{"id":698,"date":"2026-08-12T12:01:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T17:01:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/training-materials\/?post_type=manual&#038;p=698"},"modified":"2026-08-12T12:01:06","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T17:01:06","slug":"sketchup-3d-modeling-basics-with-sketchup-free","status":"publish","type":"manual","link":"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/training-materials\/manual\/sketchup-3d-modeling-basics-with-sketchup-free\/","title":{"rendered":"SketchUp: 3D Modeling Basics with SketchUp Free"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3D Modeling Basics with SketchUp Free<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SketchUp Free is the online and free to use version of SketchUp 3D modeling software. It is used for architecture and interior design, landscape design, and product design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About this Class<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This manual serves as a reference for nearly every tool and skill in SketchUp Free, and is a great way for students to dip their toe in the water before purchasing a paid SketchUp license.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prerequisites<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Basic computer operation skills(mouse, keyboard, file management)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other requirements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Stable internet connection<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Getting Started<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Opening SketchUp and Creating an Account<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To open SketchUp Free, navigate to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sketchup.com\/plans-and-pricing\/sketchup-free\">the SketchUp Free page<\/a>&nbsp;and select &#8220;Start Modeling.&#8221; Here you will be prompted to create a Trimble account to use SketchUp. You can log in with Gmail to your wisc account, or use whatever email you feel like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Home-Page.png\" alt=\"the Sketchup homepage\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After creating your account you will be brought to the SketchUp homepage. This is where all of your projects are stored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Creating a New Project<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To create a new SketchUp project, in the homepage select Create New &gt; Simple Template &#8211; Feet and Inches. You can always change your units of measurement later. See&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/#model-info\">Model Info<\/a>&nbsp;for more details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/1Opening-SketchUp-file-w-units.png\" alt=\"creating a SketchUp project\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The SketchUp Workspace<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-bd8ba126c312e74a17b387748384abb9\" id=\"home\" style=\"color:#00c5bf\">Home<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-bacdd637688e284d7db26f1edfb5a898 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#00afc3\">This is where you can name, save, and export your project, as well as undo and redo actions. More options can be found under the sandwich menu(three lines)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/SketchUp-Workspace.jpg\" alt=\"the Sketchup Workspace\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">SketchUp Workspace<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SketchUp automatically autosaves every 5 minutes. The autosave settings can be changed in App Settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-b17fef3959821a6b22b64e66fecf6d41\" style=\"color:#ff0000\">Toolbar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-5f6511fde62310156fa094b580209af6 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#ff0000\">The <strong>Toolbar<\/strong> holds all 40 tools that can be used in SketchUp. There are only 12 visible tools, but certain tools can be expanded to reveal related tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4420321709fef8f05c2702f6564b91a1\" style=\"color:#001bed\">Status Bar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-0f7a051f440afe61319d11397d66166a wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#1900ff\">The <strong>Status Bar<\/strong> is the panel located at the bottom of the SketchUp Free workspace. It contains the Help menu, language preferences, instructions for the selected tool, and the Value Control Box. The status bar displays information that is relevent to the current tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-4bff0e1677ef999f8a75bda409ca3fee\" id=\"VCB\" style=\"color:#129b00\">Value Control Box<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e16d5f3e66f6134f0004313b6da1a53a wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#00aa00\">The <strong>Value Control Box <\/strong>(VCB) can be used to input specific measurements and distances when creating or altering a shape. Simply type in your measurements using &#8216; for feet and &#8221; for inches(ex: 5&#8217;6&#8243;), then press enter. For shapes that require multiple measurements, put a comma between each measurement(ex: 5&#8217;,4&#8217;6&#8243;) before pressing enter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-698-1\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Using%20the%20VCB.mp4?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Using%20the%20VCB.mp4\">https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Using%20the%20VCB.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-e0f61c8b7d96dca0d17c9933dce66e51\" style=\"color:#ff00f3\">Panels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-051a5682271fff61c010b9d31df79765 wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#d600af\">There are different panels to organize, customize, and enhance your model, and they will be covered throughout this manual. The panels are labeled as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/#entity-info\">Entity Info<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Outliner<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Instructor<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/#3d-warehouse\">3D Warehouse<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/#components\">Components<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/#materials\">Materials<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/#styles\">Styles<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/#tags\">Tags<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/#scenes\">Scenes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/#display\">Display<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/#model-info\">Model Info<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Solid Inspector<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Note:<\/strong> The Outliner and Solid Inspector panels are only available in paid versions of SketchUp. See\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/%E2%80%9D#free-paid%E2%80%9D\">SketchUp Free vs. Paid<\/a>\u00a0for more info.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Helen <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Helen is a component in SketchUp that serves as a scale figure to remind the user of the size of their project as it compares to a 5&#8217;2 woman. Depending on your version and project, you may see other character cutouts<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tools and Mouse Functions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Working in SketchUp requires moving around the workspace in three dimensions. This is not the most intuitive process, and it can be challenging get used to at first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This section explains the primary tools that you&#8217;ll use when navigating the 3D world while using Sketchup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It can be helpful to take some time to practice and get familiar with using these tools until you are reasonable comfortable with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group sts-callout-goodtoknow has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While SketchUp <em>can<\/em> be used with a laptop trackpad, but it is MUCH more efficient to work with a mouse with a middle-click. If you will be using SketchUp frequently, consider investing in a mouse that has a middle-click.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> Most mice we can buy today come with a scrollwheel that can be clicked, which functions as a middle-click most of the time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Orbit (Orbit tool)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-orbit.png\" alt=\"the orbit tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shortcut key: <strong>O<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Orbit tool is the tool we use to rotate our view. We are &#8220;orbiting&#8221; around our model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group sts-callout-goodtoknow has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When using the Orbit tool, holding the <strong>Shift<\/strong> key temporarily enables the <strong>Pan<\/strong> tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is a nice workflow enhancement that saves us from having to manually switch to the Pan tool and back to the Orbit tool,  which is something that we will be doing extremely frequently.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pan (Pan tool)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-pan.png\" alt=\"the pan tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use the pan tool to move across the workspace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zoom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zoom Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-zoom.png\" alt=\"the zoom tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can zoom in sketchUp at any time by scrolling(two finger scroll on mac or trackpad), or use the zoom tool to scroll with your cursor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you ever end up lost in your workspace and can&#8217;t find your project, navigate to the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/%E2%80%9D#scenes%E2%80%9D\">Scenes<\/a>&nbsp;panel and select the Top View(center option) then the Front View(bottom middle option). If you still can&#8217;t see anything you may be too far zoomed in or out, make sure to zoom until you can properly see Helen.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2D Concepts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All models in SketchUp, from the simplest chair to the most complicated building, are made of\u00a0<strong>lines and faces<\/strong>. An edge is a line that is adjacent to 2+ faces. SketchUp is a 3D modeling software, which means that it works in three dimensions, <strong>X, Y, and Z<\/strong>, represented in SketchUp by the <strong>red, blue, and green<\/strong> axis, respectively. When creating a line or shape, the cursor will sometimes change color to reflect which axis the shape will lie on. Pay attention to this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"sts-callout-goodtoknow wp-block-paragraph\">Remember that the\u00a0<strong>Value Control Box<\/strong>\u00a0can be used to input specific measurements when using any tool.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Line Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-line.png\" alt=\"the line tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The line tool lets you create a line, which consists of a single segment composed of two points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To use the Line Tool, click where you&#8217;d like the line to begin and click again to end the line, or click and drag the line to the intended endpoint. SketchUp will keep the last point selected for ease of creating shapes. Close a shape or press the escape(esc) key to release the line tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-698-2\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Line-Tool.mp4?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Line-Tool.mp4\">https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Line-Tool.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2D Concepts_Rectangle\">Rectangle Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-rectangle.png\" alt=\"the rectangle tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click to set one corner of the rectangle, then drag across the intended plane and click again to finish the rectangle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-698-3\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Rectangle.mp4?_=3\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Rectangle.mp4\">https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Rectangle.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Circle Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-circle.png\" alt=\"the circle tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click in the intended center of the circle, then drag to expand. To make the edges of the circle more smooth, type in a number(50+) after the circle tool is selected but before creating the circle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-698-4\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Circle-Tool.mp4?_=4\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Circle-Tool.mp4\">https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Circle-Tool.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Polygon Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-polygon.png\" alt=\"the polygon tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click in the intended center of the polygon, then drag to expand. To change the number of sides, type in the desired number and press enter after the polygon tool is selected but before creating the polygon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-698-5\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Polygon-Tool.mp4?_=5\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Polygon-Tool.mp4\">https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Polygon-Tool.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Circles vs. Polygons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SketchUp models are made from lines and faces. This means that circles are represented by a polygon with many faces. What makes a circle in SketchUp different is that when exporting a SketchUp project to a format that supports actual circles(polygons with infinitely many sides), SketchUp \u201ccircles\u201d will be converted to true circles. (To make circles appear more smooth in SketchUp, See:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/%E2%80%9D#circle-tool%E2%80%9D\">Circle Tool<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are four different types of arcs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Arc<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-arc.png\" alt=\"the arc tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click to place the protractor, click again at the starting point of the arc, then click to end the arc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-698-6\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/arc-new.mp4?_=6\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/arc-new.mp4\">https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/arc-new.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Two Point Arc<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-2-pt.png\" alt=\"the 2 point arc tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-698-7\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/2-pt-arc-new.mp4?_=7\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/2-pt-arc-new.mp4\">https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/2-pt-arc-new.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Three Point Arc<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-3-pt.png\" alt=\"the 3 point arc tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click to place the starting point, then click to determine the radius, then again to end the arc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-698-8\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/3-pt-arc-new.mp4?_=8\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/3-pt-arc-new.mp4\">https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/3-pt-arc-new.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pie Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-pie.png\" alt=\"the pie tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pie tool works like the arc tool, except it creates a filled in \u201cpie slice\u201d shape rather than a curved line. Click to place the protractor, click again at the starting point of the arc, then again to end the arc and close the pie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-698-9\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/pie-new.mp4?_=9\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/pie-new.mp4\">https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/pie-new.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Freehand Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-freehand.png\" alt=\"the freehand tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The freehand tool creates freehand drawings, and is useful for organic shapes. To use, scribble away!<\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3D Concepts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Push-Pull Tool<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-push-pull.png\" alt=\"the push-pull tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shortcut: <strong>P<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use the push-pull tool to bring a two dimensional shape into three dimensions. Click and drag the face that you would like to extend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-698-10\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Push%20Pull.mp4?_=10\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Push%20Pull.mp4\">https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/Push%20Pull.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3D Text<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/loc-3d-text.png\" alt=\"the 3d text tool\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To create 3D Text, select the <strong>3D text tool<\/strong>. Enter your text, then choose from five default fonts. Set the height, and check &#8220;text filled&#8221; for the text to be extruded. The 3D Text tool is commonly used for things like adding street numbers on houses and business names on commercial buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div style=\"width: 640px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-698-11\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/3D-Text.mp4?_=11\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/3D-Text.mp4\">https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/manuals\/sketchup\/images\/3D-Text.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Three-Dimensional Concepts_Entity Info\">Entity Info<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Entity Info panel provides useful information about the currently selected object. The area of a single face or the volume of a 3D object(must be grouped to show volume) can prove very useful in a detailed project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-sts-block-sts-custom-sections\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uw_seo_meta_title":"","_uw_seo_meta_description":"","_uw_seo_twitter_card_type":"summary_large_image","_uw_seo_meta_image":"","_uw_seo_meta_image_url":"","_uw_seo_meta_image_sizes":[],"_uw_seo_custom_meta_tags":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"class_list":["post-698","manual","type-manual","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/training-materials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual\/698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/training-materials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/training-materials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/manual"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/training-materials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/training-materials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual\/698\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":928,"href":"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/training-materials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/manual\/698\/revisions\/928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/training-materials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sts.doit.wisc.edu\/training-materials\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}