SketchUp is a powerful, yet surprisingly easy to use program for designing buildings, vehicles… practically anything to scale in 3D on a computer. Google purchased SketchUp many years ago in order to create (and let others create) the 3D buildings in Google Maps and Google Earth. Ever since Google purchased SketchUp, teachers and students in Utah have had free access to this software. I’ve created models of the last two homes I’ve lived in. In 3D. To scale. It’s an incredible tool.
Still not sure what Sketchup is?
SketchUp users are architects, designers, builders, makers and engineers. They are the people who shape the physical world. They are important, and they deserve great tools because great tools produce great work.
Great tools are ones you look forward to using. They do one thing (or maybe two) really, really well. They let you do what you want without having to figure out how. They help with hard or boring tasks so that you can focus on being creative, or productive, or both. And they are, in their own way, beautiful.
At SketchUp, we do our best to make great tools for drawing. For our users, drawing is thinking. They draw to explore ideas, to figure things out, to show other people what they mean. They draw because they love it, and because nothing great was ever built that didn’t start with a great drawing.
SketchUp has now changed hands again, but this software is STILL available to schools in Utah. Contact us to learn how to get a license.
However, this is not the reason for this post…
As of a few months ago, my.SketchUp was released as a beta preview of their software that runs entirely in a web browser. This means that pretty much any device with a mouse and a screen can use SketchUp for 3D design – even Chromebooks! This is a huge advance, and a great way to introduce students to 3D Modeling.
Have you ever heard a student wish that they could start building 3D worlds for gaming? Design a dream home? Create a building of the future? With SketchUp, they CAN! It’s very easy to learn how to use – just visit their Learning page.
