Hello people, and welcome to this video! Let's see quickly and easily all
you need to know to start using SketchUp Pro 2016!
If you have problems with the accent in this video, enable our closed
captions clicking on the CC icon in the bottom right corner.
SketchUp Pro is a software used for architectural projects, CAD designs
and 3D-like representations with the simplest user-friendly interface.
When you open SketchUp, a welcome window appears, used to properly start
with a new project. This is composed by three different sections.
Learn is used to get tips and official tutorials about SketchUp, very
useful especially if you are just starting; License checks and shows
your personal license; while Template is used to choose how to start
with your new project, choosing the general environment and the
measurementunit to be used. For example, for 3D projects, you can choose
Simple Templates, Architectural Designs or Urban Plannings, and, for 2D
projects, you can choose a Construction template instead.
Let's take for example the Simple Template. Just click on it to select it
and then click on Start using SketchUp below.
A new, blank project will appear in front of you. Its workspace is quite
simple: on top, you have all the main important tools used to build and
preview your work; on the right, several useful panels that list all
object components and information, while the rest of the workspace is
dedicated to a full preview of your project.
Often check out the Instructor panel, that suggests useful tips while
you work, especially for your first projects.
In case you close any of these panels by mistake, you can open them again
going to the Window tab above.
In case of 3D templates like this one, there is represented a 2D human
figure on the project, that represents the average height of a person.
This can help you having an idea of the dimensions of your future objects.
You also have the three carthesian axes, representing the main directions:
the X axis, in red, representing the horizontal position respect to the
origin; the Y axis, in green, representing the vertical position; and
the Z axis, in blue, that indicates the height respect to ground, here
colored in green.
Let's see now how to draw in 2D. To draw simple lines, you can use the
third button from the left. Line is used to draw lines and edges, just
fix its main points on your workspace, on and on. While you draw,
SketchUp will show a preview of what you are going to draw: in particular,
the segment will be colored everytime you follow one of the main
directions. For example, if the line turns in red, it means that you are
going to draw it parallel to the X axis.
With this tool, you will go on drawing consecutive lines. To stop drawing,
use Escape key, or simply close the path. In this case, you will create a
polygon, filled inside.
If you ever mistake, use CTRL+Z to undo your latest action, or use the
Eraser to remove objects created on your project, just click and drag.
If you want to draw freehand, just click on the black arrow next to Line
and choose Freehand. You can use this arrow to show more tools inside the
same button.
Through the forth icon you can draw Arcs in different ways. Use the fifth
button to draw Rectangles, Circles and Polygons. Being closed paths, also
these are filled when you create them. Always check the Instructor panel
if you need more help at drawing these.
Let's now see how to draw and create 3D Objects.
For example, you can build 3D Objects completely manually. The filling
that is created when you close paths, it's the same one used for the
faces of a 3D Object. So, to create a 3D Object, it is sufficient to
create all the necessary faces to complete it. Just mind that, once
finished, all faces created will remain independent, and these can be
hard to manage in the future. To group all them together, simply enable
the Select tool and select all faces composing the 3D object. You can
click and drag to create a selection area, in order to select all objects
that fall inside it. Then just right-click and go to Make Group.
A second way is to use the Push/Pull tool. If you already have a 2D base,
and you just need to pull it up, enable the Push/Pull tool and click and
drag to add extrusion, perpendicular to such base.
This tool may not work on faces that belong to existing groups. In these
cases, select the group, right-click and go to Explode. Then just apply
the Push/Pull tool normally.
If you need to check your project better, you can zoom in and out using
your mouse wheel, or use the Orbit tool and click and drag to have a
complete 3D check on your work.
SketchUp helps you with snappings to some keypoints, in order to make
drawings more easy. Below your pointer, different nodes may appear case
by case. Endpoints, midpoints and centers are usually represented through
small circles, points along a path through squares, and points along a
face or surface through rhombuses. Also dashed guidelines can help you
drawing parallel or perpendicular to other nodes.
Let's see how to edit existing objects. Before editing, it is important
to select all objects you want to edit altogether. If you don't do so,
you may edit in a wrong way.
The Move tool simply moves selected objects, just click and drag. A
dashed line indicates the path you are moving the object through. Check
also its color: you will move parallel to an axis if this has its same
color.
The Rotate tool is used to rotate objects. Firstly you need to fix the
rotation point: the goniometer will be fixed, and this will be adapted to
the plane it finds. Then fix a second point to define an axis, and then
define the angle of rotation to rotate.
The Scale tool is used to scale and deform the objects selected. When you
enable it, a yellow structure appears. Hover on each green cube to know
what's the exact direction you are going to deform or scale the object.
Then just drag the cubes.
Also the Push/Pull tool can be used to add extrusion starting from the
faces of existing 3D objects.
Whenever you want to exit or undo while using any of these tools, just
use Escape key.
The Offset tool creates a second object starting from an existing polygon
or face, with the same basic shape, and keeping constant the distance
from the border sides.
If you need to cut, copy and paste an object, select it with the Select
tool and use CTRL+X, CTRL+C and CTRL+V respectively.
Let's see how to fill 2D and 3D Objects. Basicly, you can fill up any
enclosed path that, by default, has a silver-like filling.
On the right, you can use two panels to fill properly: Entity Info and
Materials. Under Entity Info, you can click on the second rectangle to
set a basic filling color. To use professional materials, you go to
Materials, choosing from a wide list of folders below. To start filling
up, click on the sample above and then on all the faces or polygons
interested. If you click on Groups, you fill up all the single objects
inside composing such group.
SketchUp has also several tools to annotate inside your project, that you
can show right-clicking on top and going to Construction. Let's see
for example how to add text.
To add independent text, go to 3D Text. Check or uncheck on Extruded to
choose between 3D and 2D text. Type inside, decide font style and
distribution, and then click on Place to fix it on the project. This text
will lay on the current plane it sees.
The 2D or 3D text created is a complex object. SketchUp groups it all
automatically, to manage it easily. But, if you want to personalize it,
right-click on it and go to Edit Component to edit each single part. When
you finish, right-click again and go to Close Component to group again.
There are lots of more things you can do with SketchUp. If you want to
go more in detail with all the features it has, check out our full guide
available!
Finally, let's see how to save your project. If you go to File, and then
to Save As..., you will save your project as a .skp file, known as
SketchUp project or "Model", that you can open and edit anytime you need,
going to Fileand then to Open....
Thanks for watching this video! Check out our channel for more about
SketchUp Pro 2016!