Google Sketchup - the way to go?

[Anonymous]

I have no experience of using computer design software whatsoever. I have managed quite well with paper and pencil so far. I was introduced to Sketchup earlier this year by an architect client who supplied her own designs for a piece of furniture she had commissioned me to make. I was very impressed and vowed to buy it as soon as I could afford it.

Through this forum I have discovered Google Sketchup and have just downloaded it. It appears to be a much scaled down version of the program my client showed me. My question is;

Is Google Sketchup the right program for me to produce sketches to show clients of proposed pieces of furniture, or should I view it as a stepping stone to buying the full version?

I am not looking for perfect technical drawings - just an advance on my back of an envelope sketches!

I guess that because it's free I am a bit suspicious of the quality.

Cheers
Brad

 

[Adam]

I find it superb. Not come across any limitations so far. Have a look for Daves excellent tutorials in the "design" section of the forum. You may have to scroll back a bit to get to them.

Adam

 

[Nick W]

The only limitation of the free version is the import/export of files to certain formats. Other than that all functionality is the same between the two versions.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Brad, perhaps the only limitation you might run up against is the inability to output high resolution pictures of your drawings. It is unlikely to cause you any worries, though.

FWIW, SU was originally thought up by an architect who wanted a digital version of sketching on a napkin. You can keep your drawings very loose if you are just brainstorming and tighten them up as you go.

 

[John McM]

Brad, when you first open up GSU it has a default selection of tools (icons) called "getting started." The icon size is also set to large. You can tailor the interface by going to view, toolbars and turning these two off and almost everything else on (ticks set). You can drag the toolbar pallets around (grabbing them on LHS) to set up the interface as you like it. Do a search then for Dave R's tutorial on "templates". Settting the working space size, units etc suitable for woodwork projects. There are loads of video tutorials on the Sketchup website and of course the tutorials Dave R kindly provides here. One thing I found very useful was to get hold of a model someone else did (either from here or download from the 3d warehouse) "virtually" move the components around, play with the layers, hide and unhide things etc to see how it was constructed. Don't save the changes you make to it and you can keep going back to it and continue to learn. Have a good play.
Cheers
John

 

[Shultzy]

Brad, it depends on how far you want to progress, I started with Turbocad8, which I bought a year ago on ebay for £12 (not free, but not the earth) and although its can appear daunting at first the tutorial and manual is very good. Here are 3 pictures of a cd and video rack I designed as my first drawing.
Wireframe

Hidden line removal

Full render

Turbocad will import and export lots of formats and you can draw at full size if you wish.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Shultzy, is there any chance you'd send me the file for your rack?

 

[Shultzy]

No probs dave, send me a pm with your email address and I'll send it. I did think of changing the design to make it stackable as it was for someone else I didn't bother. I think you could make it longer if you used SS rods

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys,

Question answered!

Looks like I'll be sticking with Google Sketchup and can use that pile of cash for an extra special Christmas present for my wife.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Scrums]

hmmm....I must be missing something, on first impressions I was over the moon with SU as I worked through the tutorial. But I've gne back to Autosketch - ok, not 3D, but it also gets something dimensioned the customer can understand and me something to work from.

Chris.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

What was wrong with SU, Scrums? I'm missing something. Why would you go back to a 2D only application when you can have 3D with or without perspective as well as 2D with SketchUp? And you can dimension SketchUp drawings, too.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Shultzy sent me the file from his drawing. Once I figured out the scale--something was lost in translation :roll: --it was about five minutes to redraw it in SU. 1 Minute and 8 seconds to render.

 

[Shultzy]

Nice rendering Dave, unfortunately TurboCad only renders in plain colours, you have to have the professional version to use textures. Too much money to justify. I just use it to get the proportions right and calculate the materials I need.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, John.

I've just followed your advice about tweaking the toolbar settings and now it looks just like the real Sketchup!

What's the story about Google buying it and making it free? Sounds positively unAmerican to me! What's the hidden agenda?

Am spending time which should be spent working playing around with designs. I've got to the point where I'm taking my laptop with me tomorrow to see a potential client to show them the ideas I've drawn for their bedroom furniture.

I'm still packing a pencil & paper though!

Cheers
Brad

 

[Nick W]

Another one on this particular slippery slope then!

I find that most customers really like seeing the designs in 3D - and changing stuff in front of their eyes really presses happy buttons.

Don't forget to put doors etc. on separate layers so that you can turn them off to see inside.

Oh yes, and if you are presenting 'initial sketches' then re-inforce that idea by turning on Extended Edges and maybe even Jitter Edges