• Login
sketchucation logo sketchucation
  • Login
โ„น๏ธ GoFundMe | Our friend Gus Robatto needs some help in a challenging time Learn More

What's your beginners tip?

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Newbie Forum
sketchup
305 Posts 169 Posters 340.0k Views
Loading More Posts
  • Oldest to Newest
  • Newest to Oldest
  • Most Votes
Reply
  • Reply as topic
Log in to reply
This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
  • G Offline
    Gaieus
    last edited by 5 Jan 2009, 18:48

    Maybe Eric uses the * symbol for multiplying in arrays ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Gai...

    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
    • B Offline
      boofredlay
      last edited by 5 Jan 2009, 19:18

      Brad you are correct. If I do that "X" will not work as a shortcut. I was simply responding to your general statement saying: "Don't use X as a shortcut..." because you can, and I do.

      http://www.coroflot.com/boofredlay

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • C Offline
        Chris Fullmer
        last edited by 18 Jan 2009, 21:13

        I use X for explode. No problems there either. Even if I move/array a group. It will not explode the group.

        Chris

        Lately you've been tan, suspicious for the winter.
        All my Plugins I've written

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • J Offline
          JoelM3DM
          last edited by 27 Jan 2009, 15:07

          Another tip ... Some things that are very important for me, and probably helpful to others:

          -- I have trouble controlling fine movements with my mouse, so I use a WACOM TABLET. It's wonderful for SU work. The stylus is easy to use. It has buttons I can set to whatever I want. I put the tablet on my lap when I am at my desk, and I also have a left mouse that I use sometimes, especially for Rclick.

          -- And when I go to the local coffeeshop and work, I bring my laptop. I'm obsessive about lightweight. The Wacom Tablet is too heavy and I hate touchpads. I found just the thing: a V-MOUSE. http://www.v-mouse.com/ It is a very lightweight optical mouse that you hold like a pen. I also got a teeny-tiny mouse for my left hand that I use only for its buttons.

          || Joel Metzger 3D Modeling
          || story-shorts.net - Animation with SU

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • R Offline
            remus
            last edited by 27 Jan 2009, 15:12

            @joelm3dm said:

            -- I have trouble controlling fine movements with my mouse, so I use a WACOM TABLET. It's wonderful for SU work. The stylus is easy to use. It has buttons I can set to whatever I want. I put the tablet on my lap when I am at my desk, and I also have a left mouse that I use sometimes, especially for Rclick.

            Id second that, i really like my wacom.

            http://remusrendering.wordpress.com/

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • S Offline
              solo
              last edited by 27 Jan 2009, 15:13

              While on the subject of hardware that can help, I would really suggest folks trying the 'Space Explorer' or 'navigator', it's not for everyone and does take getting used to, but once you get going it can increase productivity tremendously. I use it daily and owe my ability to model as fast as I do to it.

              http://www.cadgraphicswest.com/assets/images/SpaceExplorer_header.JPG

              http://www.solos-art.com

              If you see a toilet in your dreams do not use it.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • D Offline
                DocuMike
                last edited by 27 Jan 2009, 20:38

                This is my first post to this group. I've found that using a wireless KB/trackball has been a great help. For PC I use an Adesso WKB 3000UB (http://www.adesso.com/products_detail.asp?productid=336). It's like a 2 handed mouse so you can quickly toggle between orbit (scroll wheel in and trackball) and pan (scroll wheel in and L mouse and trackball) when moving around the model. I see they have many more models now. Some may be better (like programmable function keys) but I find this KB to be ergonomic heaven. Anyone else using it or other input tools like this?

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • L Offline
                  Luis Esteves
                  last edited by 29 Jan 2009, 00:37

                  Hi all,

                  Before doing a big change that you are not sure of the result.....first, for security, make a copy of your work (save as). Sometimes, it's difficult to go back (even with CTRL+Z).
                  I think it's a good idea to save multiple releases of the same project, at importants steps.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • T Offline
                    tesmeko
                    last edited by 2 Feb 2009, 15:05

                    Erase all the centerlines that was been used for autocad before importing.

                    Instead of using multiple curves, try to make points so you wouln't forget drawing the arc itself in sketchup as curves inn autocad almost seem to fail connecting in one of its ends.

                    For fast modeling try to just use the exterior wall lines, use the windowizer for the doors and windows, its easier and faster when you're in a hurry.

                    Enjoy every bit of it modeling.

                    Tesmeko

                    keep sketching

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • E Offline
                      Ecuadorian
                      last edited by 3 Feb 2009, 15:44

                      1. When the 'scroll wheel zoom' is not working as you wish... Press Z and zoom the good, old fashioned way.

                      2. To zoom on the selection, Right click > Zoom extents.

                      3. Until you get used to the 3-point perspective SketchUp uses, you might want to activate the colored crosshairs (Window > Preferences > Drawing > Display crosshairs).

                      My 2 cents.

                      -Miguel Lescano
                      Subscribe to my house plans YouTube channel! (30K+ subs)

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • T Offline
                        Twistlok45
                        last edited by 12 Feb 2009, 17:06

                        As a complete newb myself, i would have to say use the instructor function to familiarize yourself with each tool and spend some time with each one.
                        Think of a simple project to do and see how it turns out.
                        Use this in conjunction with asking for advice and you will be pleasantly surprised.

                        I would like to thank Gaieus for helping me out with a simple pvc fitting tut.
                        With that, i was able to create more complicated fittings on my own, first try!

                        Thank you Gaieus for the help!

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • cmdC Offline
                          cmd
                          last edited by 12 Feb 2009, 18:13

                          Work with all aspects of "Inference Locking" so it becomes second nature to you.
                          http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFfmIgJqlIw&feature=channel_page

                          CMD

                          • CMD
                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • B Offline
                            boofredlay
                            last edited by 24 Mar 2009, 18:06

                            I don't know if this was mentioned yet but:
                            Use the Tape Measure tool and the SU Axis lines to create Guides (Construction Lines).


                            Tape.jpg

                            http://www.coroflot.com/boofredlay

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • broomstickB Offline
                              broomstick
                              last edited by 24 Mar 2009, 19:12

                              @edson said:

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

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

                              This is very true, but it can lead to a lot of problems, when you export your model to another program, to render it. It happened to me, exporting the model to 3D Studio, and I had to open every group and re-assign all the geometry.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • broomstickB Offline
                                broomstick
                                last edited by 24 Mar 2009, 19:15

                                @ecuadorian said:

                                1. Until you get used to the 3-point perspective SketchUp uses, you might want to activate the colored crosshairs (Window > Preferences > Drawing > Display crosshairs).

                                My 2 cents.

                                niiiiiiiiiiice!

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • broomstickB Offline
                                  broomstick
                                  last edited by 24 Mar 2009, 19:39

                                  @greentoaster said:

                                  I create a small box so I can quickly reorient the screen cursor onto either of the three default planes - put the cursor on one of the faces of the box, hold down shift to lock the orientation - this works but I'm sure there's a shortcut but I've never discovered what it is.

                                  Happy Sketching,

                                  Brad
                                  ๐Ÿ˜„

                                  Maya style, if I understand what youre doing ๐Ÿ˜„
                                  The shortcuts are there: ctrl+1, 2, 3 enable front, left, top etc (not in this order I am only making an exmple here)

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • jeff hammondJ Offline
                                    jeff hammond
                                    last edited by 24 Mar 2009, 20:00

                                    @kenny said:

                                    To deselect you can use ctrl-T as well as clicking in white space. I use this a lot to avoid zooming out to get white space to click in.

                                    Kenny

                                    doesn't work on macs.. what i like to do in these circumstances(zoomed in with no white space) is just select something that is visible to then shift/select it... that will deselect everything in the model + it's just plain intuitive for me to work like that..

                                    dotdotdot

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • jeff hammondJ Offline
                                      jeff hammond
                                      last edited by 24 Mar 2009, 20:14

                                      i'm not sure where i learned it from but something that really helped me out/sped me up/ridded me of some frustrations was learning about the single/double/triple click selecting...

                                      if someone knows a link, post it up.. otherwise, i'll look around for it a little later..

                                      (i'll edit this post once it's been sorted out)

                                      dotdotdot

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • C Offline
                                        cliff
                                        last edited by 26 Mar 2009, 22:33

                                        My tip has probably already been mentioned in some form before this, but it's still the one major thing I tell people when showing them SU for the first time: Go through and set up all your own hot keys as soon as possible so you can (a) learn all of the tools and what they do, and (b) create a workflow and keyboard system that you can relate to. If the defaults wrk for ya, great, but at least go through every possible hot key and try it out!

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • G Offline
                                          GreenToaster
                                          last edited by 28 Mar 2009, 23:01

                                          @unknownuser said:

                                          Maya style, if I understand what youre doing ๐Ÿ˜„
                                          The shortcuts are there: ctrl+1, 2, 3 enable front, left, top etc (not in this order I am only making an exmple here)

                                          I tried CTRL+1, & so forth - this doesn't work on my machine (Windows version).

                                          If you really want something you won't ever stop pursuing it.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • 1
                                          • 2
                                          • 3
                                          • 4
                                          • 5
                                          • 6
                                          • 15
                                          • 16
                                          • 4 / 16
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          Buy SketchPlus
                                          Buy SUbD
                                          Buy WrapR
                                          Buy eBook
                                          Buy Modelur
                                          Buy Vertex Tools
                                          Buy SketchCuisine
                                          Buy FormFonts

                                          Advertisement