TracePen converts raster images (PNG, JPG) into clean SketchUp faces with full color materials — in one click. Below is the exact workflow professionals use, and the SketchUp import options that make the result usable for CNC, signage, and 3D production.
Workflow — Online → DXF Faces → SketchUp
- Open meshma.com/tracepen
- Drop your image, adjust Color number, Merge small area, Noise filter, Corner smooth.
- Click Export → DXF Faces.
- In SketchUp: File → Import → choose .dxf.
- Click Options (this is the critical step) and set:
- Units — Millimeters (or your model units)
- Merge Coplanar Faces — ON ← essential
- Orient Faces Consistently — ON
- Preserve Drawing Origin — your choice
- Import. The faces appear as a component with color materials assigned per layer.
Why Merge Coplanar Faces matters
DXF Faces import to SketchUp comes in as a triangulated mesh — without merging, every color region will look like a stack of triangles with visible edges everywhere, unusable for clean modeling. Merge Coplanar Faces tells SketchUp to detect adjacent coplanar triangles and dissolve the shared edges, leaving a single clean face per color region with the original outline intact. This is the same option you would use after importing any triangulated mesh (STL, OBJ, etc.).
Material Assignment
Each color layer is exported as a separate DXF layer with the original color baked in. When imported, SketchUp creates a material per layer and applies it to all faces in that layer automatically — no manual painting required.
Coordinate System
SVG uses Y-down, SketchUp uses Y-up. TracePen handles the coordinate flip during export so imported faces are oriented correctly with no mirroring needed.
Recommended Settings by Use Case
| Use case | Color number | Corner smooth | Noise filter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logo / 2-color sign | 2 | 90% | 0 |
| CNC decorative panel (perforated) | 2 | 50–70% | 1–2 |
| Multi-color illustration | 8–16 | 80–90% | 3 |
| Photo (auto) | auto | 70% | 3 |
Alternative — Online → SVG → SketchUp (via plugin)
If you prefer SVG, export from TracePen as SVG and import using any SVG-to-SketchUp plugin. Note that SVG import via third-party plugins typically creates edges only — you will need to push/pull or auto-fill faces manually. DXF Faces is the recommended path because it imports geometry already as faces with materials.
Free vs Paid
The online tool is free with no file size limit. The free tier covers up to 2 color layers — enough for logos, signs and CNC patterns. Multi-color (3+) requires the paid plan.