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We’ve been teasing our blog readers for a couple weeks now about our new online “Shop Class on Demand” for SketchUp and I’m happy to announce that it it now up and running in our store. If you’ve been wanting to learn how to use SketchUp, or tried it but gave up in frustration, this is an exciting new way to master this design and planning software.
Part One is now available for immediate download to your computer. Part Two, advanced techniques is on its way, as is a CD version of Part One. Head over to the store, click on the link that says “SHOP CLASS SERIES” and get started. Here’s how it works, and what you can expect:
Each part of this series is close to two hours of video instruction. I recorded from my computer screen as I worked through modeling in SketchUp. This is much like one on one teaching as possible. You can begin watching the video on your computer, then try these techniques for yourself in SketchUp. The pace of the class is up to you-pause the playback, try things out, practice what you need to and then move ahead when you’re ready.
The lessons start with basic drawing commands, navigating in the program and setting up the software on your computer. By the end of the video, you’ll be making components and learning how to make accurate, detailed models of your projects. You’ll find it takes less time to plan a project in SketchUp than with any other method, and you’ll have accurate information about what to build and how to build it when you head to the shop.
Here are a few technical details before you give it a try. The videos are in QuickTime format, so you need to have the QuickTime player installed on your computer. QuickTime is a free download, and a link and instructions can be found in the store. You’ll also need to download and install the SketchUp program from Google. SketchUp is also free, and you can find those links in the store as well.
When you’ve made your purchase, download the video to your computer, and you will have it available whenever you want to watch it. The quality and resolution of these videos is very good, so the files to be downloaded are rather large. We’ve split the lesson up into several files to keep the download time reasonable if you have a high-speed internet connection. If you’re on dial-up, you may want to wait for the CD version. If you have any questions or problems with the purchase or your download, technical help is available.
Click Here to view a sample of the SketchUp Shop Class video
Click Here to Purchase the SketchUp Shop Class Download
Click Here to Reserve a Copy of the SketchUp Shop Class on CD
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I am trying your sketchup class I. I have tried several times before but couldn’t master it. I am a guy who has built computers for 20 years, has written office management software and do a lot of photo editing etc. So you can see I am not a neophyte.
I accidentally got sketchup 7 pro and it is very very buggy it seems. It lost all my components, in the long apron example on the table, it would not allow me to delete the separate apron I put the tenons on. It deleted all of them. It has been generally weird.
I deleted the pro version, installed the simple one. Now it does not do any of that so far.
I do like the first download and may get the second.
I need this facility for drawing custom stuff.
Dan,
It’s 24.95 for the immediate download, 29.95 if you wait and have a CD delivered. Those prices are for each part, or the two part series. Part One is available now, Part Two is in the works and will be available soon.
Bob Lang
Your site isn’t clear on the purchase details. Is it the 30 bucks per download or for the whole series? How many downloads will there be?
I hate Quicktime. It insists on loading whether you are going to use it or not. It is a complete memory hog and can slow down your computer.
If you must use QuickTime, get the Quicktime Alternative (http://codecguide.com/about_qt.htm). It doesn’t stay resident after you use it and has a smaller footprint.
Or better still install the QuickTime plug-in (http://www.medialooks.com/products/plugins/quicktime_plugin.html) for Windows Media Center. It allows you to view Quicktime .mov files without Quicktime.
Hi Mike,
Both the CD version and the Download version of the videos will not play without QuickTime.
In order to deliver the 2 hours of instructional video in HD quality (so you can actually see Bob typing in measurements) we had to use QuickTime. Ultimately it works best because it provides the highest quality video possible in the smallest file size.
As for QuickTime "taking over the computer" after it is installed, you can easily change the preferences of which media files will be associated with QuickTime. Usually you do this when you install the program, but it can be easily changed after setup.
I found this little tutorial online very helpful for outlining how to change file associations for both QuickTime and Windows Media Player:
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000654.htm
I hope this helps!
Chris,
Stretching a table is one of the topics covered in part one, if you follow the sequence it only takes a minute or so.
Mike,
I’ll check with our tech guys about the dvd version and have an answer in the morning.
Bob Lang
Bob,
Will the dvd version work without the quicktime?
I really have an aversion to quicktime as it takes over the computer.
Mike
I’ve got a question about sketchup, and I’m curious if you cover it in the video. Suppose I have a table, where the legs, stretchers, and top are all separate components (so that I can modify one leg and it automatically affects the others) Now I want to lengthen the whole table but keep all the joinery on the ends, the end overhangs, edge treatments, etc.
How do I do this?