Tip #71 - SketchUp to Create 3-D Pictures

100 Computer Tips in 100 Days

Tip #71 - SketchUp to Create 3-D Pictures

Your friends at Google have created another great product, SketchUp. It’s a free 3-D graphic program that will help you design buildings, redesign rooms and create games or just about anything. Designs are created in two dimensions and are then pushed and pulled into three dimensions.  The program was first introduced in 2000 by @Last Software and was acquired by Google in 2006. It is available for PC, Apple and even for the iPad.

Google SketchUp puts all of the help options in plain sight, which include video tutorials, tips and tricks, a blog, and a help center. When you start the program it asks you to select a template from a long list that includes templates for architectural design, woodworking, Google Earth modeling, and basic plans. A good place to start is with the Beginning Training Template - Inches. The user interface is fairly basic in design, which is a good thing as some of these types of programs can be quite overwhelming. A toolbar at the top of the window includes the familiar menu options: Files, Edit, and View. There are also menu options to manage the Camera and Tools commands. A toolbox resides below with tools for creating and editing shapes and lines. A helpful Instructor guides you through the setup process by creating simple lines going through each of the tools. In no time, you will be creating shapes and designs. The Tape Measure Tool lets you measure your shapes, and the Eraser tool removes your mistakes.

Check out tutorials on YouTube to see how easy this tool is to use. I created a floor plan for our new house that made it easier to visualize where the furniture would go when we moved.

You’ll find it at www.sketchup.com.

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Happy computing!

Diane

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