Hi I have pro which i am new to and want to know if it is possible and if so how to make a 3d drawing into a tradition architectural drawing ie front, end plan elevtion drawing.
Can it also show all the dimensions without having to add manually?
Also can it give a cut list
if so how would i go about achieving that?
Many thx
Rich
The short answer to your questions is yes. The long answer requires a book. I’d suggest buying a copy of Nick Sonder’s Book, “SketchUp and LayOut for Architecture.” You can get it on Amazon.com. Here’s a link:
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Many thx would you happen to know if there were video tutorials Im or any links to online connections to these ?
thx again
I don’t know of any video tutorials or links, but I’m not an architect. A Google search should lead you to what you need.
Google search sent me to this chat room but been told to buy a $72 book seems to undermine the whole concept… this is the first chat room Ive ever been on and now I can see why Ive never bothered in the past. Back to the drawing board I guess.
regards
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This is a forum, not a chat room.
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Have a little patience. It takes some time for members to notice a new thread, read it and respond. Members are located around the world and are online at different times.
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This forum is divided into categories, one of which is
"Tutorials", and in that category is:
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Other Online resources …
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Maybe you should ask your Fairy Godmother to magically bestow on you all the skills you need. It takes a long time to develop the kind of skills your talking about. And the people on this forum generously devote their time to helping people who understand that.
RESPECT
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FWIW, the book I suggested was written by a well-known architect who has been using SketchUp for his entire workflow for several years. He’s outspoken and very articulate about the benefits of SketchUp in his trade. If you really want to learn how to use SketchUp to make architectural drawings, I don’t believe there’s a better teacher than Nick Sonder. I don’t know why his book costs $72. But I’m sure it’s worth every penny.
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Ive found it in a library and will try and work it out. With thx
I have Nick Sonder’s book on my Amazon Wishlist. I got started using Michael Brightman’s Sketchup Workflow for Architecture and found it excellent. My setup for templates, scenes, layers, etc, all follow his advice.
But the simple answer to the original question is yes and for a simple model it is easy enough. To demonstrate it, start by creating the four walls of a house. Draw a rectangle, use Offset for the wall thickness, then Push/Pull to give the “walls” height. Now you have a basic 3D model which you will probably be viewing in Perspective camera view. There are preset views for top, sides, etc, which you can just click on. If you want them to show in traditional architectural 2D form, you need to switch to Parallel camera view. Et voila. Job done. Now just add detail.
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To elaborate a bit, after switching your view to Parallel Projection:
- you get a traditional Plan view when you place a horizontal section plane through your model at a level that cuts all doors and windows and select the Top view.
- you get an elevation view when you select one of the Front, Left, Right or Back views
- you get a section view when you place a vertical section cut and align your view to it.
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That’s what Layout is for. It will require some study and a book might help as well as YouTube.
shame we do not have a dislike icon
thx Dan, wow I did not know those topics were covered there 
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We all learn in different ways.
Some people just learn by doing…they pick things up fast.
Some people learn well by reading…step-by-step.
Some people need demonstrations.
Some people need to be able to ask all the questions that arise (which a book or video cannot answer)
Or combinations of above.
I tend to read a book or watch videos and make notes for myself in a dedicated notebook. My notes are written, with drawings when appropriate, to make sense for my brain and to be useful to me later.
You really shouldn’t balk at purchasing a resource for $72. I don’t know what your billable time is worth but even if it is at the low end of the scale, at $25/hr…that’s three hours of time. And it seems like a resource like that will save you MANY more hours than that.
Another idea is to hire a tutor. Probably in every city you can find someone with advanced skills and able to teach. In this way you get custom teaching and the ability to ask questions about things which are not making sense. Use the tutor as much or as little as you need.
Sketchup is a very intuitive software but it does take time to become efficient.
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I live in Sweden, I checked Amazon.de and well…I wouldn’t balk at 73usd.
https://www.amazon.de/Sketchup-Layout-Architecture-Workflow-2016-06-06/dp/B01MQH0Y23/ref=sr_1_15?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1544128448&sr=1-15&keywords=sketchup
Absolutely and this is both its USP and its Achilles heel. You can achieve simple things very quickly and that can lure you into believing that everything should be possible just a mouse click away. But getting really proficient takes time and even long term users would probably admit that are still learning. Well, I do anyway!
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It sounds as if clark3283 was expecting a very simple answer. Having Pro doesn’t mean you can use it proficiently. As Dan points out there is tons of informed information available here from enthusiasts who have helped me personally on many occasions. A starting point might be to read what is out there and I am sure Google offers many sources of info on where to learn about SketchUp. I have bought a number of books including SketchUp and Layout for Architecture which I found way above a beginner’s level. Start with the basics and build up slowly. I have been learning for about 2 years now and only now think I have grasped a good overall understanding of what this programme can do. Much of what is discussed here is still way above me. Perhaps clark3283 is expects instant brilliant results without putting in the time. 'Aint going to happen
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Hi, just my 2 cents. I have been using Sketchup Pro the last 2 weeks for the first time.
I managed to design a new bathroom and added lights to get a decent render.
Afterwards I exported the different views to LayOut so I could add the dimensions and get decent architectural plans. So without books and without training for years, it is possible to get great results. I didn’t need books of 75usd to get a basic architectural. It took me max 1 hour to understand LayOut.
Just save the scene of a eg topview with parrarel projection. save it and then send it to LayOut. Choose the dimensions of your paper eg A4. and add the dimensions and labels. Easy!
To show you the result:
!
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