Online SketchUp Beginner Training

James Dodson

has 10 years of experience in architecture at the norwegian firm Snøhetta (the internationally acclaimed designers of the Alexandria Library in Egypt , JMW Turner Gallery in Margate , England , and the WTC Memorial Complex in NYC). James has extensive expertise in the use of 3D modeling as a design tool. For Spring 2006 he has been appointed as visiting lecturer at the University of Texas School of Architecture where he will be teaching an advanced design studio and a seminar course entitled "Explorations in Digital Design Process." Google SketchUp will form an important part of a course that will seek to define a new digital workflow for architects and designers. James has been developing and teaching at Sessions.edu since 2000.

LEFT: Image from SketchUp Basics with Jim Dodson.
Jim will help you discover the simplicity and power of SketchUp.

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Class Projects and Objectives:

This Google SketchUp Training class is packed with projects and tips. Students can expect to:

• Learn how to create surfaces by drawing lines.
  
• Learn basic mouse commands for Google Sketchup.
• Learn how to create circles and polygons.
• Learn how to create shapes from rectangles, arcs, and curves.
• Explore the concepts of drawing On Edge and utilizing the stickiness of geometry.
  
• Create a 2D composition, using the Line, Arc, and Rectangle tools to subdivide the shape into at least 20 faces.
  
• Apply several colors to a personal composition with the Paint Bucket tool.
  
• Save and Export work as a JPEG image.
  
• Explore different ways of viewing a model in 3D.
  
• Learn how to create box shapes using the drawing tool and inferences.
  
• Learn how to use the stickiness of geometry in 3D.
  
• Learn how to use the Push/Pull tool and the Move tool.
  
• Learn how to manipulate circles, cylinders.
  
• Convert a 2D composition into a 3D object.
  
• Use Move and Push/Pull Tools to manipulate 3D objects to different heights.
  
• Create at least one circle, cylinder, and cone in a structure.
  
• Create three 3D views of a model.
• Learn three different modeling techniques for 3-dimensional forms.
  
• Learn how to use the Offset Tool to create concentric surfaces.
  
• Learn how to mirror objects.
  
• Learn how to create an array of duplicated objects such as a neighborhood.
• Create a 3D neighborhood.
  
• Give colors and textures to the objects in a file.
  
• Render 3 perspectives of a model using different rendering styles.

www.training.sessions.edu