Engineers, architects, and interior designers can benefit from using Sketchup. The program is perfect for 3D modeling of project ideas. Once you learn the basics of the software and how it functions, you can sharpen your skills with this time-saving guide to getting started with Sketchup.

Lock Axes with Arrow Keys

If you have a difficult time with making lines lock or snap, this tip will make drawing much more straightforward. Use your up, down, left and right arrow keys to send lines to axes in multiple directions for a quick and easy lock. The up and down keys lock to blue, the right arrow locks to red and the left arrow locks to green.

Use Math Functions to Create Arrays

When you need to use an element many times, there is a more straightforward way to do it than to copy and paste it multiple times. After you copy the item at the desired distance, you can use multiplication to tell the program how many times to repeat the element by typing the asterisk symbol followed by the number of times to repeat. If the distance is long and you are unsure of its measurement, you can start at the end and use a backslash followed by the desired number of times for the element to appear.

Make Custom Shortcuts

To avoid confusing yourself, do not try to make too many of these to commit to memory. If you find that you use certain functions more often, you can go into the system preferences menu, click on shortcuts and assign your many functions to keys on your keyboard.

Utilize Dynamic Components

If you have used CAD before or are familiar with Revit families, you will be relieved to know that Sketchup Pro has dynamic components of its own. You can create them if you choose that version and have some basic programming knowledge. When you use the professional version, select the view menu to find toolbars. Click the option to display the dynamic components toolbar. If you anticipate using specific standard components over and over, this benefit will help you work more efficiently on future projects. Also, it reduces the risk of mistakes on future projects that require the same component attributes. Once you have a collection of these components, a sketch that usually takes you several hours to complete may take less than one hour.

Stay Organized with the Outliner

You may find yourself searching for Sketchup help when you get lost in groups. The outliner is a popup box that you can use to display named groups for more straightforward navigation. You can click on them to see and change components, measurements, or other attributes quickly without getting lost.

Using these tips can help you generate 3D models quickly without sacrificing accuracy. As you use Sketchup, you may discover additional ways to help you save time. However, these tips will give you a good foundation for simplifying the program’s functions.