Learn how to use tools like the line tool, rectangle tool, and push-pull command in SketchUp to create detailed 3D models. This tutorial guides you through the process of constructing a picnic table, focusing on creating and modifying geometric shapes.
Key Insights
- Creating 3D models in SketchUp involves using tools like the line tool to specify the height for objects like seat support, and the rectangle tool to define the width and breadth of objects.
- Tools like the push-pull command are essential for modifying the geometry of objects, like creating a recess or protrusion on a surface.
- Consistent checking of the measurements box is important in ensuring the right dimensions for the long and short edges of an object. SketchUp accommodates measurements in both feet and inches, and automatically adjusts the object's dimensions accordingly.
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Let's continue building our picnic table. Let's first go to the Line Tool.
As I drag along the side of my leg, you will see a purple square. This represents the edge and it snaps to that edge. If I hover around the center, it'll turn into a purple circle.
This says "midpoint in group." And if I highlight by drawing up to the corner, this is the "endpoint in group, " also shown with a purple circle. I will click the midpoint of the group, click and drag along the red axis all the way to the midpoint in this group, and then click.
I will press Escape to end my line. And now this is the height for our seat support. Next, I'm going to go to the Rectangle Tool and find the midpoint on the line.
It's the bright blue circle that says "midpoint." Let's click this and we'll drag over to the right as we get a blue rectangle. As you will see in the dimensions in the bottom-right-hand corner, the first dimension is the long dimension and the second dimension is the short dimension.
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It is always helpful to check your Measurements box to see the order of the two dimensions. In this case, the long dimension is first, the short dimension is second. I will type in 36,2 and press ENTER.
I made that 36 inches long by 2 inches wide. Now let's go back to the midpoint again and do the same thing on this side—clicking and then dragging along the blue axis, making sure that we have a blue rectangle.
And I will type in, instead of doing 36 inches, 3 feet, as SketchUp will use 3 feet or 36 inches interchangeably, because we are in the feet and inches template. Then comma 2, which is inches. Press ENTER.
All right, now I have two rectangles with a line in the middle. If I go to the Erase Tool, I can erase this line and SketchUp will automatically auto-heal the two rectangles into one surface. Now let's go to the Push/Pull Tool and click the rectangle.
Dragging that mass down, we will type in 6 for 6 inches. Press ENTER. Next, let's go to our Line Tool again and find the corner over here, zoom in on the edge of this corner, and orbit around so we get a nice centered view.
Let's find the midpoint, the blue circle. I want to click this and create a line that's 45 degrees off of this. If I were to drag that, it's hard to find that angle.
However, if I hover over this, it'll automatically snap to that point. SketchUp knows that I want to go three inches down and three inches over, so it'll give me this standard guide to snap to. So I'll click this and draw that line. Let's go to the other edge.
Now let's orbit and pan using our middle mouse wheel and Shift—a combination of those two. Let's do the same thing. Zoom in here, click the center, find the center, and find that magenta line by hovering over this edge and click.
Now we will use the Push/Pull Tool to remove this geometry. So get the Push/Pull Tool and hover over this area, click, and then click again to delete. We'll do the same thing on the other side. Orbit, pan, zoom with the scroll wheel, click, snap, delete.
I will then use Zoom Extents. I will click my cursor, use the Select Tool, and triple-click. I want to make this a group.
To make a group, right-click and choose Make Group. I will now hit the Save button to save my file or click CTRL+S. All right, now we are going to create the top of our table. So let's go to the Line Tool, click this endpoint in group, and draw a line along the red axis to the end of this.
I will press Escape to end this line. I will orbit and pan to center the view. We're going to do the same process using the Rectangle Tool.
Select the Rectangle Tool, find the midpoint of the line, and drag to the right. This time we will type in 20,2. That was the correct format.
Okay, we'll go to the Rectangle Tool and click on the midpoint of this line. Using the blue rectangle, we will input dimensions to make it 20 inches long by 2 inches wide. We will type in 20,2. Then we’ll do the same thing on this side—drag until it's blue and input slightly different dimensions.
I'll do 1'8", 2. See, it does the exact same thing. Whether you type 1 foot 8 inches or 20 inches, SketchUp is smart enough to understand what you mean.
To delete that center line, I can go to my Select Tool, click the line, and either right-click and choose Erase or press the Delete key on my keyboard. Both the Delete key and the Erase Tool can be used interchangeably in SketchUp.
Now let's go to the Push/Pull Tool and select our rectangle. Click that and then move down. Type in 6 and press ENTER. Again, let's remove and trim those corners. We'll do the same thing.
Go to the Line Tool, find the midpoint, and then along this edge, find that magenta line and click. Then we’ll go back to Push/Pull and use it to remove that triangle. Now we'll orbit and pan to the other side. Line Tool, midpoint, along the magenta line—click to create that line. Then we will Push/Pull this to delete that corner.
I'll go back to my Select Tool, triple-click, right-click, and choose Make Group. All right, there we have one side support for our picnic table. I will use Zoom Extents and save the file.
All right, see you in the next video.
