Using Shift and CtrlOption Keys
The previous exercise involved the use of mass-painting keys - Shift and Ctrl Option. As you've seen, Shift paints all faces that have the same material as the selected face. The Ctrl Option key will paint the selected face plus all faces that are connected to it. 2. Pick a material and use either Shift or Ctrl Option to select one face, which paints the entire form. 2. Pick a material and use either Shift or Ctrl Option to select one face, which paints the entire form. In this case, both keys...
Circle and Polygon
These two tools are grouped together because they are basically the same. Both create multi-segmented polygons a higher number of segments is a better approximation to a circle. The difference basically lies in the appearance of the faces that result when you use Push Pull. 1. Start in top view and activate Circle Draw Circle . Draw a circle in the red-green plane by clicking the center point and then a point on the circumference. You could also click and drag from the center to the...
Move and Copy
The Move tool can be used in two ways - to move objects to a different location, or to make one or more copies. Move can also be used to resize curves and curved faces. You can modify your model by moving edges, faces, points, or a combination of selected objects. 3. Click the edge shown, and drag it downward blue direction . You can also click the edge and then click its new location. 4. Move is still active. Move the point shown on the left down till it meets the corner point below it. 6. Use...
Inserting and Editing Predefined Components
Editing components is a simple procedure. We'll start with predefined components, to save you the trouble of creating your own for now . 1. Open the Transportation_Sampler category and insert an armored truck, a delivery truck, and a sedan. Open In Model. The three components you inserted will appear here. Open In Model. The three components you inserted will appear here. Switch to List View to see the components listed by name. Insert another armored truck, and open either truck for editing...
Arc
Similar to Circle and Polygon, Arc creates multi-segmented representations of arcs. You can draw arcs in any face, or in any of the three main planes. 1. Start with the same form you used in the Circle exercise. 2. Activate Arc via the icon, or by selecting Draw Arc. 2. Activate Arc via the icon, or by selecting Draw Arc. 3. An arc is started by first defining its chord. Select two edge points on the side face. Like when drawing a line, the arc chord appears in magenta when both ends are...
Walk and Look Around
These two tools basically represent a camera moving around the model. The camera can simulate a person, but it can also be placed at any height, using any zoom angle. The Walk tool moves the camera, while the Look Around tool pivots the camera about its base. These tools are easy enough to explain in words, but you really have to play with them to get a feel for it. To walk forward, drag the mouse up holding the left mouse button . To walk backward, drag the mouse down. While walking or...
Basic Follow Me
This exercise will show you the several ways you can use Follow Me. 1. Start with a form like this - a box with an arc form 3. The first way to use this tool is the real-time way. First, activate Follow Me Tools Follow Me . 4. Then select click and release the cutout face as the face to drive along the path. 5. Move the cursor to the back endpoint shown. . . 6. . . then move it along the back of the box and the opposite edge . . . 6. . . then move it along the back of the box and the opposite...
Creating a Painted D Bus
This exercise uses a picture to create the side, front, and top of a bus. This will work for any vehicle, but a bus is handy because it's prismatic. You can do a web search for a bus picture, but the one used in this example is from the Greyhound web site - It's actually a toy bus, but it looks real enough Here is the picture www. f1help.biz ccp51 cgi-bin SU5StudentFiles.htm. Download the file bus.jpg. 1. First make a box in the general shape of a bus. If you care about making it realistic, use...
Creating a Painted D Tree
This exercise uses a picture to create a tree in your model. Here is the picture that will be used If you want to use this exact image, you can find it at www. f1help.biz ccp51 cgi-bin SU5StudentFiles.htm. Download the file pinetree.jpg Any picture of a tree can be used. If you don't have tree picture, try a person, street lamp, road sign- something that you would always want to face you in a 3D model not appear as a 2D cutout . For reference, start with a basic house. Select File Import 2D...
Hiding Intersection Edges with Components
This exercise is a neat work-around to the problem of model intersection, in which you cannot find edges on a component when its intersecting face has already been cut. Start with a short rectangular box. Right-click one of the long top edges and select Divide. Move the cursor until the edge is divided into three segments. 2. Do the same for the other long top edge. 2. Do the same for the other long top edge. Use Move with Autofold to move the middle back edge up If your model does not look...
Arch Cutouts Using Groups
This exercise is similar to the previous one, but uses an arch form to create intersecting cutouts. The result is a vaulted ceiling. 1. Start with a square in the red-green plane make it a box. Draw an archway on one side and pull it out. To separate this arch from the box, add a dividing line. Note If you used the Ctrl Option key when you pulled out the arch, you wouldn't need the dividing line. Note If you used the Ctrl Option key when you pulled out the arch, you wouldn't need the dividing...
Project Creating a Clubhouse
This picture is of a children's playhouse, taken from If this site disappears or changes, try a web search for carl's club house. Download the file clubhouse.jpg. Like with the bus, create a 3D model from this picture. It's easiest to start with a known rectangle like the front door.
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Note as you'll see, you don't have to use Add to Model for every material you plan to use. You can just start painting with a material, and that material gets added automatically. 4. Now click the In Model tab, and the thumbnail is now listed. 5. Returning to the library, right-click on a material and select Create. You can also click the Create button Note In Windows, you cannot click Edit because materials in the library cannot be changed from within the browser. You can, however, edit...
Dimensions
You can add dimensions to your model to show exact measurements. This section focuses on ways to create and place dimensions. Dimension display and properties will be covered in the next section. Now to add some dimensions to this form. Activate Dimension Tools Dimension . Now to add some dimensions to this form. Activate Dimension Tools Dimension . 3. The first dimension will be created between two points. Select the points shown below. Then move the mouse in front of the building and click to...
Wrapping Images
This exercise shows you how to wrap a picture along planar faces from a set angle, and how to modify a picture wrapped around a curve. The picture used here is a map of the continental USA, but any image will work. If you want to use this exact image, you can find it at www. f1help.biz ccp51 cgi-bin SU5StudentFiles.htm. Download the file USAMap.bmp. 1. Start with a cube and use File Import 2D Graphic. At the bottom of the Import window is a checkbox for Use as texture make sure this is checked....
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5. Locate the origin at Point 1, and click Point 2 to define the red axis. pressed, click Point 3. You have now used a double constraint to both lock the width and set the height to include a specific point. 6. For the green axis direction, click any point above the new red axis. 9. Erase all the extra lines in the middle to heal the face into one face. Here are the new axes - red and green in the horizontal plane, blue pointing up. Here are the new axes - red and green in the horizontal plane,...
Using Sections for Interior Design and Presentation
If you are designing a closed building, you probably need to get inside to design walls, stairs, floor layouts, etc. You can hide and unhide walls, but for complex structures it may be more convenient to use section planes. This exercise will show a very simple house and a few interior elements. The last steps involve using sections to create a slide show presentation. 1. Start with a house like this. Create a door and apply a transparent material to it. 1. Start with a house like this. Create...
Mac Materials Browser
On the Mac, the browser is actually called Colors, but is sometimes also referred to as Materials browser. To show the Materials Colors browser, click the Paint The browser appears, by default, on the right side of the screen, but you can move it anywhere. The default color is initially blank, meaning that your faces are unpainted when created. There are several ways to select colors and textures to assign to faces. When you want to apply color, SketchUp uses the Mac OSX internal Color Picker...
Project Copying Section Planes for Floor Plans
This exercise will show how you can easily use section planes to get floor plans for a multi-story building. 1. Start with a building shaped like this, using Scale to shrink the top face. Divide any of the near-vertical edges into 4 or 5 equal segments. Locate the first section plane at the endpoint of the first segment of the subdivided edge, and copy the section plane to the remaining segment endpoints. Right-click on each section plane and select Create Group from Slice. For each of these...
Basic Move and Copy
This short exercise shows a few more ways you can move and copy objects - to specific locations. 1. Draw a rectangle and Push Pull it into a box. Draw a rectangle on the front face for the window. Push Pull this window in to give it a little depth, and erase the window face. Select the window all four faces and move the window outside the boundary of the front face. It no longer makes a cutout. Now move the window by clicking one of the inside endpoints, and placing it on the front face. The...
Project Using Section Planes with Model Intersection
This exercise shows how to create a Follow Me series of striations along a drafted form. 1. Create the drafted pyramid form with one arc face. Draw a small vertical circle on one of the faces, place a construction point at its center, and group it. Place a horizontal section plane at the circle center. Make a few copies of the circle group and section plane. 3. Create slice groups on each plane. 3. Create slice groups on each plane. 4. For each slice group perform these steps 4. For each slice...
Simple Roof and Dormers
1. Create a basic house form, and draw a line to break 1. Create a basic house form, and draw a line to break 3. To get the proportions of your house to match this, use Move to move the roof faces down. 3. To get the proportions of your house to match this, use Move to move the roof faces down. The next step is to create a simple dormer. It should be small enough so that you can fit three of them along the long side of the roof. 4. Use axis and point inferences to draw the front, vertical face...
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SketchUp has five standard orthographic views Top, Front, Left, Right, Back and one Isometric view. When an orthographic view is activated, its description appears in the top left corner of the display. Note If you are working in Perspective mode, the isometric view will not be a true isometric projection, although it may appear pretty close. For a true isometric view, work in Paraline mode. Orbit Mac Orbit Camera Camera Orbit Also known as dynamic rotation, this tool simulates holding an...
PushPull
While not exactly a 2D drawing tool, Push Pull it is so crucial to working in SketchUp that it's important to cover it before moving on to other tools. Push Pull is what makes SketchUp so unique and easy to use. Simply put, it takes a face and makes a 3D assembly of faces. In CAD terms, it's basically an extrude tool but much more flexible and intuitive. 1. Start in top view, and use Line to make a trapezoid. orbit to an isometric view. 3. To use this tool, you can either click on the face and...
Method Roofing with Follow Me
This is the easiest method you use the tools Follow Me and Intersect with Model. 1. Start with the initial house form - RoofHouse.skp. 2. Create the 8 12 construction line, and create a triangular section of the roof. Make sure it extends past the halfway point of the wing. Use Follow Me to drive the triangular section around the top face. Here is the result - a good bit of cleanup is needed. Tip Another way to do the same thing activate Follow Me, and select the triangular roof section. Then...
Applying Materials
Now that you can navigate your way through the browser in Windows or Mac, let's apply some materials to faces. 1. Start a new file and draw two forms like these 3. Click the In Model tab to see that the material has 2. Open the Material Browser to the Roofing category and add CorrugateRust to the model. 2. Open the Material Browser to the Roofing category and add CorrugateRust to the model. Mac select Colors in Model from the dropdown menu or click the house icon to take you directly to Colors...
Component Source Files and Reloading
This exercise will show you how to create a component in its own file, insert it and manipulate it in another file, and make changes to the component in its original file. 1. We will first make a bookcase component. In a new file, draw a rectangle starting at the origin, and Push Pull it down not up . Note The reason for starting at the origin is this when you save objects as a component, the default component insertion point is based on the origin of the sketch axes. The insertion point can be...
Cutting and Embossing
This exercise shows how you can use Intersect with Model to create the edges needed to make cutouts. 1. Start with an arc and use Offset to create an outer arc. Connect the arcs with lines to complete the face. 1. Start with an arc and use Offset to create an outer arc. Connect the arcs with lines to complete the face. 2. For future reference, right-click on the original arc and select Point at Center. Note If this option does not appear, open File Preferences to the Extensions page and check...
Disconnecting from Other Objects
1. Start with a rectangular column and draw a circle along the bottom face for a base. Push Pull the base down. The original circle was automatically divided into two faces by the square, and the square face was not included in the Push Pull operation. 3. Erase the base, and group the column. 4. Now you can create a circular base with one Push Pull. The base does not stick to the column, 4. Now you can create a circular base with one Push Pull. The base does not stick to the column, 5. Groups...
Creating and Saving Components in the Library
This exercise creates a window component. After it is created, it can then be saved as its own file to be used in the future as a component. 1. Start with a long box and create a window outline. 1. Start with a long box and create a window outline. Complete the window like this, using Offset and Push Pull, then erasing the window face. Complete the window like this, using Offset and Push Pull, then erasing the window face. Select all elements of the window, and select Edit Make Component. You...
DoubleSided Faces
As you may have noticed, faces in SketchUp have two sides. There is a Face Front and a Face Back color set on the Colors page of Model Info. This feature enables you to get very creative with materials - applying different ones to both sides of a face. 1. Start with a roofless house with a few cutouts. Apply an exterior texture, such as Sketchy Brick, to all four exterior faces. The interior faces remain unpainted. 2. To these four interior faces, apply an interior finish like ceramic tile....
Rectangle
If you need to draw a rectangular face, you don't need to use Line to draw four separate lines Rectangle does it in one step. 1. Start a new file Top view and click Rectangle or 2. Draw a rectangle by clicking the two opposite points, or by clicking and dragging from the first point to the second. Note While sizing the rectangle, you may see two indicators -Square and Golden Section. These are explained in the next section. 3. Draw another rectangle from a point on the top edge to the midpoint...
Material Transparency
Any color or texture used as a material can have transparency properties - enabling you to create realistic windows, screens, or see-through walls. 1. Start with a sloped-top form like this, with a circular cutout on the back face. 2. Add another half-face along the diagonal wall. 2. Add another half-face along the diagonal wall. In the Materials browser, locate the Glass - Transparent category. There are a few predefined materials here, but as you'll see, you can make any Select a solid...
Project Intersecting Arches
1. Start with one arch form and rotate-copy it 90-degrees about the midpoint. Rotating is easy when you display hidden geometry. 2. Use Scale to make one archway taller, and use Intersect with Model to get the intersection edges. 3. Delete everything in the openings - selection windows are very helpful for this. Recreate and erase edges as needed sometimes easiest to do in X-Ray
Follow Me with Components
The previous exercise showed how you can avoid stickiness with Follow Me by using groups. You can also use components for the same effect, with the advantage that you can reuse sections repeatedly. A good example is the use of moldings. 1. Start with a box and remove the floor, so that you can see the moldings. 1. Start with a box and remove the floor, so that you can see the moldings. 2. Draw a molding section on the outside of the box. Use Follow Me on this section along the top of the box....
Edges
When you are creating curved objects such as spheres, cylinders, etc., SketchUp enables you to display and manipulate these objects either as faceted objects, or as smooth, single objects. 1. First we will construct the object. Start with a horizontal rectangle, and along one edge make a vertical face like this, with nine segments. 2. At the other end of the rectangle, start an arc with endpoints like this 3. Make the bulge vertical blue direction . 4. After the arc is complete, change the...
Round Objects
By extruding a face along a circle, you can create rounded, or lathed, objects. 1. We'll start with the most basic round shape - a sphere. Start with a circle. Orbit so that you can create a new circle perpendicular to the first one. Start the new circle at the center point of the first one, and make it larger. 2. Select the new, larger circle. Activate Follow Me, and select the smaller circle. The smaller circle is driven around the larger one. 3. Erase the larger circle to get the sphere. You...
Where to Find More Materials
If you need materials that aren't included in the installation, and don't feel like creating your own, there are a few places you can try. Go go www.sketchup.com and open the Downloads page. Under the top bar on this page, click Materials you will also find components and plug-ins here. You can also try www.sketchup.com forum located in the Support section of the main website and click Materials Components. These are objects and materials created by SketchUp users who have generously posted...
Where to Find More Components
For a wealth of components, click on the arrow at the top of the Component Browser and select More. This opens SketchUp's component download page. These are free, and download installation instructions are listed here. This page can also be accessed from the main page www.sketchup.com under Downloads. SketchUp's Partners page also has a list of sites where components can be found. On the main company page www.sketchp.com , click Company at the top. Then click Partners just below the main bar at...
Unsticking Objects from a Group
Sometimes you may create a group that you might later want to break. An example of this could be a group of objects from which you want to remove some objects and place them elsewhere, outside the group. Editing a group is straightforward you know how to delete objects from a group. And a simple cut-and-paste operation enables you to preserve the removed objects and insert them elsewhere. 1. Create a nut-and-bolt group and place it in a box. 1. Create a nut-and-bolt group and place it in a box....
Cutting Holes in a Curved Wall
In order for a component to cut, its cutting face must be entirely contained within the plane it is cutting. But what if the wall is curved A curved wall is actually a series of connected flat planes, and if a component is placed over a joint between walls, the component will not be able to cut both walls. 1. First we need to create the curved wall. Start with an arc. Use a small number of segments, such as 6 or 8. Use Offset and Push Pull to create a wall, and display hidden edges. 4. Now...
Projecting an Image onto a NonPlanar Face Topography
Similar to the previous exercise, this exercise shows you how to project a map onto a topographical surface. You can get a map from the site www.mapquest.com. Note To use mapquest, type in any address and click Search. Zoom in or out as needed, then right-click on the graphic and select Save Picture As. 1. Start by selecting File Import 2D Graphic. Browse to where you saved the map picture, and insert it into the model. An image inserted this way does not need to be placed on a face. Explode...
Simultaneous Section Cuts
So far you've seen that, although you can have many section planes, only one can be active at any time. There is a workaround for this, involving the use of groups. 2. Add a section plane to one face and move it to the desired position. 2. Add a section plane to one face and move it to the desired position. 3. Deactivate the plane make it non-cutting by right-clicking it and deselecting Active Cut. right-clicking it and deselecting Active Cut. 4. Now select both the form and the section and...
Using Groups to Separate Materials
If you've read the chapter on Groups, you already understand how groups prevent objects from sticking to one another. This is also relevant for materials. This exercise will create a cabinet, and the use of groups makes it easier to apply various materials. 1. Start with the basic cabinet shape like this. Apply a single color found in the Markers category to the four vertical faces of the base, and paint the cabinet faces with wood. In the Material Browser, find the Default material in In...
Alignment and Insertion Point
Components can be set to automatically align to faces in your model, and you can adjust the point at which they are inserted, relative to the alignment face. 1. We will create an octagonal window for this, so start with an 8-sided polygon. To get it aligned with the red-green axis, rotate it 22.5 degrees. 2. Offset the octagon, Push Pull the frame downward. and make the face transparent. 2. Offset the octagon, Push Pull the frame downward. and make the face transparent. Select the entire window...
Nested Cutting Components Any Wall Thickness
This method uses nested components that can be used to cut walls of any thickness. It is similar to Creating a Window Component Plus a Cutout Component on page 155, which uses two separate components - the window plus the cutout shape. This method uses a single component, but does not allow for window frames on both sides of the wall - only the front. To use a component with details on both sides of a wall means you need to have a set wall thickness. 1. Start in Top view like before. If you...
Project Creating a Birdhouse
The picture used here is of a birdhouse that you can find on several websites. Do a web search for heartwood swiss chalet. You can also find this picture at Download the file birdhouse.jpg In this example, bring in the picture and draw the 3D model alongside it, approximating its dimensions. Like with the clubhouse, start with an easily identified rectangle, like the side of the roof. Then sample the material and paint the remaining faces.
Alpha Transparency
SketchUp supports graphics with alpha channels areas of a graphic that are defined to be transparent are treated as transparent in SketchUp. The image used in this example comes from www.entouragearts.com. You can get all sorts of non-photo-realistic images here mostly people and trees that can be used as SketchUp components. To get this picture, click Downloads, then click MatureTree.png. This is a free download, but you'll have to fill in some data. Start with a form like this, with one...
Scale
Use Scale to resize or stretch selected faces, relative to other geometry. You can also use Scale to mirror objects, in effect, turning them inside-out. 1. Draw a multi-segmented polygon not a circle in the red-green plane. Select the polygon and press Enter. The circle is surrounded by a bounding box, with eight drag handles. The side handles as opposed to corner handles are used to scale the geometry in one direction. A tool tip appears on each handle, telling you what kind of scaling it will...
Materials of Components
Using materials on components works pretty much the same way as for groups. The main difference is that you can implement material or color changes over all instances of a component, whereas each group would have to be edited separately. As with groups, components can be omitted when mass-painting faces. This building has one door component and two window components. This exercise will focus on how components themselves are painted, and their default colors. We will use car components, since...