Drawing Objects


Take the time to understand how the coordinate system works in SketchUp. An internal program feature called the inference engine uses the program’s coordinates to help you draw accurately by identifying probable points you will add to the object. Nearly all objects can be created in SketchUp using the Line tool and the program’s inference engine.

Drawing in three dimensions

A drawing in SketchUp starts out as a 2-D object built by drawing and joining lines. SketchUp assists you to make the lines that create the 3-D object.

Follow these steps to draw a simple cube:

  1. Click Home on the upper left of the drawing area to orient the screen showing the origin of the three axes in the center.

    The Home tab defines a page view for the model, and is a default page. Additional pages can be added to the model to produce a TourGuide slide show

    Cross-Ref 

    Read about creating a slide show in Chapter 33.

  2. Click the Line tool on the Getting Started toolbar. Click and drag along one axis as shown in Figure 32.10. Release the mouse to finish the line segment.

    image from book
    Figure 32.10: Draw the first edge along an existing axis line (left), continue adding edges using lines parallel to the axis lines (center), and complete the shape to create an object with a closed edge and one face (right).

  3. Move the tool upward, perpendicular to the Y axis green line and click and drag to add the second edge. Drag left parallel to the X axis red line to add the third edge, shown in the center image in Figure 32.10.

  4. Draw the fourth edge along the Y axis green line to complete the shape at the start point. Double-click the mouse to complete the shape. The closed shape is automatically filled, indicating it has a face, shown in the right image in Figure 32.10.

  5. Draw up or down in the direction of the Z axis blue line to start drawing in 3-D space. Click to place the endpoint and finish the line, shown in the left image in Figure 32.11.

    image from book
    Figure 32.11: Draw the first edge along an existing axis line (left), and continue adding edges using lines parallel to the axis lines (center)

  6. Draw the next point, watching for the prompts as you move the Line tool. Drag to close the side, and add the second face, such as the example shown at the right in Figure 32.11.

  7. Choose View image from book X-ray to make the faces added to the drawing semitransparent, as shown in Figure 32.12. You can also rotate the image or start drawing from the back toward the front.

    image from book
    Figure 32.12: Using the X-ray view lets you see into and behind the cube to finish constructing it accurately.

  8. Continue adding lines and closing faces of the object. The final 3-D cube is shown in Figure 32.12.

Specifying precise measurements

You don’t have to guess or estimate the size of an element as you draw. Instead, use the value control box (VCB) at the bottom right of the program window on the status bar. The VCB displays dimensional information as you draw.

There are different ways to use the VCB depending on your preferred way to work. Follow these steps to use precise values for drawing:

  1. Click the Drawing or Modification tool you want to use from the toolbars or menus. When the tool is selected, the VCB displays a cursor for typing.

  2. Choose a method for drawing and assigning the value:

    • Use the Drawing or Modification tool and then type the value in the VCB.

    • Type the value in the VCB, such as 10” shown in Figure 32.13, and then drag the Drawing or Modification tool on the drawing.

      image from book
      Figure 32.13: Type precise measurements for an object as you add it to your model.

  1. Press Enter/Return to commit the value to the drawing.

  2. Repeat typing the value and committing it to the drawing as necessary.

After you finish with the tool and select another tool in SketchUp, you can’t return to the VCB to redefine the object’s measurement. Whether the program is using the measurements you specify or not, the program converts the value to its default system. For example, typing a value in centimeters is changed to feet and inches automatically if you use the default program system.

Note 

The default unit of measure for your models is the Architectural format. To change to a different format, such as Decimal or Engineering, choose Window image from book Model Info, and click the Units heading to display the settings. Choose the format, precision, and characteristics for angles in the dialog box.

Drawing automatically

Instead of drawing lines and connecting points yourself, let the SketchUp inference engine feature assist you in drawing accurately. As you draw lines, the inference engine infers points from other points in your model. For example, if you draw a cube, the program reads where your cursor is currently located, determines what points are in the area, and shows you the options as you draw.

You see the points that are identified as different color indicators and pop-up tooltips. Carefully watch for the changes in the color of lines and points on the model and read the tooltips to build your model. Figure 32.14 shows several examples of how the inference engine suggests drawing cues.

image from book
Figure 32.14: Watch carefully as you draw to see how SketchUp offers suggestions for where your next line can be located or placed.



Google Power Tools Bible
Google Power Tools Bible
ISBN: 0470097124
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 353

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net