Summary

This chapter introduced you to the 3-D world. Google SketchUp allows you to draw fairly sophisticated three-dimensional objects, buildings, and other entities. You saw how SketchUp defines three-dimensional space, and how to draw and specify measurements in that space.

The basis for modeling in SketchUp is a line and the inference engine, the feature in SketchUp that tracks the movement of your line and associates it with points, axes, and other objects in the area, helping you to draw more accurately and much more quickly than working on your own.

Once a shape is constructed, its geometry can be manipulated in many ways by using a variety of manipulation tools. For example, additional lines can be added to the face of an object and then extruded using the Push/Pull tool to form a complex structure. The geometry in SketchUp is said to be sticky, allowing the points, edges, and faces of an object to move along with anything that is being manipulated. Once perfected, objects can be combined into groups or stored as components for future use.

The Camera view in SketchUp can be adjusted in a number of ways, using standard views or working with tools that manipulate the view manually. Moving a camera around your model shows its structure, and points out the fact that a model would look much more realistic with some texture and shadow. Fortunately, all you have to do is turn the page. Up next, another chapter on SketchUp.