Basic Tutorial In Using SketchUp

SketchUp is a very popular 3D software and its a 3D software that  widely used by profesional architects to design houses and buildings. compared to most other 3D software, SketchUp has a simple looking interface and easy to learn for beginners in 3D modeling.

For you guys who want to learn about this 3D software, you can follow some basic tutorials that I post below. By knowing the basic knowledge in using this software,  you can easily create various types of 3D models that you can follow on this website. The following basic tutorial is a collection of basic commands that you often do on SketchUp.

Well to shorten the time, here the the following basic tutorials on SketchUp

SketchUp Interface

Unlike most other 3D software, SketchUp has a very simple interface. with this simple interface, the beginners in using 3D modeling software will very easily to learn this software. Generally, the interface in SketchUp is divided into 3 parts that is Menu tab, Tool bar and Default tray.

Menu bar - is a place for various menus related to commands, views, settings and so on. unlike other famous 3D software, the menu bar in SketchUp is also very simple

Tool bar - is a gathering place for tools in creating 3D models. When you install a plugin tool you can place it in this place. To activate the specific  tools, you can do it by  right-click the tool bar and choose which tool you will activate.

Default tray - is a place for information from the model that you made. Beside that, you can also give coloring, replacing the template, give shadow settings in this bar.

SketchUp Navigation

To create a 3D model on  3D software, the first thing you have to do is habitual to the navigation of the 3D software. familiar with existing navigation will simplify and accelerate your work in creating 3D models.

In SketchUp you can navigate by using the keyboard or mouse depending on your situtation. but most users usually use a mouse to speed up work in creating 3D models.
here following the navigation list by using mouse on SketchUp.

1. How to move object

How to move objects in this sketchup is very easy. First you make any object in SketchUp as shown below

Then select the entire face of the object to be moved (you can do it by left-clicking 3x. If you choose one face only, the face that will move is not all objects.)

Then select Move tool   or by typing on the keyboard of the letter M. Then select a reference point on the object and slide the object to move

When you want to move an objects on a particular axis without being disturbed by the movement of the cursor that is not straight, so press and hold SHIFT when you moving an object.

 

You can move objects with a certain distance by pressing the number distance that you want on keyboard and Enter

2. Multiplying object

To duplicate an objects (copy) in SketchUp there is no tool directly to duplicate the object. so you can follow the steps below

First make any object that we will duplicate first. you can make any object as you like.

Then select the object to duplicate and click Move tool    or press M and select a reference point to move objects. when the object is moved, press CTRL to duplicate the object. then put the duplicated object in the desired place

You can duplicate objects with a certain distance by pressing the number of distance that you want on keyboard and Enter

3. Rotate object

To  rotate an objects in SketchUp it's very easy. First make an object that you will rotate on SketchUp.

Then select Rotate tool   or press Q on your keyboard and select the rotate reference point on the object and rotate it.

You can rotate an objects with a certain angle by pressing the number of angle that you want on keyboard and Enter

You can duplicate an objects when you rotate it. Just press CTRL on your keyboard so the object will be doubled when you rotate it.

 

4. Flip along Command

Flip along command is used to mirroring an objects that we make on SketchUp.
There are 3 choices of mirror types on objects that we can do, that is flip along based on red, green and blue axes.

To be able mirror your object, select the object then right click and select Flip allong command

If you choose the red direction command, the object will be reversed in the direction of the red line as shown below

If you choose the green direction command, the object will be reversed in the direction of the green line as shown below

If you choose the blue direction command, the object will be reversed in the direction of the blue line as shown below

5. Intersect object

The Intersect command is to give a cut line to two or more objects that are interconnected so that you can cut it based on the shape of the cut line. if you SketchUp pro user, you dont need this command to subtract and onion object. there is tool in SketchUp pro called Solid tool that can subtract and onion object automatically.

To use Intersect command You have to make 2 different shapes and make it into group command.

In this picture I will cut the shape of the donut according to the second object.

Move the second object into a donut shape then get in donut group then right click and select intersect with model . line intersection will appear

Then you delete the part that formed by resulting of the intersection. so here the result

6. Soften and Smooth edge command

Soften and smooth edges command is use to hide the edge line on the face of the model so the object will look smoother. this command is very usefull for you who want to make organic shape on SketchUp where the organic shape is a smooth and wavy shape like curtains. to use this command you just do right-click on the selected face and then select Soften and Smooth Edge.

To make it easier for you to understand this tool, you can see the illustrations below.
In the picture below there are two models that I made. At the first model i make without using Soften and smooth edge commands and the others using the this command.

without Smooth and Soften edge

with Smooth and Soften edge

There is a difference between the two models where the first model on the face looks more angular and the second one looks smooth.

7. Make Group and Component

Group and Components command are use to giving groups to objects where that two commands are the same thing but have different functions.

Group is a command to give a group where when you duplicate an object that has been in a group, the object that has been duplicated has no effect at all if there is a change in shape on the first object

While Component is a command to give a group to an object where you multiply the object, the object will be connected to one another (if there is any change on the one component, all the components that have been multiplied will also change)

To use this command, you just right-click on the model to be grouped and select Make Group or Make Component

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