SUN PATH
DIAGRAM
TUTORIAL
YO U C A N S E E T H E U P D AT E I N S T R U C T I O N S V I A T H E
L I N K : S U N D I A G RA M . C O M
OR
S H A D O W M A P S . C O M / S U N - PAT H - D I A G RA M /
D O W N L O A D W O R K F L O W AT L I N K
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1 S K U Q R X 6 F 2 A F Y T O Z A B WA K N Y 3 H Q 6 A 0 Q O G Q
FINAL
PRODUCT
S H A D O W A N A LY S I S
DECEMBER M A RC H / S E P T E M B E R JUNE
2
STAGE
I. Determine the coordinates of the study area
II. Create Sun path using Sketchup software
III. EXPORT IMAGES
IV. EDITING WITH PHOTOSHOP
V. EXPORT SHADOW ANIMATION
VI. EDITING SUN MOTION WITH PHOTOSHOP
VII. FINAL PRODUCT
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STAGE 01:
Determine the coordinates of the study
area
1. Let me take an example, the
customer sent me the address of
the area to be researched: 5 Ivory
Curl Place Bangalow NSW 2479
2. Use google map to get coordinates
of that location:
• Paste the address into the google
map search bar -> Google Map will
take us to the right address. If not,
then the address is wrong.
• Right click on the red point on the
map. The first line is the
coordinates, left click on it and the
coordinates have been copied.
• In this example I get coordinates : -
28.691670218116,
153.5131461998472
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STAGE 02:
Create Sun path using Sketchup
software
1. Open file "3D Sun path Chart For
Sketchup" ( in folder STAGE 2)
2. I recommend that you turn off
the tag (layer) sun path text &
name sunpath. Because the text
will be very confusing. we will
add them using Photoshop
3. From the coordinates taken in
Step 1: -28.691670218116,
153.5131461998472
4. Open the Sunpath group, open
the first layer. Place the
protractor at the center of the
arrow (as shown in the image)
and rotate it to an angle equal to
the first number of the
coordinates (it is Latitude). In
this example, it is a negative
number because the location of
this area is in Australia (south).
hemisphere)
5. We already have a sun path
diagram for the research area.
We can check the accuracy by
accessing the
link:https://andrewmarsh.com/ap
ps/staging/sunpath3d.html Then 5
paste the coordinates to check if
STAGE 02:
Create Sun path using Sketchup
software
6. Before import 3D model of your
project into file 3D Sun Path,
Delete unnecessary things,
convert all tag(layer) to "Model"
for easy management.
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STAGE 02:
Create Sun path using Sketchup
software
7. Import 3Dmodel of your project
and place it in the center of the
compass. Scale Sun Path fit your
model.
8. We choose the diagrams viewing
angle so that the diagram
displays the most complete
information. Switch camera to
Parallel projection. Then right
click Scene Camera and update.
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STAGE 03:
Export images
1. First, to accurately shade the
project, we must return the
project to its actual coordinates.
a) Delete the default
coordinates of the file:
FILE-> GEO-LOCATION ->
CLEAR LOCATION
b) Add location research:FILE -
> GEO-LOCATION ->
ADDLOCATION . Paste
address or coordinates of
project.
c) Delete all maps on ground
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STAGE 03:
Export images
2. Export Sun-path: (I recommend
turning off all sketchup text
because it's not nice and clean)
Select Scenes Sun Path Only,
then select File -> Export ->
2DGraphic (file type PNG)
3. Export Compass (similar sunpath)
4. Export image of Research model :
(We need the model to be as
clean as possible so we will turn
off shadow, unshow material.)
Select Scenes 03-EXPORT MODEL,
then select File -> Export ->
2DGraphic (file type JPG)
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STAGE 03:
Export images
5. Export shadow images: A
complete shadow diagram has 3
diagrams corresponding to 3
times: December 21st, June 21st,
September/March 21st.
6. On that date, we export shadow
images at the time 8:00, 10:00,
12:00, 14:00, 16:00 and combine
them into 1 image (with
photoshop)
7. We will have a total of 15 images:
a) December: DEC-8h.jpg, DEC-
10h.jpg, DEC-12h.jpg, DEC-
14h.jpg, DEC-16h.jpg
b) June: JUN-8h.jpg, JUN-
10h.jpg, JUN-12h.jpg, JUN-
14h.jpg, JUN-16h.jpg
c) September/March: SEP-
8h.jpg, SEP-10h.jpg, SEP-
12h.jpg, SEP-14h.jpg, SEP-
16h.jpg
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STAGE 04:
Editing with Photoshop
1. I use June as an example.
September and December do the
same thing
2. Open Photoshop. File -> Script ->
Load File into Stack . Browse all
images and click OK
3. Please see Photoshop files in
folder STAGE 4
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STAGE 04:
Editing with Photoshop
1. I use June as an example. September and
December do the same thing
2. Open Photoshop. File -> Script -> Load File into
Stack . Browse all images and click OK
3. Please see Photoshop files in folder STAGE 4
Demcember June September
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STAGE 05:
Export Motion
First, we will export the shadow images of the
project from 8h to 16h into a video.
The cross-section of the Sunpath is cutting through
the project base, so I will lower the cross-section to
display the entire area.
1. We will turn off the Sunpath layer (tag) to show
only the shadows.
2. Shadow of project are appearing both on the
ground and on the project base plane. We will
turn off the shadow on the ground (uncheck 'on
ground' in shadow settings) and then update the
scenes.
3. Enable Animation motion; when enabled, each
scene will have an 8-second motion
corresponding to the 8 hours (8 AM - 4 PM), plus
an additional 2-second delay. The total exported
video will be 10 seconds long.
4. Choose Scenes to export the video.
1. We deselect all scenes from the export
process by selecting all scenes and
unchecking “include in animation’
2. Select “include in animation” for the two
scenes: Dec-8h and Dec-16h, so the video
output will cover from 8 AM to 4 PM.
3. Do the same for June and September 13
STAGE 05:
Export Motion
Do the same for June and September
(I have exported all files in folder STAGE 5)
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STAGE 06:
Editing Motion with Photoshop
1. Open the PTS file at Stage 4.
2. The file has text added to the diagram.
Convert it into a Smart Object for easier
management.
3. Open the motion mode in Photoshop
(Window -> Timeline).
4. Import the June.MP4 video (exported in the
previous step).
5. Scale it to match the frame size (since the
exported video is 1080p, while the image
export was 3500x1600, there is a
discrepancy).
6. Set the blending mode to Multiply.
7. The video is 10 seconds long, so extend all
layers to 10 seconds.
8. Drag the Sun.png image into Photoshop.
Scale it to fit the frame
9. The video is 10 seconds long; subtracting 2
seconds for delay at both ends leaves 8
seconds, corresponding to 8 hours from 8
AM to 4 PM. Place the sun's positions
according to these seconds.
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10. Finally, export the video. Repeat the same
FINAL
PRODUCT
S H A D O W A N A LY S I S
DECEMBER M A RC H / S E P T E M B E R JUNE
F I N A L P R O D U C T I N F O L D E R S TA G E 0 6
16
THANK YOU
FebHouse
+84 939241287
info@FebHouse.com
www.FebHouse.com
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