Trying out the 3D icons with SketchUp idea. Here's a shot from the first 3 on a carousel on my site's main page.

Ah, thank you both.

Setting the guidelines and pasting from the library did it in about 3 seconds.

Is there a plugin or some command I've missed to allow clicking a point on one object, then clicking the destination and then run a 'move to' action? I built a decorative leaf to the side of a building, made it a component, and for some reason couldn't get it lined up to snap it to the front of a building for about an hour. I kept dragging it from x,y,z, tried to constrain with the SHIFT key, pushed it through the building - you get the idea.

That's a great idea Alan - it never even occured to me to do it that way. Thanks!

Will be trying both methods in a little while.

Thank you! I have Grow and previously used it to make leaves as in your 'palm tree' example. I didn't think to use it here.

Quit work a little early today so I could play with SketchUp before my ride got here (yes I am an addict).

I decided to build a 'simple' radio tower. Well, not so simple. I tried several ways. First with 3 upright legs angled to meet at the top, tilted them and draw the cross pieces. Then I tried doing two cross sections - like those cardboard cut outs, intersected them at the center and add the details. I tried a build each part and snap together approach and finally (in the image) I drew the horizontal support 'triangles' and stacked them, then tried to add the legs.

Since my ride just beeped I'd keep it short.... if I am not looking for architectural exactness, so not going to want to build beam by beam, what would be your process or workflow?

Trying to find a 'balanced approach' that will give good results without assembling each screw and bolt. Hope this is not too vague a question (I know what I mean in my head).

Next effort is to make a 3D store icon for my site. Still squarish stuff but getting practice anyway. I want to add some products, signs and other stuff yet.

Beautiful work.

I think those are called anti-fatigue mats but not sure. It could be recycled tire material as those are durable and no slip. I did a quick Google and this mat seems like a possible candidate but didn't spot a big image.

http://www2.blackwoods.com.au/infoBANKProduct.aspx?SG=2000165&S=4084709&G=7522034&P=7800030

Here's today's effort.

I'm thinking I will render some 3D icons for a small carousel I have on my main page. This will be the 'job page' icon if it works out.

Looks like a simple box but fiddling with this took me about 4 hours.

Thanks Chris. will give it a try when I get home tonight.

EDIT: tried this during my lunch break and works. Scaled the bricks, then hiit reset scale and that left the spacing. Thanks.

Ah, thanks for that. I didn't quite get the purpose of the intersect operation before. Will get back to work as soon as I get home tonight. Spent last night watching sketchupbasecamp videos - fairly certain I am addicted now.

Wow, this is truly amazing work and a very interesting building.

Wow, that is amazing work.

This looks good (I wouldn't be able to even dream of doing this yet). In looking at some images on the net - like these

http://aconnectiontomyheart.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/through_the_window_in_the_rain.jpg
http://www.tase.ro/media/1/2005-01/rainy_night_bloc.jpg

it seems like each raindrop on the glass might need to gather more light. It also seems like with the sky so bright the light reflected on the wet ground is too bright?

Still a beautiful subject for rendering.

Looks good - and I know what you mean about being addicted. I found myself using SketchUp a couple times instead of taking my lunch break at work. I guess/hope that this addiction is one of the 'keys' of success.

Poked at this a little more. Think this is as far as I'll go with this one. I want to start over with a bit more of a plan and see what I can do.

Two more I started working on. Just jumping around trying to get familiar with everything. Unfortunately my pc is at its limit. I tried to render some 3 sided wires on the robot legs using Lines 2 Tubes,but the computer keeps crashing - can almost hear it chugging when it is trying to render them.

I am wondering if there are any studios using SketchUp in my area? I'd like to get up to speed with SketchUp as soon as possible and can't afford any paid classes. I have good Photoshop skills -and a mixed bag of other skills. I'd like to see if I could trade on those skills and put in a few hours a week at a studio where at least some of the work would involve SketchUp -so I get a chance to learn and you get the beneft of an extra pair of hands. I work full time so if we are in the same area I could do some work in the evenings otherwise it might only be on the weekends.

You can view my LinkedIn profile here http://www.linkedin.com/in/burtabreu

Alternately if anyone offers paid classes in my area and would like to trade for a written review of those classes and/or some advertising on my site I'll consider that as well.

I know there are free videos available but I do better - or at least progress faster - with some sort of structured classes and the ability to ask questions.

I know this may be out there but I'm eager to learn and open to suggestions and reasonable offers.

Looks great.