This guide teaches you how to Create a 3D Model Using Design Software. Digital 3D modeling (also known as CGI for computer graphics illustration or CAD for computer-aided design) is widely used in fields such as art, film, animation, video game design, architecture, engineering, and product design. Many different software programs and applications are available for creating 3D models for various purposes. In this tutorial, we will use SketchUp, a free and beginner-friendly software, to help you get started. (Source: 56tvmao)
Part1:Starting a New SketchUp File
1. Visit SketchUp Website and Sign In
Go to https://app.sketchup.com in your web browser. This is the official website for the SketchUp web application. You can sign in to SketchUp using your Google account. After signing in, a new 3D model file will open, featuring a drawing of a man wearing a red shirt.
If You’re Not Automatically Signed In:
- Click on the Google account you wish to use and enter your password.
- If the listed accounts are not the one you want, click “Use another account” to enter the email and password associated with that account.
- You can also create a new account by entering your email address in the email bar and clicking “Next.” Follow the on-screen instructions and agree to the terms of service and privacy policy.
Tour the Interface (Optional)
The first time you sign in, SketchUp gives you the option to view a tour.
- To take the tour: Click “Take Tour.” It will walk you through the buttons on the left, right, top, and bottom toolbars.
- To skip the tour: Click “Start Modeling” to begin creating your 3D model right away.
Try SketchUp Pro Free Trial
You can try a free trial of SketchUp Pro, which gives you access to the desktop version of SketchUp with additional features.
2. Click the White Arrow Icon
Click the white arrow icon located in the toolbar at the top-left. This is the Select tool, which you can use to select objects in the 3D workspace.
3. Select the Drawing of a Man
Click and drag a square over the drawing of the man. Once the object is selected, a blue square will appear around it, and all the lines of the object will turn blue.
4. Delete the Drawing
Press Delete to erase the man from the screen, leaving you with a blank 3D canvas.
Alternatively, you can click the Eraser icon in the toolbar on the left and drag it over the man to remove him.
Part2Navigating the 3D Work Space
1. Open Navigation Tools
Click the two arrows around a pole located at the bottom of the toolbar on the left side of the SketchUp app. When you click this icon, 5 new icons will appear. These are the navigation tools you can use to change your view in the 3D workspace.
2. Use the Zoom Tool
Click the magnifying glass icon, which is the third option when you click the navigation icon in the toolbar on the left. This is the Zoom tool, which you can use to zoom in and out of the workspace.
3. Zoom In and Out
With the Zoom tool selected, click and drag up or down in the 3D workspace. Dragging up will zoom in, while dragging down will zoom out.
Alternatively, you can zoom in and out by rolling your mouse wheel up and down.
4. Use the Rotation Tool
Click the icon with two arrows around a vertical line, which is the first tool that appears in the navigation tools in the toolbar on the left. This is the Rotation tool, which allows you to rotate the view in the 3D workspace.
5. Rotate the View
With the Rotation tool selected, click and drag left or right to rotate your view in the 3D workspace.
Alternatively, you can rotate by pressing the mouse wheel down and dragging left or right.
6. Use the Pan Tool
Click the icon with a hand, which is the second tool that appears in the navigation tools when you click the icon at the bottom of the toolbar on the left. This is the Pan tool, which allows you to move the view horizontally and vertically in the 3D workspace.
7. Pan the View
With the Pan tool selected, click and drag in the direction you want to pan to shift your view left, right, up, or down in the 3D workspace.
Alternatively, you can pan by pressing both the mouse wheel and the Shift key simultaneously while dragging in the desired direction.
Part3Creating 2D Shapes
1. Open the Views Menu
Click the icon that looks like a director’s clapboard. This is the “Views” button, located in the toolbar on the right side. Clicking it will display a sidebar menu to the right.
2. Select Parallel Projection
Click the “Parallel Projection” cube, which is the second cube on the left side of the sidebar on the right. This will display view options using a parallel projection (Orthographic view).
- Perspective View: This view displays 3D objects as you would see them in real life. Objects appear smaller the farther they are, and parallel lines converge at a point in the distance. Use this view when creating 3D objects.
- Parallel Projection/Orthographic View: This view displays objects without perspective. Objects appear flat and remain the same size regardless of distance. Use this view when creating 2D objects or focusing on a specific side of a 3D object.
3. Choose the Appropriate View
Click the desired view from the 9 options under “Parallel Projection” in the Views menu. Select the view that best suits the object you are creating.
- For example, if you’re designing a house or building, select “Top View” to draw the foundation.
- If you’re creating a door or window, select the view that faces the side of the door or window.
4. Select the Shape Tool
Click the Shape tool, which looks like a rectangle, circle, or polygon. It is the sixth option in the toolbar on the left. When you click the Shapes button, a variety of shapes will appear around the icon.
5. Choose a Shape
Click on one of the five available shapes: a rectangle, rotated rectangle, circle, polygon, or 3D text.
6. Draw the Shape in the Workspace
Click and drag in the 3D workspace to create a flat, 2D shape.
- Rectangles can be any size you want.
- Circles and polygons will always create a perfectly proportional shape.
If you want to create 3D text, click the 3D text icon, type your message, and click OK. Then, click where you want the 3D text to appear in the workspace.
7. Select the Line Tool
Click the Line tool, which is the fourth option in the sidebar on the left. The icon looks like a pencil or squiggly line. This tool allows you to create your own 2D shapes. Clicking the line tool will display two options.
8. Choose Between the Line or Freehand Tool
Click the Pencil (line tool) or the squiggly line (freehand tool) icon.
- The Pencil tool allows you to draw straight-line segments.
- The Squiggly line tool (freehand tool) lets you draw freehand lines.
9. Draw a Line
Click and drag to draw a line.
- The Line tool draws straight lines.
- The Freehand tool allows you to draw lines that follow your hand movements.
You can also use the Line tool to divide shapes. For example, drawing a line down the center of a rectangle will divide it into two smaller rectangles, allowing you to add details to your shapes.
10. Add Another Line to Your Shape
To add another line to your shape, click one of the ends of the line you just drew and drag the mouse to add another line segment. You can do this with either the Line tool or the Freehand tool. Repeat this process for as many line segments as you want to add to your shape.
11. Complete Your Shape
To finish your shape, draw a line from one of the line segments back to the starting point of your shape. When the shape is completely enclosed (with no gaps in the line segments), the inside of the shape will turn blue, indicating that you’ve created a 2D shape.
You can add details to shapes by drawing smaller shapes on them.
To cut out the inside of a shape, draw a smaller shape inside the larger one. Use the Select tool to select the inner shape, then press the Delete key to remove it.
Part4Turning 2D Shapes into 3D Objects
1. Open the Views Menu
Click the director’s clapboard icon, which is the “Views” button located in the toolbar on the right side. This will display a sidebar menu to the right.
2. Select the Perspective View
Click the “Perspective” cube, which is the first cube at the top. This will display view options that use a perspective view.
3. Choose an Appropriate View
Select an appropriate view to see your 2D object in 3 dimensions. The red, green, and blue axis lines should be visible.
If you need to adjust the view further, press the mouse wheel down and drag to reposition your view.
4. Open the Manipulate Tools
Click the icon that looks like a square with an arrow pointing up, located as the seventh icon down in the toolbar on the left. This will display three icons that can be used to manipulate objects.
5. Select the Push/Pull Tool
Click the square with an arrow pointing up. This is the “Push/Pull” tool, which is the first option under the icon that allows you to manipulate objects.
6. Use the Push/Pull Tool to Extrude
Click your 2D object and drag up. This will extrude the flat face of your 2D object, transforming it into a 3D object. You can use this technique to create basic 3D shapes. For example, create a pole by drawing a circle and then using the Push/Pull tool to extrude the face of the circle upwards.
You can also apply Push/Pull to any side of a 3D object. Click on the side of the object and use the Push/Pull tool to either extrude the surface outward or push it inward, allowing you to turn simple 3D shapes into more complex ones.
Part5Moving, Rotating, and Scaling Objects
1. Select the Select Tool
Click the icon that looks like a white arrow. This is the Select tool, and it is the first tool in the toolbar on the left.
2. Select the Object to Move or Scale
Drag a box around the object you want to move or scale. Selected objects will have a blue dot pattern on their face, and the lines will be highlighted in blue.
3. Select the Move Tool
Click the icon that has 4 arrows in a cross shape. It is the ninth option in the toolbar on the left. This will display three Move options.
4. Use the Move Tool
Click the icon that has 4 arrows in a cross shape. It is the first option that appears when you click the Move icon. This is the Move tool, which allows you to change the position of an object.
5. Move the Object
Click the object and drag it to change its position in the 3D workspace using the Move tool.
You can also manipulate an object’s shape by moving individual faces or lines of a 3D object.
6. Select the Rotate Tool
Click the icon with two circular arrows. It is the second option under the Move options in the toolbar on the left. This is the Rotate tool.
7. Rotate the Object
Click and drag an object to rotate it in the 3D workspace.
You can also manipulate an object’s shape by selecting an individual face of a 3D object and rotating that face.
8. Select the Scale Tool
Click the icon that looks like a rectangle inside another rectangle with an arrow. It is the third option in the Move tools in the toolbar on the left. This is the Scale tool, which you can use to make objects bigger or smaller.
9. Scale the Object
Click and drag an object with the Scale tool selected to make the object bigger or smaller.
- Drag away from the object to make it bigger.
- Drag towards the object to make it smaller.
You can also manipulate an object’s shape by scaling an individual face. For example, to create a cup or bucket, start with a small cylinder, click the top face, and scale it so it’s slightly larger than the base. Then, press the Delete button to remove the top face.
Part6Applying Textures and Colors to an Object
1. Open the Materials Tab
Click the icon that looks like a cube with a square pattern on one side, located in the toolbar to the right. This is the Materials tab. Clicking this icon will display a sidebar menu to the right for applying textures and colors to objects.
2. Open the Material Browser
Click the tab with a magnifying glass. It is the second tab in the sidebar menu to the right. This is the material browser.
3. Choose a Material Category
Click a material category. There are various material categories such as colors, patterns, brick and siding, concrete and asphalt, metal, glass and mirror, landscape, tile, stone, wood, and more.
4. Select a Material
Click a material. Materials are listed with small thumbnail images in the sidebar panel. Click the thumbnail image of the material you want to apply.
The free version of SketchUp offers a limited number of materials, while the paid version provides more options.
5. Apply the Material to Faces
Click the faces you want to apply the textures to. This will apply the texture to the individual face. You can apply different textures to different sides of a 3D object or use the Select tool to select the entire object and apply a material to the whole object.
Part7Saving a Model
1. Save Your File
Click Save in the upper-left corner of the screen. The first time you save your file, a pop-up will appear allowing you to name your file and choose where to save it.
2. Open SketchUp Projects
Click SketchUp. It’s the box on the “Projects” page, which opens your SketchUp projects.
3. Create a New Folder (Optional)
Click Add Folder (optional). If you want to organize your files, you can create a new folder. To do this, click New Folder at the top of the pop-up. This will create a new folder in the list of files.
4. Name Your Folder
If you’re creating a new folder, type a name for it next to the folder in the list of files.
5. Select the Folder to Save Your File
Click the folder you want to save the file to. If you have multiple folders, select the one where you want to save your project.
6. Name Your Model
Type a name for your model in the “Name” field at the bottom of the screen.
7. Save the File
Click Save Here. This will save the file to the folder you selected. It may take a minute or two for the file to save.
