How to Use SketchUp Styles: A Step-by-Step Guide to Presenting Models

What you’ll learn in this guide

SketchUp Styles are appearance settings that let you present the same model for different purposes. A style determines how edges, faces and the background look. Hand-drawn edges and soft colors can make a project feel as if it is still in the early stages of design. More polished color and line choices can give a model a more formal presentation.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to choose a preset style, explore the editing options, save styles in a model file, and apply formatting to other objects in LayOut. The goal isn’t to find one “correct” look, but to choose a style based on the information you want the model to emphasize.

Requirements and interface differences

The sources don’t specify a SketchUp version number or a required account type. They do state that some Styles features in SketchUp for Web may require a subscription, so check availability if a setting you need doesn’t appear in the web version.

On desktop, Windows users can find the Styles panel in the Default Tray. On macOS, open the panel from the Window menu. The help pages also show the Window > Styles path. In SketchUp for Web, the Styles panel has Edit Style, In Model and Browse tabs. LayOut’s Style tool lets you sample the formatting of objects in the document area or a scrapbook and apply it to another object.

1. Choose a preset style for your model’s purpose

In SketchUp, open the Styles panel and go to the Select tab. Choose a style type from the drop-down list, then browse the thumbnails in the panel and click the one you want. Hover over a thumbnail to see the style name.

The preset categories suit different presentation needs. Ambient Occlusion aims to enhance the sense of depth by emphasizing the relationship between edges and faces. Sketchy Edges gives lines a hand-drawn look, while Straight Lines emphasizes edges and line weight. Color Sets offers specific color combinations, while Default Styles provides a simple edge and face appearance. Photo Modeling includes styles intended for use with photo textures and materials. Assorted Styles brings together a range of face, edge, background, watermark and texture settings.

In SketchUp for Web, the Browse tab lists the Assorted Styles, Color Sets, Default Styles, Photo Modeling, Sketchy Edges and Straight Lines categories. Don’t assume that every desktop category is also available in the same way on the web; use the options shown in your interface.

2. Adjust edges, faces and the background

If a preset style doesn’t quite suit your project, use the Edit Style options. In the web version, this tab covers edge, face, background, watermark and model settings. Edge settings change the appearance of lines, while face settings change how model faces look. Background settings include options for the sky, horizon and ground. Model settings can change the color of modeling aids such as guides and axes.

In SketchUp for Web, subscribers can adjust the distance and intensity values for Ambient Occlusion. Check your access before assuming this feature is available to all users. On desktop, if the preset styles aren’t enough, you can create or edit a style using the tools in the Styles panel. Use the relevant background settings to change background colors or foreground and background photos.

3. Save and manage styles in a model file

Styles you add for use in a model can be found in the In Model collection. In SketchUp for Web, the In Model tab lets you view, add and remove styles added to the model, and switch between them. On desktop, select the In Model icon from the Select tab in the Styles panel or use the collection drop-down list.

The collection may also contain styles that aren’t currently applied. To remove unused styles, choose Purge Unused from the Details menu next to the Styles Collections list. This removes In Model styles that aren’t actually being used in the model.

You can also gather frequently used styles or styles created for a particular project in your own collection. From the Details menu, choose Open or Create a Collection, create a folder with New Folder, and show the second selection pane using the Display Secondary Selection Pane icon. Drag the styles you want to add from this pane into the new collection. If the styles are already in In Model, use Save Collection As to save the collection under a new name. You can then open it in another model.

4. Apply formatting to other objects in LayOut

In LayOut, select the Style tool from the main toolbar or go to Tools > Style. First click the object whose formatting you want to sample, then click the object you want to apply it to. Press Esc to start over. The tool works with shapes, images, text boxes, SketchUp model entities and scrapbook entities.

The settings sampled can vary depending on the source object. For example, sampling a dimension captures the Shape Style, Text Style and Dimensions Style panel settings together. For a text box, it samples the Shape Style and Text Style settings. For a SketchUp model entity, it transfers scale, render method, shadows, fog and style settings, along with Shape Style settings. Sampling an object with a pattern fill also transfers the fill’s starting point, which can help align patterns across different areas.

Common mistakes and next steps

Assuming every style works for every project can make the appearance distract from the information you want to communicate. Hand-drawn lines and a more formal presentation may not serve the same purpose, so consider your intended message when choosing a style. Also bear in mind that some features in the web version may require a subscription. Another common misunderstanding is assuming that every style shown in the In Model collection is active: the collection can also contain styles that aren’t applied.

When transferring formatting in LayOut, pay attention to the type of object you sample. The settings transferred aren’t the same for every object. Keep in mind that sampling a dimension, text box or SketchUp model can transfer different panel settings. To continue refining your model, try different preset styles first, then customize the appearance to suit your needs using the edge, face and background options. Save styles you’ll use across multiple models in a collection, and remove unnecessary In Model styles.

In architecture, interior design and visualization workflows, styles can help present the same geometry as a draft, a line drawing or a more polished image. If you’re aiming for a consistent look across a team, it’s important to manage the styles in the model file and any custom collections. In LayOut, the sampling tool helps standardize formatting across objects, but which settings are transferred depends on the object type. Before delivery, check the model’s appearance and formatting in the LayOut document separately.

Sources and license

This guide is adapted from the official SketchUp Help Center guides “Choosing a Style,” “Managing In Model Styles and Collections,” “Styles in SketchUp for Web” and “Applying Styles” for LayOut. The source pages are offered under a free license.