How to Create A Topographic Map with Sketchup

Creating a topographic map can be a huge pain in the neck. If you've ever tried to get GIS data or find a city topographic map you know exactly what I mean.

In this video I teach how to create a topographic map in sketchup quickly and easily.

First you'll need to import your google map into your project. See the link at the bottom of this description if you don't know how to do that.

Make sure that you're terrain is toggled on.

Next create a grouped rectangle that covers the entire site. Copy that rectangle up at your designer increment.
Pro Tip: Use and asterisk '*' and a number to multiply copies at the increment you decided.

Unlock and explode your terrain. Intersect your grouped slicing planes with your exploded terrain. Hide or delete your slicing planes Now you have a topographic map!

If you want to get rid of the faces, right click on one and 'select all with same material'. Hit delete and you're golden!

If you'd like to have a flat map, create an additional surface underneath your lines & use sketchup's sandbox tool to drape the lines over that surface.

[alannahnapast]

This is a great video. My geography teacher is going to love it. Great job as always.

[seankois]

Hey man, great stuff here! Thanks! Please can you explain why the locked group (red line) is not symmetrical to the image??? Every time I import the image, it doesn't line up evenly on the axes! How can I fix that? It's very frustrating when trying to drape the topo with sandbox tools onto a rectangle of equal size.

[khulagukhan]

Thanks for the info! By the way, is Sketchup Make free? Where Can I download that version ?

[jamiesomma]

So grateful for your video and the running explanation of each step! Great job!

[thop]

Thank you so much! This tutorial saved my life.

[CristianWSoza]

i dont know but im just getting sharp angles in the terrain..i browsed through the comments but its still not clear even on the comments you replied too.thanks though

[maximilianosalazar]

What if i need the elevation values for each curve?? thanks for the tutorial

[junglebook]

Hello. Thanks for the great tutorial. I'm having difficulty selecting the group array of rectangles without selecting the enclosed terrain map (starting at 2:34 in your video). Would you provide me some tips? Thank you very much.

[radvasaikar]

Jesus Christ why wasn't I subscribed to you yet. Thanks a lot, man!

[veronicamcmurtry]

There was a question earlier (6 years ago) about axis and symmetry. When I import the topo for a piece of land the axis is not aligned with that of the north view on sketchup. The piece of land is really awkward (a triangular parcel) So now when I try to drape over the rectangle it can't make the faces. Any advice?

[fleurdeliz.]

hi! thanks for this tutorial! i have a question tho, i am using a cr*cked version of the skp pro so i am not basically logged in with an account and so are there alternative processes of geolocation so i can import topography map like this easier? thank you!

[courtneyfaas]

AWESOME! Subscribed! One question I had was is there a way once you have the 2D Topo map to get the 2d original image to lay back down on top of it? Seems like it should be simple but then again you made it look so easy I'd rather hear your way.

[HollCHR]

Didn't know sketchup could do this..Thanks!!

[brucemalone]

Im having a problem around the 2'03 mark where you pick a rectangle *30. When i try that it just says invalid length entered?

[otaop]

Great video. You explained step by step. Thanks!

[celyne]

omg thank you! needed this for my planning class

[johnmyvanmilo]

What type of file should I use when I do want to export it into an 3D image? Is that possible? I don't see any option to do so. Please help.

[leevanbinh]

My topo lines are very angular and none have a curvilinear line. How do I fix that?

[Senki]

Ok, so I needed a larger piece of terrain so I added more units. It is when I hit 'with selection' that SketchUp stops responding. How big a room-sized PC do I need for making a fucking decent sized map that I can actually use?

[leevanbinh]

when moving the rectangle to the lowest poit, how do you snap to the corner of the terrain map?