Who's been how long.

solo · 27 Jun 2016, 13:36

I was doing a commercial landscape design in 2005 and needed multiple views of the proposed site so instead of hand drawings I decided to try 3D and after searching the web I came across @last's Sketchup, tried the 8 hour trial and it was so easy that I was sold right then and have used it since version 5. I was more of a lurker than poster on the original forums as I never had anything of note to show or say, and when Coen started this forum I decided to participate from day 1 in 2007.

david_h · 27 Jun 2016, 19:16

I discovered @last Sketchup I think in Version 3 back in 2003 or so. I found an ad in the back of a magazine I think. looked at a few videos, did a download. .. the rest is architectural history.

As far as skill level, I've pretty much stayed at version 3 ever since. I Went to the first base camp in 2005. Met some cool people. Was totally out of my element as far as skill level, but . . .

It's been fun.

ntxdave · 27 Jun 2016, 20:57

Well, mine is kind of a round about story as well. I am obviously one of the "newbies". I retired in 2010 and in late 2013 someone approached me about doing some work for a company that builds car washes. I had never seen SketchUp before but said I would give it a try. I do not have an engineering background and I am not an artist but it looked like fun to me. I studied SU and I too bought the "SketchUp for Dummies" book and started learning. The company had a library of some of the car wash equipment so I set out to finish that library and then started doing layouts for what is called the "tunnel" (the part the car goes through). I do about 4 hours of work for them per month. I just do the layout and send them a PDF. Once the layout is approved by their customer, I send them a DWG which they incorporate in into the building drawings. I think my greatest find during all of this was the SketchUcation forum. I look at it daily and learn a lot from it. Other that the car wash equipment, I do not really do much else. As I said, I am neither an engineer nor an artist but I love seeing all of the things the rest of you do.

I am currently trying to learn to use rendering software (although I find most of it kind of expensive for my situation) and I am trying to learn how to animate the car washes. Maybe some day I can convince the car wash people that a rendered animation would be something neat for them to share with their customers/potential customers. Any way, "that is my story and I am sticking to it". As I said, I enjoy seeing what you sages come up with and have fun.

dmatho · 27 Jun 2016, 21:45

I came across SketchUp from @Last following an article from AEC, reviewing what I quickly understood as a unique software and approach. That was back in 2000, whence thereafter I applied for and received a beta, prior to the actual release of v1.xxx. I've been teaching and working with computation for design disciplines since 1986 and SketchUp offered throughout the years a clear-clean gush of freshness to the disciplines, like few others.

Best,

Diego

kaas · 28 Jun 2016, 09:25

I think it was 2007 that a co-worker pointed me to SU. Immediately liked the simplicity and easy modeling process and the fact you could give the model to clients as well. Before that I worked at firms where we used 3dsDos - 3dsMax (from 1996-2006). I only miss the uv tools from those days.

Stinkie · 28 Jun 2016, 13:44

I've been using SU since, I think, 2007. I've cursed the app many, many times since then. Still comes in handy, though.

TIG · 28 Jun 2016, 19:08

I became a SketchUp devotee in the early noughties - during SketchUp version 3 or 4.
Before scripting was available !

That was in the @Last days - before Google bought it...

I've been hooked ever since...

otb designworks · 28 Jun 2016, 19:23

Middle of 2005 for me, so I guess that was version 3? I feel like I've been through it all: rumors of Grizzly, Google buying SU, Atlast forum getting shut down (anymore remember Grant Marshall's watercolor technique thread?), Sketchucation to the rescue, etc. etc.

It's been a hell of a ride! Still on it!

jim smith · 28 Jun 2016, 19:50

This post brought back memories from six years ago-- same question. I found my old post and copied it here.

I still use SU, getting better, still inching towards being better and still in awe of some of our superstars. Since '10 I have added 3d animation - Lumen RT5 is a fun program with all the little people running around, cars zipping by and trees swaying in the wind, for exterior renderings. Quick, easy and gives a great client experience. For interior work I like to use Podium, which has improved greatly over the past six years. Haven't take the plunge to create construction docs with Layout yet!

I still use and love SU and hold the Forum guys and gals in exceptionally high regard for their talent and tech help in a pinch.

*Re: How did you get started with SU?

Postby Jim Smith » Fri Mar 05, 2010 7:31 am

I had been trying to find a 3D program for some time in the late 1990s'. I love to draw, but the time it takes just didn't fit with impatient clients. In 2002 at an AIA convention, I stumbled upon the SU booth and couldn't leave. My wife watched me for a while and said "your going to buy that aren't you". Got my 2.0 disk and started using it right away - at the convention. (The "SU people were great by the way.)

It has been a great help for my clients (and me) to quickly see many alternates and come on to a better solution - same story for everyone that uses the program.

I can't locate my very original drawings, but did find a small church from 2002. A small (50) congregation with shoestring budget wanted to add on to their existing building to grow their group. I have attached early studies and some photos of the actual building. Also have attached a few more recent projects. Some improvement over the years, but I feel sort of stuck at a mediocre level and hope to inch closer to our forum greats. Thanks for all your help over the last 8 years.*

Pixero · 29 Jun 2016, 07:08

I went to a ten week course with Autocad and SketchUp in 2002.
Don't remember which version it was but it was a bit buggy I remember. Had to save often.
I remember doing all the new user mistakes like not grouping things so that everything stuck together. I had been using other 3d software before so it took a while to learn how SU worked.
I also remember I made a fairly advanced mansion as one of my first models.

Jean Lemire · 13 Jul 2016, 19:11

Hi folks.

I have been using SketchUp since version 3.0.

I began participating actively in forums dedicated to SketchUp with the @last forum, then SketchUcation, then Google, then Trimble.

I also posted a few times on Abvent forum in French.

Best regards.

boofredlay · 13 Jul 2016, 19:33

I was told about SketchUp by my soon to be boss in a job interview. I downloaded the 8 hour trial that night (version 2) and created a nursing home exterior I had been doing floor plans for. I sent the images to my interviewer and his response was "You're hired". So SketchUp got me a job. I was fairly active on the @last forums and moved here the day Coen started SketchUcation and have been around annoying everyone ever since.

david_h · 13 Jul 2016, 20:55

I can attest to that.

But Eric is one of the Awesome Annoyers!

Dave R · 16 Jul 2016, 19:16

Version 3 for me. I still have the CD it came on. I blame Todd Burch.

@Rich, how did I make you stick with it? Out of sympathy?

baz · 26 Jul 2016, 12:29

Short answer: SU5, (2005?)

Originally trained as a graphic designer in the UK but quickly fell in love with wood and craftsmanship. Was a fair hand with a pencil and always planned out my pieces to the max but was often very frustrated with how they turned out. I knew I needed 3D. Started using some free program, can't remember the name, and it was working, but sooo slow and clunky. Found SU5, (2002?) bought it 3 hours into the trial. Joined the @last forum. Asked all the usual noobie questions, "Help, can't make a face!" Was devastated when it got googled. Quickly joined this forum in 2007. (Thank you Coen and all the others).

I have learned such a lot about form and function and people in my time with SU and the fab folks here.

Alan Fraser · 3 Aug 2016, 22:23

Since we're getting all nostalgic and bleary eyed...
http://web.archive.org/web/20030817021557/http://www.sketchup.com/forum/list.php?f=4

A few recognisable names here.

mitcorb · 4 Aug 2016, 22:07

Well, I took a moment and looked at my member profile. It says I joined in March 2008, back when Coen was looking for a place to stay for one of the Base Camp events and Gaieus (Csaba) was active.
I learned so much from this forum and was truly amazed at how friendly everyone was that I felt compelled to give back by offering whatever information I could to those who asked.
I have been less active here in the last couple of years due to changes in work and so forth, but I still check in from time to time.
Best Regards to all.
Tim

pbacot · 4 Aug 2016, 23:00

It just turned eight years for me as well.

Gareth · 10 Aug 2016, 07:43

Early 2005 for me when it was still @Last......best thing I ever bought.

About a year later I found Kerkythea...and then Twilight Render and Thea Render.

Wish I could remember how I found out about SketchUp...

.....one thing is for sure, I owe someone a beautiful bottle of South Australian wine as a reward (I wonder how many will now claim they told me....!!)

SketchUp was a game changer for me and it gave me the confidence to embrace the 3D world of design entirely which eventually led me to ArchiCad in 2010.....by then it was "bye bye drawing boards" (although every so often I still do a little freehand sketching)

The forums were brilliant back then (and still are of course)

Do we have a thread for the good old freehand perspective drawings ?...now that would very nostalgic...!!

Ben Ritter · 10 Aug 2016, 12:47

@alan fraser said:

Since we're getting all nostalgic and bleary eyed...
http://web.archive.org/web/20030817021557/http://www.sketchup.com/forum/list.php?f=4

A few recognisable names here.

Awesome link Alan. I remember it well.

Started using version 3 after being "stuck" with Autocad and it's cumbersome 3d capabilities. It's been a professional life changer.