Chapter 5
The Professional’s SketchUp Template
SketchUp provides several default templates that are excellent to use for learning, but ultimately not fit for professional use. Your default template in SketchUp should do more than just paint a pretty picture; it should also make modeling easier and reveal deeper levels of information stored within your model. You can customize your own SketchUp template by optimizing the model settings, creating utility scenes and styles, and adding default layers that will fit any design project.
Base Template
Start by opening SketchUp. If you see the Welcome to SketchUp window, uncheck the Always Show on Startup box in the bottom-left corner of the window (Figure 5-1). The Welcome to SketchUp window is designed to introduce first-time users to SketchUp and is not necessary for a professional. Close the Welcome to SketchUp window by clicking on the Start Using SketchUp button.
Figure 5-1: The Welcome to SketchUp Window offers links to learning resources, licensing information, and the default template. All of this information and more is available in the Help menu and at SketchUp.com.
To select a template, click on the Window (SketchUp on Mac) drop-down menu and choose Preferences, then click on the Template tab. Find the Plan View – Feet and Inches template, click on it, and choose OK.
Click on the File drop-down menu and choose New to start ...
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