How to Use Split and Join Tools in SketchUp

Split and join tools in SketchUp offer you the known applications correctly described by their names themselves. In this 3D application, LayOut Split and Join tools offer the easiest way to design a complex shape by splitting and joining. A few steps are there that help you do the needed cut and join on your design. Generally, split tool is for tearing a design apart while the joining tool joins one or more shapes together.

Steps to follow for splitting a line or a shape:

• Select the Split tool by selecting tools > split.
• Click on the areas of lines or edges you want to split.

The splitting parts of the design can be dragged or dropped anywhere in the design. The picture below rightly presents how to use split tool for your design.

The best thing is that you can use both Split and Join tools together to design a complex shape. If you want to use the tool in the best way, you have to go to the core and learn the basic part of this application.

Follow the steps if you want to join two or more shapes together:

• Use the Select tool to drag the shapes and drop them so that they overlap each other. As it is shown in the Figure 1 (Callout 1).
• Click the Split tool.
• For Shared Vertex, you need to click on every overlap points. On hovering over the split cursor over these points, a red X and an Intersection ToolTIP will appear.

• Use the erase tool to delete the unnecessary part of your design before giving your model a final touch.
• Click the join tool to glue the split part to make a complete model.
• Click on edge of each piece when the Join tool cursor is active. The color fills in the shape with every click. The fill color will be the color of the shape you click first. See Callout 4.

The Split tool has many applications in our SketchUp design. Bending is another thing that is a popular feature for designers. Bending defines the curves of your design instead of the split points. For designing different complex structures, bending will prove a great tool. LayOut Path Editor is the tool that you need to bend the lines and shapes in SketchUp.

Source: help.sketchup.com

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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How to apply dual dimensions to your drawings in sketchup layout

This sketchup video is presented by renowned woodworking professional Ron Paul. While designing plans for trailers or a remodeled or a complete house, it become very problematic to obtain the information on paper for dimension and notes.

This sketchup video will show how to organize everything in sketchup properly.

Learn how to apply dual dimension to all your drawings in sketchup layout.

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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Review of Sketchup 2017

In this sketchup video, Robson Jacobsen, CEO of Jacobsen3D, briefly reviews the primary new features of sketchup 2017.

The most vital modification is made to rectangle tool in SketchUp 2017. Now, there is a small pre-drawn rectangle that will facilitate the users to choose the axis automatically on which the drawing will be produced. It is also possible to lock the axis with the use of the arrow keys.

The speed is also significantly enhanced (minimum 20% to 30%). SketchUp 2017 offers the new graphics (line work, transparent materials, shadows, etc) in both SketchUp and Layout.

Download SketchUp 2017

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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Some useful sketchup tips for completing your 2D plan scenes in sketchup

This sketchup video offers some useful tricks for finishing your scenes based on 2D plan in sketchup as well as prepare it for annotation in LayOut.

In this sketchup video, you will learn how to demonstrate plan drawings with architecture signs and perfect lineweight.

Sketchup is an amazing tool for drawing any 2D shape and then extruding its surfaces into 3D. You can easily generate a floor plan, specifically measure the area of the floor. But before applying sketchup, just measure the room initially. Get as many measurements as required. As soon as your sketch is completed and all the required dimensions are gathered, then use sketchup.

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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How to generate colorful glass with refraction layer in vray sketchup

This is a useful presentation from MasterTuts that shows the users some tricks to generate a material in v-ray for sketchup by applying refraction layer.

Refraction indicates the modification of direction of a ray of light in moving at an angle from one medium to another. In V-Ray the refraction layer is applied to generate glass or translucent materials.

Generally the refraction layer is located beneath the Diffuse layer and the diffuse layer obstructs the effect of the Refraction layer. To view the refraction effect, Just apply transparency in the diffuse layer.

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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An exclusive one to one online sketchup workshop

An online sketchup training course is available for all the sketchup professionals. The course is specifically intended for Interior Designers, Interior Design students, newbie 3d modelers, kitchen designers, bathroom designers, shop planner, suitable wardrobe specialists etc.

The will continue for 1 month and it is divided into 4 sessions, 2.5 hours every week (Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). In this workshop, the training will be given for ‘one to one’. The seats are limited for 5 students in every month.

Eligibilities for participating in this course:

• Well versed Mac or PC computer operating system

• Accessibility to a computer to practice and communicate

• Possess a Skype account or FaceTime on your computer to make connection on screen.

• Download SketchUp Make or SketchUp Pro from SketchUp.

Generating Massing Models: Learn developing a massing model of a proposed development instantly.

Site Analysis: Learn applying SketchUp's geolocation functions to evaluate any model as well as how to implement shade and shadow analysis.

Topics covered:

• All the basics knowledge with sketchup, drawing in 2D/3D, navigating around, measuring and exactness, move, rotate, copy, push & pull.~

• Genarating and dealing with groups and components, modeling workflow, applying styles and scenes, arranging models.

• Interior and exterior modeling, importing files from other programs .dwg, .3ds, 3D Warehouse.

• Learn to optimize your processes as well as accelerate your work, save your significant time while organizing model, introduction to Plugins and how to utilize them.

• Learn to export views as images or movies as well as present your 3D model on iPad, Computer, TV Screen or printed paper.

• Learn to manage working models, files, workspace templates for using later on.

• Learn to deal with large and complex models.

• Learn to resolve most common and laborious errors.

• How to bring more benefits with customized styles, textures, shadows to have superior models.

• How to walk around with the photo realistic images and artistic transformations of any model.

• Learn to edit exported JPG photos and movies of your model to be used in other programs or for presentation.

• How to integrate 3D images (produced through computer) with your architectural drawing skills on paper.

• How to get more benefits with your 3D visualization on smartphones, tablets and social media.

• Learn to apply SketchUp’s LayOut for your presentation.

• How to simplify processes in daily life in an Interior Design studio.

Book your seat online www.sketchup3d.net

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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How to use sketchup 2016 for creating the layout of a building

This wonderful sketchup tutorial video is presented by Paul J. Smith to teach you how to connect any sketchup model to Layout and produce professional type plans, views, and elevations.

The video starts with SketchUp interface and workflow, and later on plunges into a typical residential building project by focusing on generating the site plan to building the walls, floor, and roof of a house.

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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Sketchup 2016 brings upgraded functionalities for LayOut

Image Courtesy: blog.sketchup.com

Layout is one of the vital feature of sketchup. In sketchup 2016, the functionalities of layout have been modified significantly.

LAYERS AND GROUPS: The sketchup users can now find a better way for arranging LayOut files. With new and improved layers, it becomes easier to group elements over several layers, drawing on assigned layers as well as exposing the bottom of a bundled viewport.

There are new tool colors and highlights which will inform you while generating or choosing entities on a shared layer. Entities illustrate a diverse highlight color and tool colors are not similar while making drawing on a shared layer.

Image Courtesy: blog.sketchup.com

Now layers contain a new document capability alias multi-layer groups and the entities on various layers can be easily grouped collectively.

This new grouping structure will make the process simple to cut and paste over pages, categorize identical entities (like dimensions) over diverse pages and layers as well as locate the the things in your document.

GIF Courtesy: blog.sketchup.com

SMALL DIMENSIONS: The dimension system 

(http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/3000222) of layout is also significantly improved. Now the users can instantly generate dimension chains by clicking twice 

(http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/152653). The users can also deal with dimensions in small spaces with LayOut. Now, if the dimension text is very large for the space to be dimensioned, LayOut will automatically pop text out to the side while drawing though a completely adjustable leader line.

GIF Courtesy: blog.sketchup.com

Small dimensions will save huge time while you are navigating the mess of lines and shapes that might finally converted to a nice well-bred PDF. The PDF Exporter of LayOut has also been upgraded. PDF exports become 10-15x smaller.

Ref: blog.sketchup.com

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup-ur-space.com

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An exclusive sketchup competition on SketchUp Layout 2D Documentation by PlusSpec

PlusSpec is going to organize an exclusive contest on SketchUp Layout 2D Documentation. Sketchup Layout is considered as a robust & professional 2D presentation and documentation tool. The theme of this contest is “How SketchUp Layout is the ideal 2D documentation software for Architects, Designers, Engineers and Builders”.

All the creative people can attend the contest at free of cost.

The time limit for submitting entry : All entries must be submitted prior to Monday 06 April 2015.

Award date: The names of the winners will be declared on: Monday 27 April 2015.

Prizes:

1st Prize: 24 month PlusSpec licence (valued at AUD$1590). The licence information will be delivered through email.

2nd Prize: 12 month PlusSpec licence (valued at AUD$795). The licence information will be delivered through email.

3rd Prize: 6 month PlusSpec licence (valued at AUD$398). The licence information will be delivered through email.

Media coverage:

All of the winners will be acknowledged globally regarding their work, which will be published on some of the recognized websites like plusspec.com, Sketchucation.com, Sketchupartists.org, sketchup-house-plans.com, Google SketchUp Facebook page, Kemp Productions and other leading social media platforms.

Judging criterion:All (or the greater part of the) drawings must be finished with SketchUp Layout. One can also submit their any previous, existing, or experimental work (paid or unpaid).

Design preference: One should prioritize the Residential work. But one can also present the commercial or retail designs.

All the entries will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

• Artistic quality of 2D drawings/documentation

• Readability/Interpretability of the 2D drawings/documentation

• Professionalism of the 2D drawing/documentation package (use of proper title blocks, notes, standard symbology and nomenclature)

• Innovative application of SketchUp/Layout/PlusSpec

Entry Submissions:
The participants can send their entries through mail to drew@rubysketch.com, and keep their below 15MB. The participants should use sketchup layout to complete their and place them on a personalized title block and exact paper size, in accordance with their geographic region. The following drawings should be included:

• Cover Page (with entrants contact information: email address, Country, telephone number)

• Presentation renderings/images (Note: Perspective/Renderings are encouraged, but will not significantly impact the judging criteria)

• Floor plans

• Roof plans

• Elevations

• Sections

• Room elevations

• Details

Terms and Conditions:

• All the participants should keep copyright of their work, but allow the sponsor and judges to make use of their drawings on web sites, forums, blogs, and other social media websites for presenting to the community.

• The participants should not deliver or include any work that belongs to other.

• The drawings should not have a genuine property address. If the drawings include a job address, it must be eliminated.

• No marketing or branding will be encouraged other than the participants name/company name and logo which should be appended on the drawing.

• Once the names of the winners will be declared, PlusSpec will get in touch with the prize winners and give them necessary information on how to download PlusSpec, as well as its licence code.

For getting more updates, visit www.plusspec.com/blog or contact: drew@rubysketch.com or E:drew@rubysketch.com

Image Courtesy: www.plusspec.com

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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AutoDesSys launched formZ v8.0.2 with sketchup 2015 import support

AutoDesSys recently introduced the new improved version of formZ alias formZ v8.0.2. This newest version supports formZ pro, formZ jr, formZ free and the formZ Student Edition. The software can be updated by choosing check for updates in the help menu in formZ and obeying the prompt for downloading & patching.

formZ v8.0.2 contains the following exclusive features:

• Hidden Line Options
• Wireframe and Shaded Work new interactive options
• Layer palette context menu
• Layout Display Options
• Layout Image and Image Fit
• Sketchup 2015 import is now supported and comprised in formZ Pro, formZ Jr and formZ free on all platforms

In order to download the release notes of formZ 8.0.2, click on the following link

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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How to set up Sketchup Pro 2015 - An online demonstration

Sketchup Pro 2015 has multiple applications which can be found in architecture, construction, engineering, commercial interiors, lightweight construction, landscape architecture, kitchen and your bathroom, planning, design games, film and stage, wood, and several other fields.

One can use it for sketching lines and shapes as well as push and pull surfaces to convert these into 3D shapes. Apply it for whatever activities you want to perform like Stretch, copy, rotate, and paint do. Besides, one can use it for CAD modeling and field data, photographs or even sketches of your hand. Create models through custom behaviors and attributes.

LayOut in SketchUp Pro facilitates the users to insert model views to pages, select drawing scales, fine-tune line weights and insert dimensions, callouts and graphics. All the modifications to the model are reproduced automatically in LayOut.

With SketchUp Pro, one can tag groups and components by industry standard classification types. Afterward, geo-locate any model for shadow analyzing and site context. Make the components valuable by adding data attributes or programming functions.

Scenes facilitate the users to preserve model for future usages. Styles provide infinite visual effects to make your perfect. Generate section views through the cutting section planes with templates.

Watch an informative video presented by Quick install that will provide step-by-step guidelines to set up Trimble Sketchup Pro 2015.

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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3D Printing with Autodesk 123D, Tinkercad, and MakerBot – An exclusive e-book by Lydia Sloan Cline

Lydia Sloan Cline, who is associated with Johnson County Community College and conducts 123D and MakerBot classes, has written an exclusive e-book alias 3D Printing with Autodesk 123D, Tinkercad, and MakerBot. The e-book focuses on how to transform your ideas into physical products by maneuvering through autodesk’s free software and turning your creations into reality with the Makerboat, a recognized consumer printer as well as an online service provider.

The book contains total 320 pages. There will be practical examples, tutorials and DIY projects with which one can explore through Design, Catch, Meshmixer, Tinkercad, Make, and CNC Utility apps, and the MakerBot Desktop. Besides, there will be some practical videos and digital files to become expert with 3d printing technology.

The book covers the following:-

• Create your own creations through Design and Tinkercad
• Download editable, premade content
• Produce construction documents by the LayOut feature
• Make and edit a reality capture model with Catch
• Edit and mash up .stl files with Meshmixer
• Steer through the MakerBot Desktop
• Print the model on your own machine or with a service bureau

Get an online preview

Buy it now

Image Courtesy : blogs.jccc.edu

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Published By
Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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SketchUp: Layout Dimension Tool

SketchUp is a gift to a designer. A designer knows the importance of angular dimension and editing the same is not too tough. A designer can edit the dimension string with SketchUp, length of the extension lines, and length of the dimension line after you have created an angular dimension.

It is easy to edit a dimension using the Dimension Style dialog box. Designers need to follow certain techniques. Some characteristics of the dimension can be edited by clicking on the dimension to select it and clicking an option in the Dimension Style dialog box. The characteristics modified in the Dimension Style dialog box are:

1. The dimension string's position relative to the dimension line.
2. The dimension string's position relative to the screen.
3. The units, scale, and precision represented by the dimension.

Refer to The Dimension Style dialog box for further information on Dimension Style dialog box options. The Dimension Style dialog box is used to adjust dimensions-specific settings such as text alignment to the dimensions line.

A designer can also modify individual dimension elements, such as the length of the extension lines or the contents of the dimension string, after you have created a dimension. Following image shows an angular dimension in Lay Out.

Editing individual dimension elements is possible here. An angular dimension is a group consisting three lines and text string. The first line, called the starting witness line, extends away from the start point of the dimension. The ending witness line extends away from the end point of the dimension. The dimension line is an arc perpendicular to the start and end witness lines and represents the angle. The dimension text is tied to the dimension line and displays the angle in degrees. Double-click on a dimension to access its individual elements. Following is an image of an angular dimension after it has been double-clicked. Notice that there are seven points on the dimension that can be manipulated: vertex, connection points, offset points, and extent points.

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup-ur-space.com

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Autodesk Reveals 2015 Versions of Its 3D Animation Tools

Autodesk unveiled 2015 release of its major 3D animation tools that include 3ds Max, Mudbox, MotionBuilder, Softimage, Maya, and Maya LT. Maya LT, which is the newest addition to the lineup is a cost-effective 3D animation and modeling tool for professional indie game makers. Maya LT 2015:

• Offers cloud integration through the Maya LT interface
• Unfold 3D for creation of UV maps from 3D models
• Substance material integration for applying materials generated in the Allegorithmic Substance Designer procedural texture creation tool to 3D models

Autodesk also declared the accessibility of the 2015 Entertainment Creation Suite for 3D animation and visual effects. 3ds Max, Maya, Entertainment Creation Suites, and Maya LT can be obtained in two configurations: as a perpetual license or desktop subscription.

With innovative new tools like Bifrost, redesigned core parts of the applications focusing on performance and user friendly features, the 2015 releases simplifies complex tasks and allows artists to use their creative power.

The new features in 3ds Max 2015 are mentioned below:

• ShaderFX
• Point cloud dataset support for reality-capture workflows
• New viewport performance optimizations
• A redesigned scene explorer so artists can manage large scenes
• ActiveShade support for the Nvidia Mental Ray renderer
• New Python scripting support

Mudbox 2015 includes streamlined mesh refinement for retopologizing and new Sculpt Layer and Paint Layer groups for organizing and identifying specific layers in complex scenes. Softimage 2015 is the last release of Softimage and helps in:

• Alembic caching
• Allowing enhancements to the ICE platform
• Animatable weight maps in Syflex cloth

MotionBuilder 2015 highlights on motion-capture workflow that includes:

• A new plug-in for Microsoft Kinect to capture body movements.
• Animatable Depth of Field and Follow Focus camera options that supports in re-creating real-world cinematography elements.
• A library with 100 commonly required character animations in FBXformat.

Maya 2015 has the Bifrost procedural effects platform that supports an artist-friendly workflow for complex simulation and rendering tasks and is applied to:

• Near-photorealistic liquids
• XGen Arbitrary Primitive Generator for easily creating highly detailed geometry, like hair, fur, and foliage
• Geodesic Voxel Binding for skinning characters
• ShaderFX, a new node-based visual interface for shader programming
• Support for Pixar’s OpenSubdiv libraries
• Enhanced polygon modeling tools
• Expanded UV options

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Published By

Tuhin Maity

www.sketchup4architect.com

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GKWare Door Maker plugin for Sketchup

Gary Kernan, having huge experience over 15 years for creating cabinet and curved staircase building, has developed Door Maker plugin for sketchup. The plugin is compatible with SketchUp 7, SketchUp 8, SketchUp 2013 and available in Chinese, English, French, Russian.

Door Maker plugin for sketchup facilitates the sketchup users to produce parametrically dialed cabinet door components for various types of cabinets containing diversified sizes, styles and textures. The supplementary textures can also be added. The users can effortlessly settle these components inside their design.

There exist 7 types of styles that range from plain, shaker, square, arch, cathedral, double arch and double cathedral.

The users can select 15 types of wood grain textures. There prevails an Image folder having textures as well as a texture.txt file. With the help of the proper naming conventions, just include both a horizontal and a vertical texture in jpg format. As for example maple_hor.jpg and maple_ver.jpg and provide a single entry in the textures.txt file. The users will also be able to reschedule the order of the textures in the textures.txt file.

Follow the below mentioned steps for generating doors:

• One is European style cabinets. The users can apply it with a single click. Put up the size concerning the door and door gap as per your requirements. The door is included and placed to the right by the gap amount.
• The second step is click and drag or click and type in the width. For this purpose, the lower left hand corner of the door is placed accurately where you click.

Downloadable link

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Published By
Tuhin Maity
www.sketchup4architect.com
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Infinite skills introduces Learning SketchUp 2013 Video Training - DVD

Software training firm Infinite Skills Inc. just released “Learning SketchUp 2013 Tutorial. The course is very useful for beginner Sketchup users to learn the basic skills and the best application of the Sketchup software.

Daniel Brown is the presenter of this course. Daniel is a well know Sketchup trainer. He also serves as the contractor for Google for performing with Sketchup on Google Earth.

In this training video Daniel presents fundamental navigation features like toolbars and performing with templates, Brown begins with the fundamentals of drawing on SketchUp involving tools for producing lines, arcs, circles, and lots other.

Brown assists the students by providing the design of a house started with the roof, calculating measurements, arranging the model, and making all the custom features concerning a house which engross doors and windows, kitchen installations, a fireplace, and more.

Brown then demonstrates the usage of 3D Warehouse by importing furniture models from its store of assemblies into the design as well as , how to complete the house with its exterior.

There exist various chapters which guide the students for making presentations to their Sketchup design. Students also learn how to generate scenes and styles from their sketchup models, make a rendering composite in Photoshop, insert lighting and reflections to feel the pragmatism and lastly make a presentation with layout.

The students can avail the free demo videos and a series of course contents on the Learning SkechUp 2013 training page of the Infinite Skills website:
http://www.infiniteskills.com/training/learning-sketchup-2013.html

The students can also acquire the Learning SketchUp 2013 Training Video (Learning SketchUp 2013 Video Training – DVD) either as a DVD or download directly from the website of the company at an introductory price of $49.95.

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Published by Rajib Dey
Editor-in-chief
Sketchup-ur-space (An exclusive e-magazine for worldwidesketchup users)
Sketchup4architect (Downloadsketchup components, plugins, softwares, models)