so you know for sure you get everything you need. Reject models with too much texture or loads of random detail you don’t need. And find a model offering accurate proportions and dimensions.

Is there anything to avoid? It’s best to steer clear of these when exporting from Google Earth to SketchUp. Don’t export models with missing or wrong textures. Reject complicated models that’ll be a challenge to work with. And avoid models whose dimensions or scale are wrong. 

Importing 3D Buildings from Google Earth into SketchUp

SketchUp is brilliant at importing 3D models from Google Earth, very useful when designing for a real-world location because it is so accurate. It gives you such a good 3D representation of buildings and the things surrounding them. The building itself is correct, as is the size and shape of the land it sits on, the terrain, trees, roads and everything else. 

Next, here’s a handy step-by-step guide to importing 3D models into SketchUp:

  • Open Google Earth 
  • Find the building you want to import into SketchUp
  • Use the navigation tools to place the camera so you’ve got a really good view of the building
  • Go to the menu bar then File > Save > Save Place As
  • Choose the file format.kmz
  • Save the file 
  • Open SketchUp 
  • Go to File > Import
  • Choose the .kmz file extension from the drop-down menu of file types 
  • Choose your saved .kmz file 
  • Click Import
  • Your imported 3D model is inside SketchUp, ready to work with 

Next in our guide about how to export Google Earth to SketchUp, how do you use imported models in your SketchUp projects? 

SketchUp puts the imported image on a layer of its own, which means it’s easy to turn on and off. You might want to scale it up or down for your project using the scale tool. It’s a simple task. 

Now you can use the imported model as a realistic reference to make your own 3D model of the building or simply use it as an inspiring starting point for creativity. As you can tell it’s a great way to save time and effort making things from scratch. 

There are some best practices to get to grips with when working with imported models in SketchUp. Always keep the imported model on a separate layer of its own, so you can turn it on and off easily. The scale tool is the simplest way to resize the model to suit your project. You can make the model simpler therefore easier to work on by stripping out all the unnecessary elements. This reduces the file size. It’s a good idea to group the imported model to make it easier to work with, splitting it into components. And you can have fun using materials and textures, both of which will make your work unique and add excitement to the finished design.

Tips and Tricks for Working with 3D Buildings in SketchUp

If you’ll be playing with 3D buildings in SketchUp, we have some expert tips to help you make the most of the tool. For a start, you’ve got a suite of top-class tools, all easy to use, which’ll help you modify it to suit your goals. 

You can use the Move tool to move, rotate, and scale your model in seconds. The Push/Pull tool is the best way to extrude or depress parts of your model in just a few clicks. The Eraser tool rubs out parts of the model you don’t want. And the Paint Bucket tool applies your colours and textures. 

We also have some amazing plugins for enhancing 3D models, taken from the enormous library of plugins designed to support SketchUp excellence. CleanUp3 identifies and removes any stray geometry you don’t need, delivering faster performance and smaller file sizes. The SketchUp plugin applies textures accurately even when your 3D surface is very complex. And Profile Builder 2 makes fantastic custom doors, windows, and other architectural elements in no time. 

How about our tips for Optimizing 3D Models for Rendering and Visualization? You can play with the Materials panel to add inspiring textures and colours. The Shadows panel cleverly changes the angle and intensity of sunlight for accurate shadows and shade. The Styles panel lets you make your own custom styles, and the Layers function is all about organising models, making them a lot easier to work on. 

Let’s get going!

So now you know how to export Google Earth to SketchUp. It makes the whole design experience faster, more enjoyable and more flexible, and enhances your creative life in so many ways. 

Take a look at the tutorials you can tap into to learn more and know how to do everything better, faster, and easier. 

If you’re not using it already, take a look at our guidance about SketchUp free versus SketchUp Pro. Which will suit you best? The Elmtec team has been supplying people like you with professional hardware and software for more than 25 years. We’re your one-stop shop for everything to do with SketchUp, including a huge store of knowledge, all the experience you can need, plus top-class support.   

About Elmtec

Elmtec have been the UK distribution partner for SketchUp since 2010, and service a network of UK and Irish resellers. We have over 22 years’ experience within the digital design community.

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