Google Sketchup 6: Creating and Manipulating Objects in 3D

In the previous article, we covered how to build a basic structure in Sketchup. If you want to, you can go back and review the first Sketchup lesson.

In this article, we are going to learn to use more tools to get a better understanding of this great program. Here is the basic structure that we built in the last article (see 1).

Now let's start adding components. Go to the Windows menu and select Components (2). A window will open up. On the drop down menu, select Components. Below the drop down bar, you will now see many options. Let's start with putting a door in the hole space we cut in the wall in the previous lesson. Select Architecture and then look for a folder titled Door. You will have several options for doors here. Click on the door you want and simply drag it onto the canvas to the wall NEXT TO the hole where you want the door installed, so the door will stand upright. (If you try to put the door in the hole first it will 'fall'. Putting the door on the wall lets the computer know that you want it upright.)

The door will probably not be the right size for hole that you want to fill (3) so with the door still selected, go to the Tools menu and select Scale.

The door will now have lots of green boxes showing around the edges(4). Grab one of the edges and you will be able to enlarge the door and make it the same size as the hole. (Moving a corner will keep the proportions the same. Grabbing the side or top green box will stretch the door.) You can now move the door until it fills the hole you made using the Move/Copy tool, as explained in the first Sketchup article(5).

Now go ahead and drag another door into the hole you made for the bathroom and using the same technique, enlarge it and put it in place. Doors are just one of many types of objects you can add to the room.

Now that we have the basic layout of our dorm room, we can start adding furniture. Go back to the Windows menu and select Components again. In the drop down bar select Architecture. Below you will see several options. Click on Furniture. Let's add a desk, so find a good desk in the Desks folder and drag it into your room.

Now that your desk in the room, we need to orient it so that it will be flat against the wall. Select the Move/Copy tool and move your cursor over the desk. You will notice that a 4 red + sings appear at each of the 4 sides of the desk. As you put your cursor over any of the + sings, you will see that a type of rules will appear over the desk (5).

While holding the mouse button down, move the mouse around. Notice how the object changes orientation. This is how to adjust an object in 3D space. Orient the desk until it aligns with one of the walls. Remember that while your mouse is over the + sings, you can change the orientation of the object, and while the mouse is over some other area, you can move the object within the room.

Using the same Scale tool that we used to enlarge the door, adjust the desk size until it is proportional with the rest of the dorm room.

Now that you know how to add and manipulate a piece of furniture in our room, let's add more furniture and make our room ready for occupants. Go ahead and add some beds, a cabinet, and a toilet and sink in the bathroom. As you do so, remember that you not only have the objects in the Components windows, but if you choose, you can add more objects through the 3D warehouse and by adding more objects in the bonus pack. We will cover how to do this in the next section.

.