The units specified in Model Info don’t impact the import of DWG files. There is a separate import units menu in the import options dialog.
This is true! @Anssi has it right… use whatever unit you prefer and make sure you check the right box for importing!
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Somehow it worked, even though I just realised that the units in my SU model were in meters and while importing the dwg file I indicated centimetres in the import options dialogue…I now have one file and two drawings (my 3D model, and the dwg drawing which I will develop into 3D) and they are both in meters…magically. Thank you for all your help 
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As @Anssi said, your model units are not relevant. The DWG units used in creation/export need to match the import units in SU. Sounds like your .dwg was made using cm. I could import it into my feet and inches based file with the import units set to cm and it would be the correct size.
Personally for anything small residential I would not have more than 1 model for the design, actually that’s a bit incorrect. For my workflow I have two models. 1st model is the existing conditions plan. The 2nd model is the proposed conditions plan. I build my existing conditions of the site, construction etc, than I copy the contents into a new model once that’s modelled and I develop the entire proposed design into that model. I have thought about this a long time, I think I have a pretty killer workflow. You can essentially setup almost everything you do to be a template in sketchup and in Layout, control line weights, get a layout drawing of the upper floors for example to only show you when a concrete foundation is immediately below and only supporting in some areas and style that in any colour you want, you can really do so much if you take the time to figure out a solid workflow. It’s pretty amazing. I feel like I’ve been through hell and back to figure out mine and today essentially marks that moment for me as I’ve finally figured out my workflow. A ton of my knowledge has come from courses I’ve taken like the sketchup australia learn layout course, nick sonders book, mike brightmans book, john brocks book, watching sketchup basecamp videos, watching a TON of videos and deep diving into as many plugins as I could find. Finding a wicked workflow that is quite impressive can take a long, long time. Today marks the day that I’ve finished mine and it’s taken me a year and a half to develop.
One of the best resources I’ve found by far is Mike Brightmans Brightman design channel on youtube and the learn layout course by sketchup australia. Mike Brightman is THE guy to watch, I would suggest that you’ll learn more from him than anyone else in one lump sum. Learn as much as you can and make your own awesome unique workflow that works for you. Sketchup with the plugins and layout are incredibly powerful together and you can setup templates like I say for just so so much. Good luck with your journey. I would definitely do the dwg import like the person earlier in this thread mentioned instead of tracing an image if you don’t have to.
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Thanks a lot! I am learning so much from this forum and am really happy I stumbled upon it. I am very very green in SU. I only started learning it last October so your suggestions of all the teachers are quite useful. So far I’ve done courses by Tammy and Dan (forgot their last names), because they are specifically geared towards interior designers, and checked out many youtube videos by other people.
One thing though — I am not into plugins, it is something psychological, I like to keep everything mean and lean in my life, and plugins to me is something not essential, thus take up time, space and energy. I also don’t like those photo realistic renderings either. I love very much, however, a more personal feel of a sketch/drawing that SU offers and I like to play with styles but I don’t ever want my drawings to look like photos.
Congrats on figuring out your workflow! I hope I will soon be able to say the same
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I can relate to this. I avoid extensions unless absolutely necessary as I prefer to use native tools whenever possible. I also find that sketchy drawings actually do a better job of selling ideas than ones where you try to polish them to realism.
Your attitude and approach to this software will serve you well. Best of luck.
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Thank you! I never want my anything to look like what it is not
Awesome and good for you! I will just say be warned haha. A lot of people might use a few plugins here and there, but sketchup with the power of its powerful plugin options vs sketchup without, they are literally different programs comparing the two. It is simply not possible to model something nearly as fast as one could do using plugins. Two very simple with really no learning curves behind them are great examples, fredo joint push pull tool and fredo box stretch. The amount of time just those two tools can save is amazing, not to mention about 50 more. Not liking them is fine but just don’t expect to be nearly as fast without them. This isn’t a unique opinion either, it’s literally math. Some of the operations that you can do with plugins are just heaps faster.
I will say though, it’s SUPER important to have a really solid base FIRST not using plugins. After you have your base, than start exploring those options. One thing I learned after years of sketchup is how important it was to model on plane, sometimes I wouldn’t hit the blue, green, or red arrow key to lock my lines on plane and I would wonder why on earth I couldnt close an edge even though I thought I was being careful. Sketchup can be extremely accurate, too accurate almost haha.
Tammy Cody is great, i beleive she does just interior design from what I’ve seen.
Interesting! I should look into using sketchy edged maybe more in my SD phases but in the DD phase I’ve never met a person who didn’t prefer and love the photo realistic renderings with Enscape all cleaned up, virtual reality tours etc. In fact the VR alone is not only a game changer to get people to really see what they are getting, its been a game changer in my company, everyone who has done a vr tour with me has raved about it. It is so much more useful in understanding space and proportions. Never had a customer say I want it to look more unatural haha…?
Some plug-ins are worth their wait in gold!
Here’s a model I was making for my wife as she wanted t do some type of “board-n-batten” paneling in our dining room. She also wanted to see how a yellowish color would look on the upper wall. I used a plug-on (Profile Builder) for the existing crown molding to see how it would look with a the newer farm house style. I also used a ambient occlusion plug-in for the lighting and shadows. Not really a photo render but I think it gets the idea across and it only takes about 3 minutes to “render”.
Here’s another “render” where I used the Profile Builder plug-in to replicate some existing door molding for an up-fit in the library admin area. They wanted to see how some existing furniture would look in the proposed space. Nothing special or fancy.
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That is so simple I love it, seeing how simple your last photo is there to me really shows the power of 3d. Although I have some nice renderings myself, it’s the simplicity of your last photo for me that just shows how much better it is to do something in 3d to make more informed decisions. For the amount of time that took you to do I think in the long term that is so worth it compared to drawing on a piece of paper. Like I mentioned too in my last comments, I’ve never had a customer say they want it to look unrealistic lol… People want to see what they are going to get in the end in the construction design industry and that’s just how it is, but of course, they are after all going to live in the space or use it. There is an artistic side to design that shouldn’t be overlooked but also a blunt realistic side where people would prefer in most cases that they aren’t guessing. Imagine someone didn’t have a clear picture of what the space was going to look like in the end described as well as a 3d rendering does, and than when the place gets built they realise hmm, I actually don’t like this, or that, or that over there. Oh wait, no need to imagine, it happens all the time! Lol. The future is definitely in 3d. What a waste of money it is now adays no matter the size of project to make an onsite mockups when you can produce it way faster in 3d and look way more real, for the builder, for the client, etc, before people start spending money. I make a number of construction details for some people now, onsite mockups are a thing of the past when it comes to construction details.
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Can’t argue with that! Problem with these perfect renderings is that sometimes, when presented with work that looks finished, clients start to fuss about the tiniest detail and ignore the beauty of the big picture. You might not be finished with one part, or it might be a quick draft, and you might just want them to sign off on the idea instead of getting caught up on a particular shade of yellow. When I show a rougher idea, with a sketchy style, it really conveys this is a draft and that we should stick to high-level ideas. The other benefit here is that it’s less work up front
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That is an AWESOME point and if not learned about can be a continuous problem haha. It’s really important to know HOW to present as well for both time efficiency, decision making, etc. I think in the end the final rendering should be detailed (only as needed) not all projects obviously require a lot of detail, I always try to make it worth it. I’m not going to render anything if I don’t have to. Yea the art of presenting is another conversation in itself haha.
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Your comments actually now just serve as a good reminder for my next presentation meeting tomorrow. Thanks for that!
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Thanks, it (3D) really did help with this project. I started with a 2D drawing for them and I added in the SU/AO images. It really helped the admin staff “see” their new space. By using their existing furniture I was able to help them see how much more inviting the new entry area was going to be. So I used 2D and 3D together, as I usually do. It was a fun project and it came out pretty much like these images. Not a lot of changes were made for the final plans.