This first assignment in the course involved us using the application Sketchup to create a basic 3D model of our house from where we grew up. At the beginning before we began playing around with the software, the task seemed daunting since designing a house is something that requires years of education and practice. However, I soon realized that Sketchup provided a simple yet elaborate tool for creating a reconstruction of my house. Learning about some of the quirks of Sketchup took a bit of time (e.g. the software automatically drawing your point to a corner when making a line), but with some testing I was able to make what I think is a pretty good reconstruction of my house. My biggest annoyance with the software was trying to make edits on things I’d already built on, but other than that the experience was incredibly positive and I learned how to use some new software!
For any novice users (not that by any means I’m an expert) trying out Sketchup for the first time, I would highly recommend taking the time to play around with the tools for a bit. Understanding how each of the tools function make the process a lot easier down the line if you have task at hand, especially as it’s harder to backtrack with the software. Also, have a three-button mouse will make the process much smoother compared to using a trackpad on a laptop, especially with moving your camera around your structure.
Below are a few shots of my complete house:
One reply on “My Sketchup Adventure”
Good job powering through the difficulties and Adam. Your house model looks very nice, especially those porches and railings. So much outdoor space! Diving into new software can be daunting, but starting with a simple goal can help narrow the possibilities and give you an inroad to get started.