SketchUp Basics with Daniel Tal

0:00 – 6:40: Intro

6:41 – 9:13: How to Learn SketchUp / Resources

9:14 – 10:38: Left Brain vs. Right Brain

10:39 – 11:54: 2D Plan Sketching (in order to achieve left brain to right brain shift)

11:55 – 12:37: SketchUp Basics Cheat Sheet

12:38 – 13:49: Daniel Tal’s SketchUp Book / Models

13:49 – 14:27: Table of Contents

14:28 – 1:15:24: SketchUp Demo

Simple Concepts (14:33)

• Turning on layers to see vegetation (14:52)

• “2DFaceMe” vegetation (available online for free) (15:05)
  • Note: It's important for SketchUp beginners to start with these basic, 2-dimensional, “wafer-thin” vegetation models rather than more advanced 3D models.

• Navigation feature (16:40)
  • Note: Daniel recommends NOT using the navigation tools in the SketchUp panel (Orbit, Pan, Zoom Extents, Zoom). Instead, he recommends using the mouse to navigate. (17:22)
    • Why? It allows more freedom in navigation (17:48)
  • Using the mouse to navigate in SketchUp (18:01)
    • Orbiting (holding down the middle mouse wheel and moving the mouse accordingly) (18:05)
    • Zooming (rolling the middle mouse wheel forward and backward to zoom in and out, respectively) (18:09)
    • Panning (holding down the middle mouse wheel while holding down the SHIFT key) (18:12)
    • “Point and Shoot” capability (zooming in by pointing and clicking the mouse at the intended zoom point) (18:33)

• HOW to navigate around a model (19:03)
  • DON’T: work with the model off to the side and zoomed excessively out (19:05)
  • DO: When working on a particular object/portion of a model, CENTER that object/portion on the screen and look at it from an upward angle (19:16)
  • Proper navigation around a model (19:36)
    • Note: Remember to be constantly moving around your model, rather than taking a static view. (19:45)

Basic Tools (20:24)

• Paint Bucket (20:35)
  • Painting/Coloring an object with the Paint Bucket (note: this tutorial is for the Paint Bucket for Windows computers; a separate tutorial for the Mac Paint Bucket is available online) (20:35)
    • Accessing the Paint Bucket in the Materials dialog box (20:38)
      • Choosing Paint Bucket colors from the Color menu (21:00)
  • Applying a color to an area in the model by clicking the color in the palette and then clicking the area to paint (21:06)                                                     

• PushPull (21:10)
  • Extruding objects (pulling them out from 2D space to make them 3D) using the PushPull Tool (21:10)
    • DO: Apply color to a flat surface first, before extruding a 3D object; DON’T extrude the object first (21:10)

• Applying color to all sides of an extruded object automatically by first painting the initial surface and then using the PushPull tool to extrude an already-painted object (21:30)
  •  Note: “Add color first, then extrude” is the fundamental method of working with SketchUp.                                                                  

• Rectangle Tool (22:09)
  • Drawing a 2D rectangle (22:09)
  • Setting the dimensions of the rectangle by entering them in the Dimensions field (22:17)
  • Making a wall using this rectangle:
    • Applying a color to the 2D rectangle (22:27)
    • Extruding the rectangle using the PushPull tool (22:38)
    • Selecting the top surface of the wall by clicking with the mouse (22:47)

• Offset Tool (22:50)
  • Selecting the surface (not the edges) of the top of the wall (22:59)
  • Extruding the top surface of the wall outward using the Offset Tool (23:05)
  • Applying color to the outwardly extruded surface (23:09)
  • Extruding the top surface upward using the PushPull tool (23:13)
  • Overview of wall (23:19)

• Scale Tool (23:30)
  • Drawing another wall, then selecting the top surface with the Scale Tool (23:43)
  • Adjusting the scale and angles of the wall using the Scale tool (23:48)
  • Creating cantilevered walls on a planter using the Scale tool (24:00)

• Identification/Location of the Primary Set of SketchUp Tools (24:32)
  • Quick overview/identification/location of the primary SketchUp tools: Drawing Tools (Square, Line, Arc), as well as the Modification Tools (Move, PushPull, Rotate, Scale, FollowMe, Offset) (24:40)
  • Demonstration of SketchUp Tools By modeling a set of steps (25:13)
    • Extruding individual steps manually using the PushPull tool (25:21)
    • Demonstration of memory built into PushPull and other SketchUp tools (double-clicking and extruding steps automatically to a preset height) (25:35)
    • Further demonstration of extruding, adjusting, etc. (26:15)         

• Sandbox Tools (27:26)
  • Demonstration of creating terrain and grading using the Sandbox Tools (27:28)
  • Selecting edges/profile to grade using the Sandbox Tools (28:12)                                                                                                                           

• MoveTool (29:00)
  • Overview of Move Tool as a tool that allows you to move, rotate, and copy (29:09)
  • Demonstration of copying and moving a tree using the Move Tool (29:33)
    • Creating an “instant” orchard using the Move Tool (29:57)
    • Creating equidistant space between several trees using the Move Tool (30:22)
  • Important point: When selecting objects to copy or move them, ALWAYS start at the bottom-most point, where it meets the ground (otherwise, the object can become buried in the ground in the model) (30:50)
  • Rotating objects using the Move Tool (selecting object, hovering over it, and rotating it by moving the crosshairs that appear) (31:50)

Extensions (AKA Plugins) (33:33)

• Instant Roof Extension (33:53)
  • Selecting a surface, then extruding a roof by clicking Plugins > Instant Roof  > Make Roof (34:04)
    • Selecting a predetermined roof style from the Roof Style? dialog box (34:24)

• Extension Warehouse (34:55)
  • Accessing the Extension Warehouse by clicking Window > Extension Warehouse (35:10)

• Land F/X Extension (free download) (35:25)
  • Installing theLand F/X extension (same process as installing other extensions) (35:33)
  • The Land F/X Toolbar (36:02)                                                           

• Vali ArchitectsExtensions (purchasable download) (36:37)
  • Accessing the Instant Fence Railing extension by clickingPlugins >Vali Architects >Instant Fence Railing (36:47)
  • Creating a fence with the Instant Fence Railing extension (37:00)

Instant Site Plan Demonstration(37:48)

Terrain Modeling Demonstration (40:12)

Terrain Tools (41:47)

• Sandbox Tools (42:07)
  • Creating a grid from scratch using the Sandbox Tools (42:13)

• Artisan Tools(purchasable extension/plugin) (42:23)
  • Sculpting terrain using theArtisan Tools (42:33)

• Tools on Surface (these tools work exactly like the SketchUp drawing tools, except they draw on terrain) (43:04)
  • Drawing a rectangle on terrain using the Line Tool in the Tools On Surface toolbar. (Note that the line conforms to the terrain in the model.) (43:20)
  • Extruding a rectangle drawn on terrain using the Joint PushPull Toolin theTools On Surface toolbar(43:33)

• Instant Road Tools (43:54)
  • Grading roadways with the Instant Roads Tools (43:15)

AutoCAD-to-SketchUp Process(44:57)

• Importing AutoCAD files into SketchUp by clicking File > Import (45:05)

• Creating faces throughout an imported drawing using the CAD Cleanup tool, accessed by clicking Plugins > DynaSCAPE Tools > Run CAD Cleanup (All) (45:40)

Question: Does the Fence plugin also follow contours? (47:00)

Answer: Yes (see demonstration).

Question: Any tips on preventing SketchUp from crashing when working with the large file size created by working with terrain? (48:45)

Answer: The most important way to prevent crashing is to always work in layers.

Demonstration on Using Layers (49:45)

• Tip: While you're working in SketchUp, turning off as many layers as possible – especially vegetation layers – will maximize performance. (59:22)

• Overview of Layer Manager tools on the Extension Warehouse (50:35)

Question: Tips on bringing in topo? (51:32)

Answer: (see demonstration).

• Using the Simplify Contours tool (free extension), accessed by clicking Plugins > Simplify Contours (52:00)
  • Simplify Contours reduces the number of vertices brought in from AutoCAD, thereby making it easier to generate the contours (52:10)
  • 2 options for generating the topo:
    • Using the Sandbox toolbar to create a triangulated surface (52:27)
    • Using TopoShaper (free plugin, but not available on Extension Warehouse) to create a meshed surface (52:40)

Question: How does Civil 3D integrate with SketchUp? (54:15)

Answer: The two programs work together, but on a limited basis.

Question: How to create a layer in SketchUp? (56:11)

Answer: (see below)

• Creating a layer (57:12)
  • Open the Layers dialog box by clicking Window > Layers.
  • Click the + (Plus) button.
  • Type a name for the layer.
  • Make the new layer active by clicking the radio button to the left of its name in the Layer list.
  • Any new importing, drawing, etc. will now take place in the active layer (while it is still active).

• Finding out which layer contains a given object (57:56)
  • Open the Entity Info dialog box by clicking Window >Entity Info.
  • This dialog box will show which layer contains the selected object.
  • To move an object to another layer, select that object, open the Entity Info dialog box, and select a layer in the Layer: dropdown menu.

Question: What is the best way to simplify the final color scheme of a design? (59:58)

Answer: It depends. If you’re going to render, you’ll want textures.

Bonus Material

• Combining SketchUp with PhotoShop (1:02:16)

• Finding out statistics/properties of a SketchUp model(1:03:42)

  • Access the Model Info dialog box by clicking Window > Model Info.

    •  Click Statistics in the list.

      • This dialog box shows statistics such as the number of edges, faces, component instances, etc.

      • SketchUp 2013 Tip: In general, avoid exceeding 300,000 faces if possible (the better the graphics card you use, the larger models you can work with)

More on Importing AutoCAD models into SketchUp (1:05:05)

• One option: The Land F/X plugin imports CAD files layer by layer.

• Note: Importing .dwg files from AutoCAD requires SketchUp Pro.

• Import AutoCAD files by clicking File > Import.
  • SelectAutoCAD Files (“.dwg.” .dxf) in the Files of Type menu.
  • Clean up a file by using plugins such as Extend Close Lines, Delete Short Lines, Make Faces, etc.
  • Add colors using the Paint Bucket Tool.
  • Import and edit AutoCAD blocks.

Avoiding Pitfalls With SketchUp (1:10:16)

• REALLY understand how navigation works on SketchUp.
  • Learn to operate SketchUp with one hand on the mouse and one on the keyboard.

• Practice, practice, practice.

• Research, talk to people, and find a variety of resources.

• Use plugins.

• Use SketchUp with AutoCAD, including importing .dwg files.