Starting with Sketchup

 After Downloading, you can install the free version and follow the installation instruction. If this is the first time you will use sketchup, this will guide your through the process and follow along with the tutorials provided. Let us walk through the interface of Sketchup and explore all the tools you are going to use.

A look inside Sketchup

When you first launch the Sketchup, It will prompt you to choose a template or start using sketchup. see figure below;

The Template will let you set-up the units which are as follows:

1. Simple Template                       - Feet and Inches

2. Simple Template                       - Meters

3. Architectural Design                  - Feet and Inches

4. Architectural Design                  - Millimeters

5. Construction Documentation     - Feet and Inches

6. Construction Documentation     - Millimeters

7. Construction Documentation     - Meters

8. Architectural Design                  - Meters

9. Urban Planning                          - Feet

10. Urban Planning                        - Meters

11. Landscape Architecture           - Feet and Inches

12. Landscape Architecture           - Meters

13. Woodworking                           - Inches

14. Woodworking                           - Millimeters

15. Interior & Production Design    - Inches

16. Interior & Production Design    - Millimeters

17. 3D Printing                               - Inches

18. 3D Printing                               - Millimeters

Choose the units you are comfortable using and for which purpose you will produce your drawing and after that, you can start usign sketchup. In this case, Architectural Design - Meters is selected and click "Start Using Sketchup".

And there you go, you are now ready to start using sketchup

This is how your screen will look like and we will go through all the tools in the next lesson.

Go back to the lesson here:

1. Sketchup for Beginners 

Watch the Video Tutorial here (Choosing a template)