Everyone knows @bonnieroskes right? If not, she’s (among other things) an awesome SketchUp teacher. More on her later.
So I was helping a friend learn SketchUp over the weekend. He’s a carpenter, and wants to get more into design as well as building.
He spent the last few weeks trying to learn on his own, watching Youtube videos and practicing in SketchUp. Frustrated at his lack of progress, we sat down and started modeling an entertainment center.
Right away I noticed he had picked up some of the higher level concepts, but was struggling with the very basics. He couldn’t navigate very well, which was compounded by lack of a 3-button mouse. I gave him one of my mice, and that helped a ton. Move, rotate, and the modifier keys were still a challenge though.
The real breakthrough came when I suggested he back up to basics and download some of Bonnie’s puzzles on the 3D Warehouse. In just a couple of hours, he really got a grip on the basic functions of navigating, moving, using modifier keys, and selecting accurately. The puzzles are fun and interesting, with a playful payoff at the end!
I would highly recommend any educator use Bonnie’s puzzles to help students grasp the basics, before moving on to harder projects.
