What's your beginners tip?

Hazza · 16 Sept 2008, 07:35

I thought that there are alot of people on this forum that have alot of great knowledge and are willing to share it. In that spirit I wanted to start a thread on what's your ONE tip would you give a beginner?

Add just one tip, select one technique or method or tool that you think would be the most useful or it could be an unexpected gotcha to be careful of.

My tip would be:
"If you are going to use more than one copy of an item in the model make it a component, it saves file size and any changes are reflected in all copies"

Gaieus · 16 Sept 2008, 07:50

When you are still unfamiliar with the inference engine and keep drawing lines out of alignment and off-axis, the "Colour by axis" setting in the Styles dialogue may be some help. Open it from the Window menu then go to "My model" (the little house icon) > Edit tab > Edge settings. There, at the bottom, there is a pulldown menu:

![I have posted this tip in another topic as well - "copied" from there.](/uploads/imported_attachments/0RXC_ColourByAxis_cr.jpg "I have posted this tip in another topic as well - "copied" from there.")

Hazza, this is a good idea but it should really go to the Newbie forum I think, so I'm moving it there if you don't mind.
I also mad it sticky.

Chris Fullmer · 16 Sept 2008, 08:37

Always use a 3 button mouse with SketchUp. None of those single button Mac mice....stupidest invention ever.

And use shortcut keys.

Chris

Alan Fraser · 16 Sept 2008, 08:52

Watch the training videos on the Help menu...especially if you are coming to SU from another program, with a ton of preconceptions about how things should be done....more especially if you are new to 3D.

remus · 16 Sept 2008, 09:17

Start using groups early, makes stuff a lot easier.

Tobobo · 16 Sept 2008, 10:28

@remus said:

Start using groups early, makes stuff a lot easier.

and components

My tip would be keep a tidy model. Keep up on your purging.

Gaieus · 16 Sept 2008, 10:55

@unknownuser said:

Display edges and profiles off...

I'd only keep profiles turned off - edge are neded for modeling (to see where you are connecting vertices and such).
Although never tried that way - maybe you can get used to it.

The fastest way of modeling then would be with edges turne off in wireframe modeling

MALAISE · 16 Sept 2008, 13:42

Begin with elementary forms (box, cylinder )and play with all tool just in order to learn
how they work.

MALAISE

ehaflett · 16 Sept 2008, 14:09

Spend at least 10 minutes a day reading posts here. There's a LOT to be learned here and no shortage of inspiration!

solo · 16 Sept 2008, 15:20

Have fun with SU, play everyday, get into a workflow that you are comfortable with. Do not get too technical in the beginning as the details will come when the need arises.

As long as you are having fun you are learning, as soon as you get frustrated walk away and try again later.

pmiller · 16 Sept 2008, 15:24

@gaieus said:

@unknownuser said:

Display edges and profiles off...

I'd only keep profiles turned off - edge are neded for modeling (to see where you are connecting vertices and such).
Although never tried that way - maybe you can get used to it.

The fastest way of modeling then would be with edges turne off in wireframe modeling

On the contrary, I would strongly urge beginners to keep profiles on so they can properly tell when they have formed surfaces and avoid co-planar problems. Once they have got it, then they can keep them off.

Gaieus · 17 Sept 2008, 04:40

@pmiller said:

...On the contrary, I would strongly urge beginners to keep profiles on so they can properly tell when they have formed surfaces and avoid co-planar problems. Once they have got it, then they can keep them off.

Yes, there is some truth in this - I also turn them on when finding out that some faces don't form properly so that I can easily see the offending edges.

Ross Macintosh · 17 Sept 2008, 08:05

Tip: Orbit, Pan & Zoom using the middle mouse button / scroll wheel.

middle mouse button to orbit
middle mouse button + shift to pan
and the scroll wheel to zoom

The tool buttons for orbiting, panning and zooming almost never need to be used.

Gaieus · 17 Sept 2008, 08:07

Yeah, deinitely. I even change the Orbit shortcut key (O) to Offset (while the original offset (F) is now Follow me. I think it is more logican and the orbit tool (a a button) is totally redundant.

pilou · 17 Sept 2008, 09:53

Enable "Hidden geometry" can help for curved forms and explain why some surfaces can't be selected
Works also fine with the Joint Push Pull (the plug to add first!

Edson · 17 Sept 2008, 10:03

the three pillars of modelling well (IMHO, of course):

work ALWAYS on layer 0;
GROUP whatever geometry you are creating (in case there should be more than one copy of it, make it a COMPONENT);
place it on another LAYER whose name makes sense (essential for controlling the model's visualization).

HFM · 17 Sept 2008, 17:45

@edson said:

the three pillars of modelling well (IMHO, of course):

work ALWAYS on layer 0;

GROUP whatever geometry you are creating (in case there should be more than one copy of it, make it a COMPONENT);

place it on another LAYER whose name makes sense (essential for controlling the model's visualization).

A big Amen to that, I always work this way

My tip:

While selecting different kind of materials for your model to try out looks, don't forget to delete them afterward since SketchUp will remember every single material you've selected, clogging op your model's file size in the process.

Jean Lemire · 18 Sept 2008, 14:46

Hi Folks.

My first tip: READ THE HELP.

Just ideas.

boofredlay · 18 Sept 2008, 15:34

But that is just one idea Jean

Use construction lines (with the tape measure tool) as much as is necessary.
And I also agree with Alan, watch all the training videos... many times over.

Anssi · 18 Sept 2008, 16:15

Don't curse the SU inferencing, learn its quirks so it start working for you. One of the keys is to use Shift (locking) creatively with the inferences.

Anssi