To create a 3D model in SketchUp, you're constantly switching among the drawing tools, views, components, and organizational tools. In this article, you find several examples that illustrate ways you can use these tools together to model a specific shape or object.The examples illustrate a few of the different applications for creating 3D models in SketchUp: woodworking, modeling parts or abstract objects, and creating buildings. The examples are loosely ordered from the simple to the complex.

The red, blue, and green axes seen when you first open a new SketchUp model are not only starting points but guides you can use throughout the modeling process. Adjusting the SketchUp drawing axes makes drawing a 3D model easier. Here's some examples:

In SketchUp, you can add four types of text:

With SketchUp’s Solid tools, you can create new shapes by combining or cutting one shape with another, making it easy to model an outer shell or joinery.

SketchUp’s Tape Measure tool, Protractor tool, and the Measurements box help add accurate measurements to your designs. These tools offer several ways to add precision to a model:With the Tape Measure tool (), you can measure a distance and set precise guide lines or guide points.

When you create a 3D model, you often need to draw a slightly bigger or smaller version of a shape and keep the two shapes equidistant from each other. This is called offsetting a line. An offset is handy when

The SketchUp Follow Me tool () leads a face along a path to create a 3D shape. The Follow Me tool does only one thing. However, it has a multitude of applications and can help you draw complex 3D models with only a few clicks.

In SketchUp, you can resize and reshape your model based on the relative sizes of your edges and faces. Here's a quick overview of the available options:

With SketchUp's flipping and rotating tools, your geometry becomes as nimble as an acrobatic troupe. The Flip Along command enables geometry to backflip 180 degrees along any axis. With the Rotate tool, your geometry can spin and fold like a professional gymnast.

When you're drawing a model in SketchUp, moving all or parts of your model can be tough, especially when navigating geometry in a three dimensional space. Here's your guide to moving things around in your 3D model, from a simple click-and-move operation to moving precisely with 3D coordinates.To perform a simple move operation follow these steps: