Introduction

What This Work Is

This work is a way to learn how to model the Classical orders of architecture using the 3D software program SketchUp, from Trimble Navigation.

It will focus on constructing the orders according to a single authority, using their rules and dimensioning system, but showing methods and techniques that can also be used with any classical authority you may wish to follow.

In addition, it will include sections on using alternative methods of forming different elements according to various classical authorities, to try and make the work as flexible as possible in it’s use.

What This Work Is Not

This work is not a treatise for creating the classical orders according to my own dimensioning system or set of rules.

Most of the information in the instructions is derived from a single authority, with additional information from other authorities being used where needed. My own ideas and concepts will be used only when absolutely necessary. Where these other authorities are consulted, or my own interpretation is required, it will be noted in the text.

Nor is this work a guide to creating classical architecture itself, as that involves much more than just the orders themselves. While I will discuss construction of some additional architectural elements in addition to the orders, such as balusters and pediments, this information will be limited to only the basic methods to construct each element.

Another area of classical architecture not covered is sculptural decoration. Although ornament is found throughout classical architecture, it is limited with regards to the orders themselves, so only what is absolutely necessary will be shown. It is a subject way beyond the scope of this work, as there are so many ways and so many tools that it would probably double the size of the text.

And finally, and most importantly, this work is not a manual or reference guide to SketchUp itself. There are many manuals and guides for SketchUp written by more experienced users, so I am not going to try and replace their work here. The instructions I give in the text only use the basic commands and tools of the program, with the exception of two Extensions, whose use will be explained later.

For Whom This Work Is Meant

This work is for anyone who is interested in creating the Classical Orders of architecture using SketchUp (either Make or Pro). Please note that as of August 2019 the web-based ‘Free’ version does not support the use of Extensions, so it cannot create all of the instructions here.

SketchUp Make is the free version of the software, while Pro is the commercial version, with a few extra tools available. All of the techniques and tools used in this work is available either in the Make version or as free Extensions

While the instructions below will focus on the rules of Sir William Chambers, the chapter Classical Proportioning will cover how to convert those instructions for use following the rules of other authorities like Sebastiano Serlio & James Gibbs, Jacopo (or Giacomo) Barozzi da Vignola, Claude Perrault, or one of several other authors I have come across.

Therefore, if you prefer the work of these other authorities, you could still use this work as a guide on methods and techniques that could be adapted to the specifics of your chosen source.

In addition, this work may also be of interest to those using other software applications, as many of the procedures and methods I present here may be of use in other programs, both 2D & 3D, due to the fact that much of it is derived from manual methods found in earlier works on the subject, ranging from the 16^th to the 20^th centuries.

Who Wrote This Work

How To Use This Work

The content in this work is laid out in a linear fashion, with each chapter (from this Introduction to the Conclusion) building upon the information found in the previous chapter.

The content can be divided into a beginning series of chapters, introducing you to concepts necessary for the main work, the chapters devoted to the actual construction of the orders, and a final set of chapters giving some additional information, which, while not necessary, I believe would be useful for you to know.

Thus, after a brief introduction to The Classical Orders themselves, there will be a chapter on Classical Proportioning dealing with dimensioning the orders in SketchUp, followed by a chapter on Classical Moldings with a series of guides on how to form them in SketchUp, as they can be thought of as the building blocks of classical architecture. Following this is chapter covering Diminution & Entasis, showing various methods of applying it in SketchUp, and a final introductory chapter on Constructing the Orders, giving an explanation of the steps that will used in forming the orders in the following chapters.

This is followed by a series of five chapters, each devoted to a single order (the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite) where a full set of instructions is only provided for the Tuscan order, as the same basic steps can apply to any order. However, each order introduces it’s own special characteristics, so each of the following chapters will add additional information to the basics, some applicable only to that order, some applicable to it and the remaining orders.

After the orders have been dealt with, I provide some additional information on that will assist in forming classical buildings along with the orders themselves. This part starts with forming Pilasters, then continues with Decorating Columns & Pilasters, which not only covers fluting but also creating a Solomonic or Barley-Sugar Column. After this comes a chapter on Enriching the Orders where sculptural elements are introduced, such as The Bead Enrichment of the Astragal, The Egg-and-Dart Enrichment of the Ovolo, The Hanging Acorn of the Dentil Entablature, and The Honeysuckle Sprig Ornament of the Ionic Capital among others. The next chapter covers Architectural Elements, which, though not directly linked to the orders, are associated with them, so I present some information on how to construct Classical Pediments, Imposts & Archivolts, Rustication, Doors, Windows & Chimneypieces, and finally Staircase Balusters, with a further short introduction to Arches, Vaults & Domes as they apply to classical architecture.

Therefore it is strongly advised to read and follow the lessons in the work from the Introduction to the Conclusion, to gain the most from the gradual introduction of techniques and methods.

When finished, however, the work can be used as a reference guide, for all the methods and techniques shown in the work will be listed for easy reference, whenever you need a refresher on how to create a molding or form a volute.

What You Need For This Work

Listed below are what I feel are the basic requirements you need in order to proceed with this work, without experiencing undue stress or problems.

The first requirement for following the steps outlined in this book is, of course, a computer running SketchUp.

The operating system can be either Windows or Mac OS X, and, while I tried to be as generic as possible, the instructions were written on Windows, so may need some translating for use on Mac OS X.
The versions of SketchUp used in creating this book started with SketchUp Make 2013, so anything later than that should work, and even prior to that should not prove difficult. There are no Pro features required, but there are some Extensions that are used in specific areas. For detailed requirements and workarounds, see the section A Note on SketchUp Requirements in The Appendix.
I only use a few SketchUp Extensions in this book, these being Weld, Curviloft, and the Bezier Tool. For information on where to get them, how I use them, and alternatives, see the section SketchUp Extensions Used in this Book in The Appendix.

The second requirement is a working knowledge of SketchUp, which I interpret as being comfortable performing the following tasks

Setting guides, using the Protractor tool
Understanding Front & X-ray views, as well as the Red, Blue & Green Axes
Creating Lines, Arcs, Circles, and Rectangles
Using the Move and Rotate tools, along with their analogous Move/Copy and Rotate/Copy functionality via modifier keys
Using the Push/Pull and Follow-Me tools
Know how to Scale components up while keeping their proportions
Know how to Cut elements into memory, and Paste-in-Place
Or, have a good manual on SketchUp handy, of which there are many available.

The third requirement is a basic knowledge of the Classical orders of architecture, which means knowing:

That there are five different orders: the Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite
That an order comprises a column and entablature over it, with an optional pedestal under the column
That a column is essentially a special kind of post, comprising a base, shaft, and capital
That an entablature is essentially a special kind of beam, comprises an architrave, frieze, and cornice
That the optional pedestal comprises a base, die (or dado), and cap
That all of the foregoing are comprised of groups of moldings, arranged according to standard assumptions on how each order looks
And, That there exist example rules for how to construct the orders, created by many architects and theorists over the centuries
Or, have a good introduction to classical architecture handy, of which there are also many available, some of which you could find in the Bibliography.

Finally, the most important requirement is a willingness and desire to learn, which I assume you already have if you have reached this point.

Terms You Need To Know

The terms defined below are not necessarily the correct or canonical terms used by all authorities, but are the ones I have most frequently come across and have adopted for use in this work. They are included here to minimize any misunderstanding in following the text in the rest of the work.

Abacus: refers to the square block at the top of the column, with or without a crowning cymatium.
Authority: used to refer to those architects or theorists who have written treatises on classical architecture or the orders, ranging from Vitruvius in the 1^st century BC to Robert Chitham in the 21^st century AD, and which I have used as guides in learning about the subject.
Baseline: when used with an initial capital, will always refer to the baseline of the column along the Red Axis (located on the Origin point when dealing with profiles).
Bead: a small convex half-round molding (also called Baguette, Berry, Pearl or Astragal, the latter especially when used at the top of the classical column shaft).
Bolster: used to refer to the curved cylinder connecting the volutes together on the sides of the Antique capital of the Ionic order, with a belt encircling the middle.
Catheter: a line used to determine the location, height and proportions of the eye of the volute, and as used by Chambers refers to the distance from the bottom of the abacus to the eye of the volute.
Caulicoli: used here to refer to the stalks that spring up from the bottom of the Corinthian Capital up to it’s midpoint, and then separate into separate elements supporting the Volutes at the corners of the Capital along with the Fleuron at the midpoints of the Abacus on all four sides. However, the term may refer just to the supports; there are differing interpretations I’ve read, so do not take this term as canonical.
Cavetto: a concave quarter-round molding (also called Mouth or Hollow).
Centerline: when used with an initial capital, will always refer to the centerline of the column along the Blue Axis (located on the Origin point when dealing with profiles).
Channel: the area on the front & back of the Antique Ionic capital, laying below the abacus cymatium and extending into the volutes on either side, diminishing in width till it terminates at the eye of the volute (also sometimes called Hollow of the Volute).
Cincture: the collars located at the top & bottom of the column, just below the astragal at the top of the column and just above the base at the bottom respectively, connected to the column shaft with congé moldings.
Collar: a fillet located on a cylindrical form (also called Collarino or Cincture, the latter used almost exclusively when applied to the column shaft).
Congé: a concave quarter-round molding that connects two vertical planes, most frequently a fillet with a fascia (or, as Ware described it, a cavetto tangent to a plane surface).
Construction Arc/Circle/Line/Rectangle: used to refer to a SketchUp element drawn exclusively to assist in forming another shape, to be erased after it’s use.
Cyma Recta: an S-Curve molding formed from a pair of arcs, with a convex arc at the bottom and a concave one at the top, and most frequently found crowning an entablature, though the upside-down version is also found in pedestals (also called just Cyma).
Cyma Reversa: an S-Curve molding similar to the cyma recta, but formed from a pair of arcs that are concave at the bottom and convex at the top, and frequently used as a supporting molding (also called Ogee or Talon).
Die: the space between the base and cap moldings of the pedestal (also called a Dado).
Diminution: the reduction in diameter from the bottom of the column shaft (or Lower Diameter) to the top of the column shaft (or Upper Diameter).
Entasis: the curve forming the diminished part of a column, usually only applied to the upper two-thirds of the shaft, though sometimes applied to the entire shaft.
Fillet: a small flat surface, usually vertical, between other moldings (also called List, Listel and Annulet).
Intercolumniation: the spacing between two columns.
Interdentil: is the space between two dentils.
Lip of the Bell: refers to the top of the Campana of the Corinthian capital, just under the abacus, which is formed as a beak molding.
Lower Diameter: the diameter of the column located just above the congé that connects the column shaft to the lower cincture.
Minute: a part that is one-sixtieth (1/60) of the Lower Diameter of a column (abbreviated as min, both for singular and plural usage).
Module: refers to a unit for dimensioning the classical orders, variously defined by different authorities, but usually referring to either the half or the whole of the Lower Diameter of a column.
Ovolo: a convex quarter-round molding (also called Quarter-Round or Echinus, the latter especially when used in column capitals).
Profile: used for a two-dimensional representation of the right half of an element, similar to a cross-section, and here (unless otherwise stated) always drawn with it’s centerline on the origin point, vertically along the Blue Axis and horizontally along the Red Axis.
Scotia: a complex molding found almost exclusively on column bases, whose basic shape is a concave curve whose lower endpoint projects farther out than its upper endpoint (also called Trochilus).
Semidiameter: refers to half of either the lower or upper diameter, depending upon context.
Torus: a large convex half-round found almost exclusively on column bases (also called Toro or Bastone).
Upper Diameter: the diameter of the column located just below the congé that connects the column shaft to the upper cincture.

Other terms may be defined in the text where applicable, but these are the most common and are used throughout this work, so understanding these will aid in understanding the examples and techniques found in the text.