SketchUp is great for creating basic structure and bigger aspects of a model, but detailing and creating smaller elements and details like frames can be a little bit tricky and time-consuming. Therefore, while my house is recognizable from the accompanying SketchUp 3D model pictures below, it is very bare-bones. I simplified many of the window frames and the sliding doors. With some elements like the Push/Pull tool, I couldn’t estimate how far I should go or how much area I was covering until I checked the output in the Explore tool. Not to mention, I would accidentally hollow out or delete whole sections of the house.
Another problem was that my house consisted of two colors, white and blue. This created a problem in many areas where I had white on white, so I opted not to include them except for the windows in the back that have thin white frames instead of the blue shutters in the front of the house. To solve this problem, since I couldn’t differentiate between the white of the whole house and the white window frames, I decided to make them blue.
All in all, to save time, I focused on making the house recognizable rather than getting invested in creating an actual detailed 3D model of my house. SketchUp is a great starter tool for those interested in 3D modeling. It can be used to help illustrate real and imagined dimensional objects and environments for many purposes, such as historical or creative.
Tip: I found the Offset tool in SketchUp great for helping make a roof that has an overhang and outlining borders
