sketchucation logo sketchucation
    • Login
    Oops, your profile's looking a bit empty! To help us tailor your experience, please fill in key details like your SketchUp version, skill level, operating system, and more. Update and save your info on your profile page today!
    πŸ«› Lightbeans Update | Metallic and Roughness auto-applied in SketchUp 2025+ Download

    Sketchup blender transition

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Corner Bar
    13 Posts 8 Posters 3.0k Views 8 Watching
    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.
    • soloS Offline
      solo
      last edited by

      Blender is powerful it can pretty much do everything.

      It requires a commitment to master, I have tried and failed twice, I blame my lack of need and laziness for not succeeding. I am sorry I gave up in the past as it would have been an incredible tool to have.

      The problem in my case is I need to keep using a tool to remember it, I started learning Blender until a large project came and it was 3 months until I had the chance to go back and continue and realized I'd forgotten pretty much everything I had previously learned.

      Rich O'Brien has aced it, maybe he will jump in with some wise words.

      http://www.solos-art.com

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

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • HornOxxH Offline
        HornOxx
        last edited by

        Hi - Chipp Walters has recently launched the thread "SketchUp to Blender observations" here which could get an interesting series in this context
        http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=69108#p631099

        @ Solo - It was the same for me so far πŸ˜„ πŸ˜‰

        never trust a skinny cook

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • JQLJ Offline
          JQL
          last edited by

          If you get past the odd selection methods, working without SU very clever inference system, the multiple workspaces and a painful UI spread all over the place, you'll be able to acjive greatness. It has everything SU lacks, SU has everything Blender lacks. Opposites

          www.casca.pt
          Visit us on facebook!

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • L Offline
            liam887
            last edited by

            I had several goes over a few years but no luck. However once I started learning VR and Unreal engine and noticing all the things I could not do in SU and badly needed I gave it another go.

            I used Lynda Training to do the 8 hour Blender Essential Training : https://www.lynda.com/Blender-tutorials/Blender-Essential-Training/87088-2.html

            I then advanced to other tutorials and examples. I think it took around two months to get to grips with it.

            VISIT MY ONLINE GALLERY
            http://www.robotsvdinosaurs.com/

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • pilouP Offline
              pilou
              last edited by

              @unknownuser said:

              ..3 months...I had the chance to go back and continue and realized I'd forgotten pretty much everything I had previously learned.

              Only one day of not using it is sufficient for all forgot ! πŸ˜„

              Frenchy Pilou
              Is beautiful that please without concept!
              My Little site :)

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • Mike AmosM Offline
                Mike Amos
                last edited by

                A tough nut to crack but mostly due to the busy and confusing UI that just screams "give up hope all ye who enter here". The UI is where Sketchup has a big advantage, Blender with a Sketchup UI and more people might stand a chance. I see some fantastic aircraft for example and multiple render engines available too.

                Absentia mortis praesentiam vitae probat, vita autem est argumentum constantiae.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • L Offline
                  L i am
                  last edited by

                  Sincerely thanks guys πŸ‘ πŸ‘ I did a short course in Blender (Modelling) 12 years back (knowledge now lapsed) and understand the UI is 🀒
                  Mike is there any talk of anyone developing a plugin for Blender with a Sketchup UI? That would rock!!

                  ATM (subject to change) am thinking of keeping with SU modelling and exporting to Cycles. Am thinking if I can get my head around cycles, then I can look again at modelling in Blender at a later stage, reducing the parallel learning of blender modelling and rendering and required associated learning curve. Has anyone had experience in skethup to Cycles render or have an opinion on this approach?

                  Is there a plugin for Skp to Obj as I am using make.

                  Sorry for all the questions πŸ˜•

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • Mike AmosM Offline
                    Mike Amos
                    last edited by

                    I have seen lots of contradictory suggestions of UI changes but nothing solid, anyone else?

                    Absentia mortis praesentiam vitae probat, vita autem est argumentum constantiae.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • L Offline
                      liam887
                      last edited by

                      @mike amos said:

                      I have seen lots of contradictory suggestions of UI changes but nothing solid, anyone else?

                      No nothing I have heard and I don't expect anything really. Most people start with 3D software such as Blender or Max so although the UI is much more complicated than Sketchup it's just normal for them. I have lots of friends who started on Blender and they don't see it as complicated. The UI has changed slightly over the years, the biggest aspect is the UI navigation, once you have got round that and selecting and editing meshes then it's not too difficult.

                      The problem is Blender is infinitely more powerful than SKetchup, not only is it a hard surface modeler but it can handle organic modelling, sculpting, nodes, real time physics, animation, rigging and of course rendering. Even after years there are still buttons and menus that I have not even used!

                      The best thing rather than 'learn' Blender is identify your need's and if you plan to still use Sketchup, how Blender will become part of your workflow. Then it's just a case of learning specific sections.

                      If you after rendering them that will be at its most basic UI/Interface > Nodes > Cycles.

                      The only way I got my head around it was I had a project on that Sketchup could not handle (for a car manufacturer who supplied some incredibly large and detailed models) so I was forced to use Blender. I think if you complete the eight hour Bender Essential training a few times you should have wrapped your head around it. I would highly recommend the Lynda course I posted a while back, you can sign up for a month free trial so you don't have to pay, just make sure you have some time to spend in that month so you can make the most of it.

                      VISIT MY ONLINE GALLERY
                      http://www.robotsvdinosaurs.com/

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • pilouP Offline
                        pilou
                        last edited by

                        You have a free Blender for Kitchen without see not more see Blender! πŸ˜‰

                        Fluid Designer
                        (was in 2015 so now rendering is very more speed! πŸ˜‰

                        Frenchy Pilou
                        Is beautiful that please without concept!
                        My Little site :)

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • G Offline
                          Glenn at home
                          last edited by

                          Trying to learn Blender myself. 1st thing I do is switch selection from Right-click to Left-click. πŸ˜‰ I watched a good video last week on making a chest that was not bad at all.

                          SketchUp Pro 2025/2026 Dell XPS 8950 i9-12900K 64GB Ram RTX 3080

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • 1 / 1
                          • First post
                            Last post
                          Buy SketchPlus
                          Buy SUbD
                          Buy WrapR
                          Buy eBook
                          Buy Modelur
                          Buy Vertex Tools
                          Buy SketchCuisine
                          Buy FormFonts

                          Advertisement