Mosaics
There are two books in the GeomeTricks series that explain how to create mosaics:
This page will show you how to find these mosaics in the Google 3D Warehouse, and different ways to color them.
Downloading the Mosaics
Click this link to open the website where you can find the mosaics (it will open in a new window):
GeomeTricks Mosaics
You'll see a list of 52 (!) mosaics to choose from. You'll only see a few displayed at a time, but you can use the "Result Page" counter at the bottom to find more.
If you want to download one straight from the main page of the collection, click one of the "Download" links:
If you want to see details about the mosaic before you download it, click its name, or click its thumbnail:
This opens a larger view of the mosaic, where you can also read a description. (And if you like the mosaic, feel free to give it a 5-star rating!). To download it, click the "Download Model" button.
If you're using Windows, you have the option to open the mosaic directly in SketchUp. If you're on the Mac, the download by default goes straight to your desktop.
Coloring a Mosaic
There are a few ways you can color these mosaics:
- Adjust the Colors On-Screen
- Change the Pattern On-Screen
- Color On-Screen without a Pattern
- Print and color on paper
Adjust the Colors On-Screen
This example uses Mosaic 27. (Only a few of the repeating patterns are shown here.)
In SketchUp, choose Window / Materials. This opens the window that shows all the colors and textures you can use.
On the Materials window (Colors on the Mac), click the “house” icon. This shows you all of the colors used in the model. Double-click on the color you want to change (I’m changing the green).
In the new window that appears, change the color. My new color is orange.
The colors update on the mosaic.
Change the Pattern On-Screen
This example uses Mosaic 27. (Only a few of the repeating patterns are shown here.)
In SketchUp, choose Window / Materials. This opens the window that shows all the colors and textures you can use.
These mosaics are made of repeating tiles, and each tile is called a "component" in SketchUp. The idea behing components is that if you change one, you change them all. But you have to "open" a component before you can edit it.
To open one of the tile components, click the Select tool - its icon is a black arrow. (Or you can press the Space Bar.)
Double-click anywhere on the mosaic. The component where you clicked will have a dotted-line box around it, and the other components look faded.
When the component is open, you can add more colors to it. To do this, just find the color you want in the Materials window (called Colors on the Mac), and click the color. Then click the shape you want to paint. All of the other components get the same new colors.
(You can make more changes than just adding colors. For example, you can add new lines or erase lines. You can even use the Push/Pull tool to make it 3D. Try using some of the SketchUp tools to see what you can come up with.)
When you're done, click the Select tool again, and click once anywhere outside the component.
Color On-Screen Without a Pattern
This example uses Mosaic 27. (Only a few of the repeating patterns are shown here.)
In SketchUp, choose Window / Materials. This opens the window that shows all the colors and textures you can use.
At the top of the SketchUp screen are three "scene" tabs. The middle one is called "Color Yourself" - click this tab.
All the colors are gone, and everything is gray. (Also, there are no components in this scene.)
Now you can paint the shapes however you want, with or without a pattern. To do this, just find the color you want in the Materials window (called Colors on the Mac), and click the color. Then click the shape you want to paint.
Print and Color on Paper
This example uses Mosaic 27. (Only a few of the repeating patterns are shown here.)
At the top of the SketchUp screen are three "scene" tabs. The middle one is called "Print and Color" - click this tab.
In Windows, choose File / Print. Make sure the correct printer is set next to Name. And under Print Size, check Fit to Page and Use Model Extents. (This means that no matter how large your mosaic is, it will fill the entire page from the printer.) Then click OK at the bottom to start your printing.
On the Mac, choose File / Document Setup first, and check Fit View to Page.
Then choose File / Print, choose the correct printer, and click Print at the bottom.
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