Notice: add_option was called with an argument that is deprecated since version 2.3.0 with no alternative available. in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4560

Notice: add_option was called with an argument that is deprecated since version 2.3.0 with no alternative available. in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4560

Notice: Undefined property: Smooth_Gallery::$is_using_frames in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/plugins/nextgen-smooth-gallery/nggSmooth.php on line 484

Notice: Undefined index: page in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/plugins/nextgen-smooth-gallery/nggSmooth.php on line 485

Notice: Undefined index: page in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/plugins/nextgen-smooth-gallery/nggSmooth.php on line 486

Notice: Undefined index: page in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/plugins/nextgen-smooth-gallery/nggSmooth.php on line 487

Notice: Undefined index: path in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wp-fancyzoom/wp-fancyzoom.php on line 260

Notice: add_option was called with an argument that is deprecated since version 2.3.0 with no alternative available. in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4560

Notice: add_option was called with an argument that is deprecated since version 2.3.0 with no alternative available. in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4560

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/functions.php on line 63

Notice: register_sidebar was called incorrectly. No id was set in the arguments array for the "Post Sidebar" sidebar. Defaulting to "sidebar-1". Manually set the id to "sidebar-1" to silence this notice and keep existing sidebar content. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 4.2.0.) in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4678

Notice: register_sidebar was called incorrectly. No id was set in the arguments array for the "Page Sidebar" sidebar. Defaulting to "sidebar-2". Manually set the id to "sidebar-2" to silence this notice and keep existing sidebar content. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 4.2.0.) in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4678

Notice: register_sidebar was called incorrectly. No id was set in the arguments array for the "Bottom Left Sidebar" sidebar. Defaulting to "sidebar-3". Manually set the id to "sidebar-3" to silence this notice and keep existing sidebar content. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 4.2.0.) in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4678

Notice: register_sidebar was called incorrectly. No id was set in the arguments array for the "Bottom Middle Sidebar" sidebar. Defaulting to "sidebar-4". Manually set the id to "sidebar-4" to silence this notice and keep existing sidebar content. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 4.2.0.) in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4678

Notice: register_sidebar was called incorrectly. No id was set in the arguments array for the "Bottom Right Sidebar" sidebar. Defaulting to "sidebar-5". Manually set the id to "sidebar-5" to silence this notice and keep existing sidebar content. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 4.2.0.) in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4678

Notice: register_sidebar was called incorrectly. No id was set in the arguments array for the "Home Left Tabs" sidebar. Defaulting to "sidebar-6". Manually set the id to "sidebar-6" to silence this notice and keep existing sidebar content. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 4.2.0.) in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4678

Notice: add_custom_image_header is deprecated since version 3.4.0! Use add_theme_support( 'custom-header', $args ) instead. in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4340

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options.php on line 258

Notice: Undefined variable: wp_theme_options in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/functions.php on line 100

Deprecated: Assigning the return value of new by reference is deprecated in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/tutorials/tutorials.php on line 186

Notice: Undefined index: background_option in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: background_color in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: background_repeat in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: background_image in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: background_attachment in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: background_position in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: include_pages in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: include_cats in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: tracking_pos in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: tag_as_keyword in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: cat_index in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: background_preview_width in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: background_preview_height in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: ithemes_featured_images in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: width in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: height in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: sleep in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: fade in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: image_ids in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: fade_sort in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: enable_fade in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: link in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: enable_overlay in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: overlay_text_alignment in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: overlay_text_vertical_position in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: overlay_text_padding in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: overlay_header_text in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: overlay_header_size in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: overlay_header_color in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: overlay_subheader_text in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: overlay_subheader_size in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516

Notice: Undefined index: overlay_subheader_color in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/lib/theme-options/theme-options-framework.php on line 516
Rendering Glass in Shaderlight :: SketchUp 3D Rendering Tutorials by SketchUpArtists
Notice: Trying to get property of non-object in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/functions.php on line 78

Notice: Undefined variable: post_tags in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/themes/Architect/functions.php on line 78

Notice: wp_specialchars is deprecated since version 2.8.0! Use esc_html() instead. in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4340

Notice: wp_load_image is deprecated since version 3.5.0! Use wp_get_image_editor() instead. in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4340

Notice: wp_load_image is deprecated since version 3.5.0! Use wp_get_image_editor() instead. in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4340

Notice: wp_load_image is deprecated since version 3.5.0! Use wp_get_image_editor() instead. in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4340

Notice: wp_load_image is deprecated since version 3.5.0! Use wp_get_image_editor() instead. in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 4340

Rendering Glass in Shaderlight


Notice: Undefined offset: 2 in /home/sketchup1/public_html/wp-content/plugins/nextgen-smooth-gallery/nggSmooth.php on line 60

We often get asked about how to render glass – a difficult question to answer as it really depends on the type of glass you are trying to create. For example a double glazed frosted window would require different settings to a single pane of glass.

The simplest way to render a glass material is by using the SketchUp Translucent Presets in the Material Editor. These will then be set to ‘Auto’ in the Shaderlight Material Editor giving you glass. Alternatively, you can change the Shaderlight finish type or use any other material and change it to be Transparent or Translucent to get the effect you want for your final image.

Transparent

Shaderlight’s Transparent setting is probably the most frequently used for creating Glass. Transparent material is opaque and can also be coloured. It will produce reflections in the same way you would expect for normal glass.

Transparent Setting

Thin Glass Vs Thick Glass

What is the difference between Thin and Thick Glass? The main difference between the two is that thick glass will refract where as thin glass will not. Refraction means ‘The bending of a wave, such a light as it passes from one medium to another medium of different density.’

So if you are wanting to render an object which has more than one face, for example a double glazed window, then it would be best to use Thick Glass to that the light is refracted and reflected in the window. If you are creating a single sheet glass panel, then Thin Glass would be suitable.

The render below shows a wine bottle & glass. The colour used is just ‘white’ then in the Shaderlight Material Editor I have set the glass to be ‘Transparent’, ‘Thick Glass’.

Wine Bottle and Glass Render

Settings

A little Tip…

We often have questions about glass material not showing as ‘opaque’ on all sides. SketchUp will see a single sheet as having 2 faces – a front and a back so you need to make sure that all the faces of your object are set to the same glass material for it to render correctly.

When you have a box or cube which you want to be glass, the same applies that each face has a front and back. So if you find one of the sides is not showing as opaque glass in your render you need to check all the faces are set to the correct material. There are 2 ways in which to do this:

1) Select the face so that it highlights in SketchUp, right click Reverse Faces. This will then flip that face round to expose the other side so you can check the material settings.

2) If the object is big enough navigate until you are inside so you can see the internal faces to check the materials.

Same Material on Both Faces

Translucent

Translucent Material is generally more cloudy and therefore does not reflect as much as Transparent Material. It can be used to create a frosted window or anything where the glass is to be less opaque. Again, Translucent Thin material will not refract the light, where as Translucent Thick material will refract.

Translucent Setting

The image below has been rendered using a ‘Translucent’ finish on the window. When you are creating a moody scene, I find that the Translucent finish often adds a nice feel to the overall render as it is not so shiny and reflective.

Translucent Window

Settings

We hope that you have found this Rendering Glass Tutorial useful.

Thanks for reading

Shaderlight Team

If you want to find out more about Shaderlight, you can visit their website here.

Got something to say?