Don’t Be Square! Use These Tips for Working with Shapes in SketchUp
You find some of the most interesting stuff when you go back to the basics and learn some cool stuff you can do with some of SketchUp's most basic features. One of those features are the different shapes in the drawing toolbar. But there's way more to this than just squares and circles! Find out how ingenious SketchUp can be by joining lines before you do, and how you can resize shapes to make them completely different.
Brush up on your basics in this quick tutorial and you might just see the simple answer to that very complicated problem you've been having!
Controlling Dimensions in Layout
Anyone who wants to take advantage of everything that Layout has to offer in Google SketchUp should learn a bit about controlling dimensions. Using the different dimensions within your model in Google SketchUp, or even using the paper space surrounding the model, it's amazing to see how much you can do. Plus, being able to change, control, and manipulate these dimensions all with just a few clicks and drags of the mouse is pretty cool!
This tutorial will also take you through some things you need to know such as what happens to your dimensions when you're looking at your model in 3D. Definitely a great introduction to the Layout feature in Google SketchUp!
Using Components vs. Groups
Google SketchUp relies on certain attributes to make it the unique and invaluable piece of software that it is! But sometimes, these attributes are a detriment, especially when you're working with objects that are side by side. By placing two objects exactly beside each other, Google SketchUp will automatically detect them as a group. This means that whenever you move one of the objects, the other object will move along with it. This can be frustrating when you're only wanting to move one of them and not the entire group! This can be easily remedied by making the distinction of one of the objects as a component rather than a group. This will allow you to move one object on its own, and not all of the objects within that group. This tutorial clearly explains the difference of components and groups. So you can get SketchUp working exactly as you need it to!
Using Photoshop in SketchUp
Google SketchUp has no limits, especially when you bring in Photoshop to help! This tutorial shows how to get rid of obstructing images so that you can work with the images behind them. Here we see how the artist wants to get rid of a sign as well as part of a roof on another building that's blocking the building that he would like to work with. By simply selecting the parts of the building that he wants to work on, and copying and pasting the image, he does exactly what he wants. At the end, we no longer see either the sign or the partial roof, but only the beautiful window treatments that the artist can now paint and work with as much as he needs to. This tutorial shows how easy it is to include Photoshop with your SketchUp work and make the few boundaries of SketchUp virtually disappear!
Google SketchUp Poker
For those who love playing around with SketchUp as much as they love playing cards, there's this tutorial! In this episode of the SketchUp Show, Alex shows how you can draw cards for each poker player on a poker table, and even arrange them properly on the table just as they would be held by any player in any casino. And of course, what's a poker game without some large chips up for grabs? Alex includes those into his Google SketchUp drawing and shows us how to angle them, add them, take some away, and customize them for every player. And just when you thought things like rotate tools and customization tables were boring! This second in the two-part series is what separates Google SketchUp as not only a valuable resource but a favorite pastime too.
ImagSynth and Using Textures
In this Google SketchUp tutorial, Mike teaches us all about the importance of seamless and tileable textures using new technology called ImagSynth. Not only does Mike walk us through, step by step, on how to use this Photoshop plug-in, but he also goes in depth as to the importance of understanding the difference between textures and how to use them properly. Mike gives a very good understanding of how to begin using ImagSynth and even shows you what the image will look like without taking some necessary steps. Of course, he also shows you all the tips and tricks that make understanding textures and ImagSynth all that much more user-friendly!
Playing with Light and Shadows in Google SketchUp
What's the first thing anyone says when they are looking at a new home, or when they go to visit a friend's home for the first time. "Look at all the light!" and "Wow, does this place ever see a lot of natural light!" may be just a few of the comments that are heard. Natural light makes everything look bigger and better so naturally, it's one of the first things that people look at in any structure. In this Google SketchUp tutorial, Mike walks us through playing with light and shadows using the design of a home that has been recently remodeled. Once inside SketchUp and inside the home, Mike shows us how to make the shadows more visible and how to even change them depending on the time of day. Google SketchUp has even gone so far as to let you choose a different city or country, so you can make sure that your light and shadows always look on the computer the way they'll look in real life. What other program is going to let you do that? Check it all out here and see just how cool it is for yourself!
Sections 101 with Google SketchUp
In this video tutorial, Mike tells us everything we've always wanted to know about sections in Google SketchUp. Using a diagram of a simple home, Mike demonstrates how easy it is to work with different sections of a drawing within SketchUp. Imagine being able to flip sections of your home, move them, or copy them. And you can do this with just about anything in Google SketchUp that you could want to. And it's easy to use too! With just a few clicks of the mouse, see your sections or hide them until you need them later again to play around with your section some more. There has never been a more user-friendly way to play around with dimensions and sections. And you can find it here.
Making Spiral or Standard Staircases
In this Google SketchUp tutorial, Mike shows us how to create standard staircases, using the diagram of one-room with a second loft-type level. Find out how to not only create the perfect staircase for you, but also how to easily correct small problems like ending up with a top step that is only 2" high. Using two different staircase styles, see just how well a room can work (or not work) with certain kinds of staircases and you get to choose all the finishing touches, like railings, too! And if you've always wanted that beautiful and elegant spiral staircase in your dream home, this tutorial will show you how to do that too. Just one more way that Google SketchUp puts design back in your hands!
The SketchUp Show Photo Match Tutorial
Have you ever seen a piece of land and had a vision of the type of building that would be perfect for it? This is exactly what builders, architects, and developers have been doing for years with sketchy blueprints that require the innate ability to fully imagine the potential for the land. Now, Google SketchUp Photo Match takes out all the guess work when you have your own vision of your home, or any other building. And this tutorial is the first installment in a series that takes an in-depth look at Photo Match for Google SketchUp. So now, you can be your own architect! Start the tutorial here.