Sunday, February 28, 2010

Google Sketch

Hello! This time, I want to show you guys how Sketch up works step by step. Again, this is an Immersive Education course at Boston College (ImmersiveEducation.org) and the program can be downloaded for free at sketchup.google.com. It truly is an interesting program, and it really makes 3D imaging easy!


By using the Select tool, I can easily select a window that I created using a rectangle button. The procedure of making a 3D box(Building) is illustrated on the Chair Tutorial located on the bottom of this entry.
After selecting a tool, I could easily copy them by using control+c(copy), and control+v (paste).

Once I created a row, I could select all three of them by dragging the select tool more.


Again, by copy and pasting, I could easily make accurate windows across the entire plane.


By the use of push/pull tool, I can drag on object to another. Interestingly, once the two objects were attached, it stayed that way no matter where I tried drag it. I decided to drag a little bit to the right; the building has become wider.



The paint tool allowed me to color the shapes and 3D figures I created. The database included in the software is excellent; I colored my unit with two different types of bricks and colored the windows with two different types of blinds.


The eraser tool did not erase colored patterns. Instead, it erased the lines that are clicked upon. One useful technique with the eraser tool was to hold the mouse button down and touch upon all the objects that I wanted to erase. Doing so allowed me to erase everything that was highlighted with a single click.



With line tool, I could connect multiple lins to form figures.




With a circle tool, I could make a circle of any size. Also, by typing the desired number of sides in #s format (ex: 5 sides = "5s"), I could form pentagons, hexagons, octagons, and many more.


Similarly, the arc tool allowed me to draw an arc that connected the two ends of perpendicular lines, as seen from the screen shot. The fan shape is created by using the line tool to create two lines meeting at one end in 90 degrees, than using the arc tool to connect the other two ends of the lines.

The drawing tool that gives the most freedom is the freehand tool. It allows the user to draw any shape using the mouse.


Not to mention the 3D text tool, which allowed me to type in any letters to form 3D texts. I decided to engrave my name to the building, and it worked without a problem.

Lastly, the section tool allowed me to cut my creation in half. Using this tool reminded me of the old days when girls used to play on a barbie doll houses. Just a random thought.

Now, I want to show you guys a simple procedure of how to make a chair.

It starts like something basic as simple as a box.

Interestingly, you can actually pull up the box and make it into a 3D box with the pulling tool!


Using the rotating tool, you can easily get an easy view to work with the legs, and the same procedure can be taken. I just had to draw the lines on the box, and carve them in using the pulling tool.



Once everything is carved up, there we go! We have a beautiful chair! The key is to line everything up and drawing the right lines to carve in.

Just like other drawing tools, you can color the chair with a variety of selections included in Google Sketch.

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