Seeking tutor or better tutorial than youtube videos

Can anyone tell me how I go about finding someone to teach me this program? I’m having zero (with a capital 0) success teaching myself. I have 20 version of just attempting to draw and extrude the walls of my floor plan and none of them work. I can’t move forward. My walls are black and I try to reverse them, but that doesn’t work either. I don’t find the youtube videos very helpful at all. So if anyone has any suggestions on a better tutorial I’d be thrilled to hear it. Thanks all.

If you show us some screenshots and share your model here we may be able to put you on the right path.

Where are you located? Perhaps you are geographically situated near someone who can offer assistance. Another alternative is to make use of a telecommuting software feature such as Google Hangouts where you and a tutor could respond to each other while viewing the same material onscreen regardless of being in different locations.

The latter suggestion may require a little more patience and dedication to effectively provide instruction, but it could be a workable solution, especially if the tutor combines using gifs and videos to emphasize the lessons.

Among the various online organizations offering SketchUp tutoring, the one that I recommend is SketchUp School. Click the bold text if you want to go to the link. I have no relationship with this company, but I have seen many of their videos and they are quite instructive, well documented and easy to follow.

Dear Moderator,

I live in the teeny-tiny village of Cape Charles, VA on the eastern shore. I wouldn’t say we were Little House on the Prairie, but pretty close!

I used to be good with graphic software back in the 90’s, but I am so lost these days with apps and what not. I’m very tired right now so I will re-read your post tomorrow when I am fresh. I really do think this is a worthwhile software as I’ve tried a couple other’s and this seems to be the best…IF I can learn it. I will definitely check-out SketchUp Skool. Thank you for your time. Robin

If you can tell me how to upload a picture I will certainly do this. Thank you.

Just drag your image file into an open, post reply field. Drag over your SKP file as well so someone can examine your model.

If you rather open an upload dialog, click on the 7th icon at the top of the reply box.

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Handy tip about the drag and drop.

Hi there. I have started all over as I must have deleted all my trials from several months ago when I threw in the towel on learning this program.

Today I imported a PDF blueprint into Illustrator and proceeded to simplify it by removing all text and extra lines and so-forth. Then I saved it as a PNG file and then imported it into Sketchup Make. I then exploded the image and tried to use the tape measure to scale the model to size and it won’t do it. I should be getting a message that asks me if I want to resize the model and I am not getting that message. Nothing happens after I enter my dimensions of 53’3" into the box. I hit enter, but again nothing. Any ideas where I’m going wrong? Thank you.

Thank you Colin. I NEVER in a million years would have figured that out. I’m stuck on looking for the upload image icon. :blush: As you can see from the inserted image I managed it! LOL

catamountain was the smart one, I just appreciated it like you did.

Now that you’re warmed up, do you want to drag your SKP file into your reply?

All-righty…here it is:

Bluff_Plan_in_Sketchup~.skp (78.6 KB)

Do you know that’s a new SketchUp file? There’s only Chris in the scene.

I have no idea what that means. :frowning: What’s wrong with my file?

I don’t know Mac but the tilde in your file name suggests you uploaded the backup file not the working file.
Have a look for a file with the same name but without the wiggly line.

Here is another version, but I still can’t edit the dimensions.

Please tell me it’s just something simple I am overlooking.

Also, I don’t understand why my image says its a png file on my desktop and changes to a jpg file when I drag it into this window. Does that make sense to anyone?

Right now I just can get past importing the image into Sketchup & exploding it. I cannot set the dimensions to actual size. It just does nothing. I know I was able to at the very least get to tracing walls 6 months ago when I first found/started to learn this program.

This is our house that we are in the process of building. I really REALLY want to be able to have a working model to help us visualize what it could look like with fireplaces, kitchen/baths and so forth. Thanx for your help & patience SK Community!

Did you try to download your own .skp file? it’s “empty”, that’s what it means.
I mean the one you uploaded to your post, it also means you uploaded the wrong file.

How can it be empty when there is an image there? If you’re referring to the image above with the tilde in it. I deleted that one so as not to have anymore confusion.

It’s the skp file you uploaded that has the tilde in the name, and is an empty scene with just Chris in it.

The PNG becoming JPEG may just be the forum software making the posted file be smaller in size, but still look the same.

Can you give is your skp that has your image already in it, where you’re failing to set the size?

Try saving the file with a different name to avoid confusion and then upload that file to post here.


Use the indicated icon to post it.

Okay, lets try this again: :blush:
Bluff_Dr.skp (154.1 KB)