3D Blocks: turn any photo into a SketchUp model

Found the perfect chair in a reference image? The Blocks tab turns the photo into a textured 3D model and imports it straight into your scene.

The Blocks tab turns a photo of a piece of furniture or an object into a textured 3D model that goes into SketchUp as a component. It solves a classic problem: the client wants a specific piece that isn't in 3D Warehouse. Each block costs 28 credits and is ready in a few minutes.

The object is rebuilt by Meshy, an AI model that creates 3D from an image. It infers the parts the photo doesn't show, such as the back, and delivers a light mesh of about 10,000 polygons, made so it doesn't weigh SketchUp down.

How to generate

1. 1
   Add the reference photo

   Drag it in or click to upload. It works best with the whole object visible, well lit and on a clean background.

2. 2
   Name the block

   The name organizes the component in your model (for example, “Wooden Chair”).

3. 3
   Generate

   It costs 28 credits. Most of the time it's ready in 3 to 5 minutes; at busy times it can go past 10.

4. 4
   Import or download

   Import into scene places the block right in the model; or download the .GLB file to use in another program.

Adjust the size after importing

The block doesn't arrive at the piece's real size. After importing, check its size and use SketchUp's Scale tool to give the furniture the right dimensions.

Getting a good block

• The whole object, alone in the photo. Well lit, on a clean background, with no other furniture touching it.
• A three-quarter photo. A photo taken slightly from the side shows the front and a side, and the AI gets the hidden parts wrong less often.
• Pieces with a clear shape come out better. Chairs, armchairs, tables, lamps and vases usually work well. Very open pieces or fine details, like cane weave and wire, tend to lose definition.

If the result isn't what you expected

• Odd-looking back: the AI infers what the photo doesn't show. Use a three-quarter photo, which shows more of the object.
• Wrong size: adjust it with the Scale tool after importing.
• The block didn't arrive: if the generation fails or the block doesn't reach the plugin, the credits go back to your account automatically.

Quick questions

• How long does it take? 3 to 5 minutes, most of the time.
• How many polygons does a block have? About 10,000: light enough to use several times in the same model.
• What file do I get? The plugin imports the block straight into the scene; the downloadable file is GLB, which most 3D programs open.