SketchUp Course

Lesson 1 • File Management and Templates

Create, save, and open files using appropriate templates and units. Proper file hygiene prevents data loss and ensures unit consistency across projects.

Lesson 2 • Drawing Axes and Inference System

Understand the red, green, and blue axes and SketchUp's smart inference engine. Inference locking ensures dimensional accuracy throughout all modeling work.

Lesson 3 • SketchUp Interface Overview

Identify menus, toolbars, and panels that form the workspace. This orientation anchors all subsequent tool use within the chapter.

Lesson 4 • Essential Drawing Tools

Use Line, Rectangle, Circle, and Arc tools to create 2D geometry. These primitives are the building blocks for all 3D forms introduced later.

Lesson 1 • Push/Pull Tool Mastery

Extrude flat faces into volumetric forms with precise depth control. Push/Pull is SketchUp's primary 3D creation method and underpins all solid modeling.

Lesson 2 • Move, Copy, and Array Operations

Reposition and duplicate geometry using Move with modifier keys and array input. These operations accelerate repetitive layout tasks in architectural and product models.

Lesson 3 • Scale and Flip Operations

Resize geometry uniformly or along individual axes and mirror objects. Scaling and flipping enable symmetrical design and proportion adjustments.

Lesson 4 • Follow Me Tool Applications

Sweep a profile along a path to create complex extrusions and lathed forms. Follow Me extends modeling capability beyond simple Push/Pull extrusions.

Lesson 1 • Managing the Components Library

Access, import, and organise components from local libraries and the 3D Warehouse. Efficient library use accelerates professional project delivery.

Lesson 2 • Understanding Geometry Stickiness

Explain how raw SketchUp geometry merges on contact and why isolation is critical. This concept motivates the use of groups and components throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Creating and Editing Groups

Wrap geometry in groups to isolate it from surrounding raw geometry. Groups form the first level of model organisation used in every project.

Lesson 4 • Component Axes and Insertion Points

Set component axes to control placement orientation and snap behaviour. Correct axis placement is essential for door, window, and furniture components.

Lesson 1 • Projected Textures on Curved Surfaces

Project textures across curved or irregular geometry for seamless mapping. Projection technique solves texture distortion on non-planar surfaces.

Lesson 2 • Materials Panel and Organisation

Manage, rename, and purge materials using the Materials panel to keep files clean. Organised material libraries speed up revisions and client presentations.

Lesson 3 • Paint Bucket Tool Basics

Apply solid colours and preset materials to faces and groups using the Paint Bucket. Material application is the foundation of all visual communication in SketchUp.

Lesson 4 • Importing and Editing Textures

Import image files as textures and adjust scale, position, and rotation. Custom textures enable accurate representation of real-world materials.

Lesson 1 • Visual Styles and Edge Settings

Apply and customise styles controlling edge rendering, face display, and background. Styles define the aesthetic tone of all exported and presented views.

Lesson 2 • Shadow Settings and Sun Position

Configure geographic location, date, and time to cast accurate sun shadows. Realistic shadows enhance spatial understanding in design presentations.

Lesson 3 • Exporting Images and Animations

Export raster images and scene animations at print-ready resolution. Export settings directly determine presentation quality for client deliverables.

Lesson 4 • Creating and Managing Scenes

Save camera positions, visibility states, and style settings as named scenes. Scenes are the primary tool for organising and presenting design iterations.

Lesson 1 • Outliner Panel for Model Structure

Use the Outliner to navigate, rename, and reorder groups and components in a tree view. Outliner provides direct access to nested geometry without viewport selection.

Lesson 2 • Purge and Model Cleanup

Remove unused tags, materials, and components to reduce file size and improve performance. Regular cleanup is a professional workflow discipline for all project stages.

Lesson 3 • Tag Folders and Hierarchy

Nest tags inside folders to mirror project phase or discipline structure. Folder hierarchy scales tag management to large multi-discipline projects.

Lesson 4 • Scenes and Tags Coordination

Link tag visibility states to specific scenes for automated view management. Scene-tag coordination enables one-click switching between design phases.

Lesson 1 • Dynamic Components Introduction

Configure dynamic components with attributes that respond to user interaction and scaling. Dynamic components automate repetitive parametric adjustments in professional models.

Lesson 2 • Sandbox Tools for Terrain Modeling

Generate and sculpt terrain meshes using From Contours and From Scratch tools. Sandbox terrain modeling is essential for site design and landscape visualisation.

Lesson 3 • Solid Tools: Boolean Operations

Perform Union, Subtract, Intersect, Trim, and Split on solid groups. Boolean operations enable precise additive and subtractive 3D form generation.

Lesson 4 • Curviloft and Organic Surfaces

Create smooth lofted surfaces between profiles using native and extension-based methods. Organic surface techniques expand modelling capability for product and furniture design.

Lesson 1 • Printing and PDF Export

Configure print settings and export multi-page PDF drawing sets at correct scale. Final export quality determines professional acceptability of all deliverables.

Lesson 2 • Line Weights and Drawing Styles

Control stroke weight, dash patterns, and rendering mode per viewport for clarity. Line weight differentiation communicates hierarchy and depth in technical drawings.

Lesson 3 • Dimensioning and Annotation

Add linear, angular, and radial dimensions plus text labels to document geometry. Accurate annotation transforms model views into contractor-ready construction drawings.

Lesson 4 • Sending Model to LayOut

Export a SketchUp file to LayOut and establish paper size, title block, and scale. This workflow bridges 3D design and 2D documentation in one integrated pipeline.