Datasheet

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Chapter 1: Meeting Google SketchUp
When I said (a few paragraphs ago) that 3D modeling programs come in two
basic flavors, I sort of lied. The truth is, you can split them into two groups
another way as well: by the kind of math they use to produce 3D models. You
can find polygonal modelers (of which SketchUp is an example) and curves-
based modelers. The former type uses straight lines and flat surfaces to define
everything — even things that look curvy, aren’t. The latter kind of modeler
uses true curves to define lines and surfaces. These yield organic, flowing
forms that are much more realistic than those produced by polygonal modelers,
but that put a lot more strain on the computers that have to run them — and
the people who have to figure out how to use them. Ultimately, it’s a trade-off
between simplicity and realism.
What You Should (and Shouldn’t)
Expect SketchUp to Do
Have you ever been to a hardware store and noticed the “multitool” gizmos
on the racks next to the checkout stands? I once saw one that was a combina-
tion screwdriver, pliers, saw, tape measure, and (I swear) hammer. I some-
times wonder whether the hardware-store people put them there as a joke,
just to make you feel better about standing in line.
I generally don’t like tools that claim to be able to do everything. I much
prefer specialists — tools that are designed for doing one thing really well. In
the case of SketchUp, that one thing is building 3D models.
Here’s a list of things (all model-building-related) that you can do with
SketchUp:
✓ Start a model in lots of different ways: With SketchUp, you can begin a
model in whatever way makes sense for what you’re building:
• From scratch: When you first launch SketchUp, you see nothing
except a little person standing in the middle of your screen. If you
want, you can even delete him, leaving you a completely blank
slate on which to model anything you want.
• In Google Earth: Chapter 11 goes into this in detail. Basically, you
can bring an aerial photograph of any place on Earth (including
your home) into SketchUp and start modeling right on top of it.
• From a photograph: The second part of Chapter 8 talks all about
how you can use SketchUp to build a model based on a photo of
the thing you want to build. It’s not really a beginner-level feature,
but it’s there.