Tip:
You can show teachers how to design a do-it-yourself project that they can then show their students to build graphic skills. The free Google SketchUp is an easy-to-learn 3D modeling program that enables you to create 3D models of houses, sheds, decks, home additions, woodworking projects - even space ships. After you’ve built your models, you can place them in Google Earth, post them to the 3D Warehouse, or print hard copies.
- Click on a shape and push or pull it to create your 3D geometry.
- Experiment with color and texture on your model.
- Cast a shadow to see where the sun falls as you model.
- Select from thousands of pre-drawn components.
Try the push/pull tool that lets you expand the volume of geometry in your models.
- Select the Push/Pull Tool. The cursor will change to a 3D rectangle with an up arrow.
- Click on the face that you want to expand or decrease.
- Move the cursor to create (or decrease) volume.
You can even create a measuring tape to measure your designs.
- Select the Measure Tool.
- Click and hold on the starting point of the distance you wish to measure.
- Drag the mouse to the endpoint of the measurement.
- Release the mouse to obtain a measurement.
