sketchup will show you how to build a simple 3D object and how to use basic commands and tools in order to turn your ideas into the third dimension, sketchup 3d.

In this tutorial you sketchup learn the very basics of SketchUp, including: How to prepare your workspace and get started How to draw basic 2D shapes lines, sketchup 3d, rectangles, circles, arcs How to turn a 2D shape into a 3D object How to move, sketchup 3d, push, pull, sketchup 3d, cut, rotate, sketchup 3d, scale, copy and delete objects Ready, steady, go!

SketchUp is available both as a sketchup version and a paid version with additional functionality, SketchUp Pro. Basically, both versions are the same when it comes to basic commands and tools for modeling. Step 2: Prepare the Workspace SketchUp allows you to select the workspace you want to sketchup from a window that appears when you open the application. The window shows three tabs: Learn, License, sketchup 3d, and Template.

The Template sketchup displays a list of different presets to select. They depend on the type of model you will be doing.

I recommend that you explore these templates, but for now, let us use the Simple Template — Meters. Sketchup on the template and then on the button Start using SketchUp on the lower right side of the window. I recommend you to check the sketchup on the lower left side that says Always show on startup, as this will enable you to select any template every time you open the application.

On your first SketchUp workspace, you will see default toolbars on the upper part of your screen, sketchup 3d. A window will appear with a list of toolbars, sketchup 3d.

For this tutorial, we will use sketchup Large Tool Set. This toolbar contains most of the tools you need to build a 3D model. Check the Large Tool Set. I recommend sketchup uncheck the other toolbars to avoid confusion. This allows you to view your work from different angles. Also, sketchup 3d, SketchUp has a snapping feature that helps you align your lines sketchup models along the different axes.

These sketchup the fundaments of our future 3D models. Drawing a line: 1. To draw a line, sketchup click sketchup Pencil symbol on the toolbar or simply press L on your keyboard 2. Click anywhere on your screen to assign the first point 3. Drag the mouse to the desired location of the second point and click 4, sketchup 3d. To specify the length in this case I entered 5sketchup 3d, simply type the value right after Step 2 and sketchup Enter Sketchup you have probably already noticed, you can align any line to the Red, Green, or Blue axis of the workspace, sketchup 3d.

This part is a bit tricky. Enter the values like this: 4, 4, sketchup 3d, Sketchup. Drawing circles: 1. To draw a Circle, sketchup 3d, first click the icon below the rectangle icon or simply press C on your keyboard 2.

Click the desired point to assign the midpoint of your circle 3. Drag the cursor anywhere on the screen to make the circle and then click 4. To specify the radius i. Pan: 1. To use Pan, click the icon or simply press H on your keyboard 2.

Click to set the origin, hold the mouse button and just drag. This will allow you to move your view Orbit: 1, sketchup 3d. To use Orbit, click the icon on the toolbar sketchup simply press O on your keyboard 2. Click anywhere, hold and drag to rotate the whole sketchup 3, sketchup 3d. In order not to lose your progress, make sure to save sketchup file from time to time.

Enter the filename and select the directory sketchup want your file to be stored in. First, zoom in on one of your 2D shapes by using your mouse wheel button 2. Hover your mouse cursor over the plane of the circle 4. When you see the plane is highlighted i. Click the left mouse button again to set the height of your cylinder, sketchup 3d, cube or cuboid. Or type the height after the first click You will then see that the 2D shape has converted sketchup a 3D object.

You have created your first 3D object! Step 9: Dimension Tools This tool allows you to check the dimensions of your model. To use sketchup tool, simply click the Dimension icon sketchup the toolbar 2. Next: either click the starting point and then the end point of the line you want to measure, sketchup 3d. Or simply click the line. Sketchup will then see the length of your line or sketchup You can also use this Tape Measure Tool to measure distances more freely and the Protractor Tool to check different angles.

The best way to learn how to use these tools is by playing around with. You can see the results of the Tape Measure Tool and the Protractor Tool in the lower right corner see screenshot below, sketchup 3d. Step Moving sketchup Maneuvering Objects This tool is very easy to use: 1. First select the object you want to. Click the Move tool or simply press M on your keyboard 3. Click the selected object and drag it, sketchup 3d.

To create a sketchup of your object, select it again as seen just above 2, sketchup 3d. Press Ctrl on your keyboard to create a copy of the model 3, sketchup 3d, sketchup 3d. Left-click again to place the copied model in the desired location Step Erase Tool This tool works like a basic eraser: it erases lines or planes you have created. First click on the Eraser tool on the toolbar 2, sketchup 3d.

Once the sketchup icon appears, click sketchup the lines you want to erase you can also select a line with the Select tool and then hit the delete button Step Text The 2D text tool allows you to sketchup base areas of planes and to place labels, sketchup 3d. Sketchup arrow indicates which object was labeled. The 3D text tool actually creates the text as a 3D object that is part of your sketchup. As always, it makes sense to simply play around with these two tools, sketchup 3d.

Step Basic Cutting This tool allows you to cut or eliminate a section of your model, sketchup 3d. To show you how to use this tool, we used the cylinder, sketchup 3d.

Click on the Pencil tool in the toolbar to draw a line we used this tool at the beginning of the tutorial 2, sketchup 3d.

Sketchup this tutorial, make a line on three points of the surface of the cylinder, sketchup 3d. Mark the first at any point on the edge of the top surface of sketchup cylinder, sketchup 3d. Second, make a point in the center and third, make a point that aligns to the red axis 3. Click on one half of the top surface of the cylinder and push it downwards to create the cut and click to finalize What a nice, clean cut!

Play around with this tool sketchup more to discover all its functionalities, sketchup 3d. It allows you to draw a curve. Sketchup selecting the tool, click on one of the corner points of a cube. Then click somewhere on one of its sketchup axes and draw an arc, sketchup 3d. Sounds complicated? Step Scaling and Sketchup This tool allows you to adjust your model accordingly or to the desired scale, sketchup 3d.

To use this tool, sketchup 3d, simply select your model first and click on the Scale tool on the right or press S on your keyboard, sketchup 3d.

This will show you the different scaling sketchup you can use. You can sketchup and stretch the object by clicking on the green dots that appear, sketchup 3d. If you want to scale our model up or down while sketchup the ratio and proportion of our rectangular box this is called uniform scaling you need to click on one of the 8 corner points of the rectangular box.

You will see the value of your scaling in the lower right corner of the window. A value of 0. Step Rotating This feature is very useful when you experience orientation issues.

First select the model you want to rotate and select the Rotate tool or press Q on your keyboard 2, sketchup 3d. Click on the sketchup of the top surface of the rectangular box to set your axis. Extend your cursor towards the green or red axis to select the baseline of your rotation 3, sketchup 3d. Rotate the model to the desired direction or simply input an angle value. Did you already create a 3D model in SketchUp and want to make it 3D printable?

This requires some extra steps which you will learn in this tutorial. Are you more interested in simple 3D modeling software for sculpting organic objects? Then our SculptGL and Meshmixer tutorials might come in handy. Recommended Articles.❷