SketchUp is a commonly used software application for 3D modeling nowadays. Due to its easy and effective application, it has been successful in making a strong place among designers and architectures. Though people confirm that it is an easier choice than others, the complexity is inevitable as 3D designing is itself a tricky subject to understand. SketchUp is such an application that allows you to design within an hour after installing it. The strong and intelligent tools back the application reliably and help beginners understand the insight of the application.

3D designing is always associated with tough geometric concepts that are explained in a thick rule book. So, designers find difficulties sketching the proper model as per their plan. To make the condition worse, the hard-to-understand software tools limit the use of designing only for the skilled engineers and architectures. SketchUp brings out 3D from its confined territory and allows other to design as accurately as an ace designer does.

How easy is SketchUp for 3D designs? It completely depends on your prior knowledge of designing and on how quickly you grab the use of different features. SketchUp tutorials are available online that introduce you to the core of the application and gives you the insight of the designing.

It can undoubtedly be said that you easily start 3D designing on SketchUp without knowing much of it. Both SketchUp Make and Pro versions are available for users of different needs. How simple SketchUp is for 3D designing lays in the difference between paper and clay. The content below discusses further.

The benefits of using SketchUp: To understand the benefits of using SketchUp, you must have enough knowledge to separate the design with paper and clay. Generally, 3D software applications are categorized under two main flavors – solids and surfaces. SketchUp is a surface based application that keeps the designing easy-to-draw for you.

SketchUp – a surface modeler: Whatever you draw on the SketchUp, it takes thin surface with hollow shells. This process keeps you away from an intricate understanding of the 3D designs. The experts even say that designing on SketchUp is more like making objects out of paper rather than clay. This surface modeler focuses on the core of designing and eliminates other issues involved in geometrical measurement of objects. It is less complex and more effective in designing 3D models.

Solid modeler is based on the working with clay: The solid models get solid surfaces when they cut in pieces. The applications like SolidWorks and Autodesk Inventor boost the solid model designing in 3D models. The skilled personnel in the fields like mechanical engineer and industrial designer use these tools to create design precisely and accurately. They design after measuring and calculating each edge and faces. It definitely sounds much complex than what SketchUp offers.

Though SketchUp is a surface modeler, it contains Solid Tool to design objects as per your need.

What SketchUp does for your 3D design?

SketchUp proves to be very effective when you design 3D models in a simpler way. It covers a broad area beyond the extensions and tools. A deeper understanding of the application will allow you to use the feature more effectively. On SketchUp, you can start designing in many ways. Below are a few examples.

• From Scratch – you can design models on a blank slate.
• From a Photograph – A photo can serve the core component if you want to make 3D models out of it.
• With other files – importing files from other computer applications from AutoCAD, 3DS, and DEM is easier in this application.
• From a Geo-location snapshot – you can make 3D models from geo-location snapshots.
• Share models – after completing the design, you can print or create an image file of your model to share it with others.

Don’t expect from SketchUp to Do: There are a few things that SketchUp cannot do. Expecting a tool for all your designing need makes you disappointed. The list, though, does not share the basic details of 3D designing, and it only focuses some additional components.

• Photo-realistic rendering – 3D applications have photo-rendering tools in-built, but generating views as real as photographs is a rare feature.
• Animation – you cannot add the real animation to your design in SketchUp. The application contains a few regular features for animating, but they have limited applications and are very less in number.

SketchUp is indeed an easier application if you are the beginner of 3D designing. This application is for those outside of the technical fields like engineering and designing. With this, anyone can sketch 3D models efficiently and instantly.