What Is a Path in SketchUp?

In SketchUp, a path is a line or curve that helps guide the movement of an object or camera. It is an essential tool for creating smooth and controlled animations, walkthroughs, and complex shapes.

Paths can be used to define the trajectory of an object’s movement or to create custom shapes by extruding along a predefined curve. In this article, we will explore the various uses and techniques of working with paths in SketchUp.

The Basics of Creating Paths

To create a path in SketchUp, you first need to draw a line or curve using the Line or Arc tools. These tools can be found in the toolbar or by navigating to the Draw menu. Once you have drawn your path, you can further manipulate it using the Move tool or any other editing tool available in SketchUp.

Manipulating Paths

Paths can be easily modified by selecting and moving their anchor points or control handles. To select a path, simply click on it with the Select tool.

You will see small squares at each anchor point and control handle. Clicking and dragging these squares allows you to move and reshape the path.

Anchor Points: These are the main points that define the shape of the path.
Control Handles: These handles control the direction and curvature of curved paths.

To add more anchor points to your path, simply double-click on an existing segment. This will create a new anchor point at that location. You can also delete anchor points by selecting them and pressing the Delete key on your keyboard.

Using Paths for Animation

A major advantage of using paths in SketchUp is their ability to animate objects along a predefined trajectory. To create an animation, follow these steps:

Create a path that represents the desired movement of your object.
Select the object you want to animate.
Go to the “Window” menu and select “Animation”. This will open the Animation dialog box.
In the Animation dialog box, click on the “+” button to add a new scene.
In the new scene, select the object you want to animate and move it to the starting position on your path.
Click on the “Add Scene” button again to add another scene.
In this new scene, move the object along the path to its next position.
Repeat steps 6 and 7 for all desired positions along the path. SketchUp will automatically interpolate between these positions, creating a smooth animation.

Once you have created your animation, you can preview it by clicking on the Play button in the Animation dialog box. You can also adjust settings such as timing, transition effects, and camera movements to enhance your animation further.

Creating Custom Shapes with Paths

In addition to animating objects, paths can be used to create custom shapes by extruding along a curve. To create a shape using this technique:

Create a closed path that represents the outline of your shape.
Select the desired face or surface that you want to extrude.
Go to the “Extensions” menu and select “Follow Me”. This will open the Follow Me dialog box.
In the Follow Me dialog box, click on your closed path. SketchUp will automatically extrude the selected face or surface along the path, creating a custom shape.

You can experiment with different paths to create unique shapes and designs. Remember that the path must be a closed loop for this technique to work properly.

Paths are a powerful tool in SketchUp that can greatly enhance your modeling and animation workflow. Whether you are creating complex animations or custom shapes, understanding how to work with paths will expand your creative possibilities in SketchUp.