SketchUp 3D for Beginners
SketchUp 3D for Beginners is a course in 3D modelling with SketchUp 2026, from Push/Pull, Follow Me, groups, components and tags to materials, AutoCAD imports and scenes. It suits architects, interior designers and product designers who are new to 3D, and you leave able to produce presentation images and animations of your own designs.
- Duration12 hours · 2 days
- FormatOnsite / live online
- Next roundOn request
- CertificateIncluded
Course overview
SketchUp is one of the quickest 3D programs to learn. You draw lines to make faces, then pull them into shapes, so you can think through a design while you model it. It is widely used for architecture, interiors, exhibition booths, furniture, products, landscapes, sets and storyboards. Yet many beginners only use part of it: geometry sticks together and becomes hard to edit, models get messy, and presentation images never look quite right.
This course builds a solid foundation in SketchUp 2026, from setting up the program and shortcuts and drawing accurately with inference, to modelling with Push/Pull, Follow Me and Offset and organising models with groups, components and tags. It then covers photoreal materials, modelling from AutoCAD files and photos, terrain with Sandbox, styles, shadows and environments, and finally scenes, animation and image export, finishing with a workshop that takes one real model from start to finish. (2 days, 6 hours per day, 12 hours in total, Beginner level.)
What you’ll gain
- Set up SketchUp 2026 units, templates and shortcuts to suit your own work
- Draw edges and faces accurately with inference and typed distances
- Create and edit models with Push/Pull, Move, Rotate, Offset, Scale and Follow Me
- Organise models with groups, components, the Outliner and tags
- Apply colours and materials, model from AutoCAD files and photos, and create terrain
- Set up scenes, create animations and export presentation images at the size and resolution you need
Who this course is for
- Architects, interior designers and fit-out professionals who want to model in 3D quickly
- Product, furniture and exhibition booth designers
- Mechanical and structural designers who need 3D views to communicate their work
- Students and anyone who wants to start 3D work with software that is easy to learn
Prerequisites
- Confident use of a Windows or macOS computer, including managing files and folders
- No previous 3D experience is needed
- Some experience reading floor plans or using AutoCAD is helpful
- A laptop that can run SketchUp 2026, and a mouse with a scroll wheel
Curriculum
Course Details
This course is the 2026 edition of SketchUp 3D for Beginners. It runs for 2 days, 6 hours per day (12 hours in total, 09:00-16:00), as lectures with labs. Beginner level. This edition moves from the old Google SketchUp to SketchUp 2026, uses tags in place of layers, and adds the Outliner, Live Components, photoreal materials, environments and the updated DWG import. It keeps
the original core of the interface and basic tools, Push/Pull, Follow Me, Offset, materials, components, sections, styles, shadows, fog, Photo Match, Sandbox, importing AutoCAD files, scenes, animation and image export, and finishes with a workshop on a real model. Learners use SketchUp Pro for desktop on a trial or their own or their organisation's licence, and take home a lab guide and practice files for every lab.
Day 1 3D Modelling Fundamentals
Section 1: Lab: Getting Started with SketchUp 2026
- The interface, toolbars, the tray and the panels you use most
- Orbit, pan and zoom fluently with the mouse
- Choose a millimetre template and set up preferences
- Lab: assign shortcuts and save your own template
Section 2: Lab: Edges, Faces and Inference
- Edges and faces, the heart of how SketchUp works
- Inference and snap colours, and locking an axis with the arrow keys
- Draw with Line, Rectangle, Circle, Polygon, Arc and Freehand
- Lab: draw a room plan from real dimensions
Section 3: Lab: Modelling with Push/Pull and Move
- Push/Pull faces into shapes and cut door and window openings
- Move and multiple copies such as x5 and /5
- Rotate, Offset, Scale and Flip to reshape geometry
- Lab: model walls, doors, windows and a shelf unit
Section 4: Lab: Measuring Tools, Follow Me and Text
- Tape Measure, guides and guide points for positioning
- Follow Me for mouldings, handrails and round objects
- Dimensions, Text and 3D Text for sizes and signage
- Lab: create a wall moulding and a round column
Section 5: Groups, Components and the Outliner
- Components that update every copy, and Make Unique
- Use components from 3D Warehouse and get to know Live Components
- The Outliner, Hide, Lock, Explode and Intersect Faces
- Solid Tools: Union, Subtract and Trim for solid shapes
Section 6: Workshop: Organising Models with Tags
- How tags and tag folders replace the old layers
- Show or hide by category, such as walls, furniture and ceilings
- Color by Tag and Purge Unused to keep files light
- Workshop: model a furnished home office that is fully organised
Day 2 Materials, Real Projects and Presentation
Section 7: Lab: Colours and Materials
- Paint Bucket and the Materials panel to create and edit materials
- Scale and position textures so they look the right size
- Photoreal PBR materials that respond to light and surroundings
- Lab: apply materials to the home office from day one
Section 8: Lab: Modelling from AutoCAD Drawings and Photos
- Import DWG, set units and use the option to import layers as groups
- Trace over lines to create faces, then raise walls to their real height
- Photo Match to model a building from a single photo
- Lab: model a single-storey house from a DWG plan
Section 9: Lab: Sandbox and Terrain
- From Contours to build ground from contour lines
- From Scratch and Smoove for mounds and hollows
- Stamp and Drape to place buildings and paths on terrain
- Lab: set a house on a sloping site with an entrance path
Section 10: Styles, Shadows and Environments
- Styles, and shadows by location, date and time
- Fog, ambient occlusion and HDRI environments
- Section planes to show interiors and create sections
- Lab: produce views from several angles with realistic shadows
Section 11: Lab: Scenes, Animation and Export
- Set up scenes that remember the camera, tags and style of each view
- Adjust scene transitions and export an animation as a video file
- Export 2D images at the size and resolution needed for print and screen
- An overview of AI Render and sharing models for clients to view and comment
Section 12: Workshop: Design Presentation Project
- Model a house, room or booth from the plan with groups, components and tags
- Add materials and shadows and set up presentation scenes
- Export a set of presentation images and a walk-through animation
- Present the work, review it together and sum up tips for faster modelling
Schedule & training options
For individuals — public rounds
No public rounds are open right now. Join the waiting list and we will contact you first when the next round opens, or ask us on LINE. Or call 02-570-8449 or 088-807-9770
For organisations — in-house / private
- Tailor the content to your team’s tools and projects
- Your dates, at your office or live online
- Quotation with tax ID for procurement
Instructors
Frequently asked questions
How do you use Push/Pull in SketchUp?
Push/Pull pushes or pulls a 2D face into a 3D shape. Draw a closed shape, such as a rectangle or circle, to create a face, then select Push/Pull, click the face and drag up or down, typing the distance and pressing Enter for an exact height. Pushing a face right through to the other side creates an opening for a door or window, and double-clicking another face repeats the same distance straight away.
What is the difference between a group and a component in SketchUp?
Both bundle edges and faces together so they do not stick to other geometry. A group is independent, so editing one copy leaves the others unchanged. Every copy of a component updates together when you edit any one of them, components can be saved for use in other models, and they keep file sizes down, which makes them ideal for repeated items such as windows, chairs or lamps.
What are tags in SketchUp, and are they different from the old layers?
Tags are the new name for layers, introduced in SketchUp 2020. You apply them to groups and components so you can show or hide work by category, such as walls, furniture or ceilings, and you can organise them into tag folders. The rule of thumb is to keep raw edges and faces Untagged and tag only the groups and components, then let each scene remember which tags are visible so you can switch presentation views quickly.
How do you import an AutoCAD file into SketchUp to build a model?
Before importing, clean up the AutoCAD file so only the lines you need remain, such as the walls, and remove text and dimensions. In SketchUp choose File then Import, pick the DWG file, set the units to match the drawing, and optionally import layers as groups to keep things separate. Once the plan is in, trace over the lines to close them into faces, then use Push/Pull to raise the walls to their real height. DWG import is available in SketchUp Pro for desktop.
Who is SketchUp 3D for Beginners for, and what should I know beforehand?
It suits architects, interior designers, fit-out staff, product, furniture and booth designers, mechanical designers, students and anyone who wants to start 3D work. No previous 3D experience is needed, as long as you are confident with a computer. Some experience reading plans or using AutoCAD helps you move faster. Bring a laptop that can run SketchUp 2026 and a mouse with a scroll wheel.
Can SketchUp 3D for Beginners be run in-house for our team?
Yes. It can be run in-house for your team, with examples adapted to your own work, such as modelling the booths, furniture or interiors your company typically works on, and setting up a standard team template and tags. You can request a quotation from this page, or contact us on LINE @itgenius or by phone on 02-570-8449.