Google SketchUp is a software for Windows and Mac OS X (10.4+) that allows you to draw in 3D so intuitive and simple. Less comprehensive than Blender, it can make simple things very quickly without having to go through long tutorials. This article presents the main features of the software (in its free version). The first part sets all the tools available in the toolbars (one by one). The second part explains how to create objects and scenes in 3D.
Presentation
Installation
Visit the site http://sketchup.google.com/ to download the software and then install it as you normally do.
The main window
It is simple, concise and effective. The toolbar at the top contains the main tools for basic operations
of drawing. Know that many other tools are available and we will see later.
The plan to drawnhas already a character drawn in order to get an idea of the scale.
Toolbars
Basic, you have a toolbar that contains the essential elements to start. In the “View” menu then “toolbars”
you can select the bar to show or hide.
- Standard
- Show a new document
- Open a creation
- Save
- Management of the camera
It is essential to draw in 3 dimensions, you can turn around your creation.
The basic movements (camera zoom) are directly usable with the mouse without having to select a tool.
You can:
- Move the camera (so directly using the click wheel)
- Move the angle of view without changing the sighting
- Zoom in or out on the object (or with the mouse wheel)
- Select an area to zoom in
- Return to the previous zoom
- Go to the next zoom
- Adjust the zoom at best depending on the size of your object
- Drawing
In order, the tools enable:
- Draw a rectangle
- Draw a line
- Draw a circle
- Draw an arc
- Draw a polygon (by points)
- Draw freehand
- Main
- Selection mode
- Create a component (an object) from the selection
- Painting a surface
- Deleting an edge or an object
- Modification
This bar carries its name wrong in my opinion. It can create and manage 3D objects.
- Move an object (translation)
- Extruding a surface (volume set)
- Rotate an object
- To follow a path to a surface
- To scale an object (resize)
- Resize a surface
- Construction
- Measure distances (between points)
- Create a document
- Measuring an angle
- Insert a text note
- Redefine the plan (reposition the axes)
- Insert text in 3D
- Faces
Change the appearance of your objects in the drawing area.
- Active or not transparency
- Shows items in “wire” (only the edges)
- Do not display hidden lines
- Displays with shadows
- Displays with shadows and textures
- Mono mode
- Section
- Place a section of the plan for a major surface along the axis (X, Y or Z)
- Displays the section plane
- Displays cuts
- Views
- View the ISO view
- Top view
- Front view
- View of right
- Rear view
- Left view
- Shadows
- Setting shadows
- Show or hide the shadows
- Select the date and time
- Visit
- Position the camera
- Play tour
- Rotate either
- Layers
- Select a layer
- Show the layer manager
They require the operation of Google Earth on your machine
- Current View
- Enable/disable the terrain view
- Place the template on the map
- Download templates from a library
- Share your model
Creating scenes
Height of luxury, Google SketchUp is capable of generating scenes to create your own animations. The scenes are constructed one to one
then mounted. You create your movie scene by scene easily.
The export and recording
The free version of the software can export only to Google Earth. Pity …
Your first creation
All the tutorials that show 3D software explain the same simple thing to make a chair. To achieve this, I use
only the “first step” toolbar.
The character set is automatically deleted by selecting it and pressing the Delete key.
Creating the foundation
A simple rectangle 40 x 40 will be the basis for the foundation from which all other elements will be taken.
This surface is a plane, we must give a minimum volume of any given plate has a thickness in reality.
We therefore use the extrusion tool to give a thickness of 1cm.
The 4 legs: a stool
Draw a small rectangle (2.5 x 2.5 cm) and then repeat on the other 3 corners with a simple copy/paste.
Then, select the surface then use the extrusion tool to extract their legs one by one.
The back
Like legs, we extrude two pieces that we will reach the top then make a few bars.
Then it defines an area that we will be extruded to form the top bar of the file:
Then extruded to create the bar.
Qaund you join two pieces, an edge is created since the software “thinks” it’s always two parts instead of one. The solution is
select the edges in question and remove them to form more than one piece.
We must do the same to create the bars one by one.
And now you can relax.
Watch and see better
The management of views
To begin, I will create a very simplistic form of a house. For this, I do not use any of the extrusion, but only drawing tool
I place the items one by one. Google sketch up will automatically create surface and volume.
The different views allow you to meet the standards and technical drawing out plans and associates.
Plans
Simply select a flat. By enabling logging, you’ll have time to put the section where you want. For each surface
your subject you will have a plan.
Styles
It depends on the tastes and also what we want to show or not. Show hidden edges may be useful to reveal
within an object even more.
Using models
Google offers a platform for sharing models. Very interesting, this principle allows you to share your work or you
simply make a few blends to create your kitchen or your house better.
In the file menu, look for Bank of 3D image and then download the models.
Then do your market!
Conclusion
Far from being at Blender on two points:
- Options: experts familiar with Blender for its possibilities, its report and management activities
- Simplicity: it takes time to adopt Blender is relatively complex, while Google SketchUp is simplistic
and offers an excellent alternative to 3D design for mainstream users
In two words: you want to draw in 3D without a manual as thick as a dictionary, Google SketchUp is there for you.
Tags: Google, Google SketchUp, Softwares
