I’m a SketchUp Expert :)

Not really. But I went through their entire 3-part “Start Drawing” tutorial! Here are some images from my experience:

Here I just drew a simple house. Their tools make this sort of thing very easy to do.

Here we added a patio to the front, applied textures using the paint bucket tool, played with shadows, and threw in a guy and a tree.

Finally, it has you add on some stairs and an outdoor patio, and then try out the different views and effects like this one that makes it look like a blueprint or something. But with an awesome tree thrown in.

The software is expensive, but they offer an 8 hour free trial. I recommend trying it out if you have an interest in 3D modeling like I do. This reminds me of the programs I used to play with as a child: AmeriWorld (or something like that) and then, later, AWABA. These were 3D interactive chat environments, and if they did not close down, I might still be playing with them today.

They were great tools for communication and visualization. I learned a lot about creating 3D environments, especially interiors. Plus, they had neat things like colors, textures, signs, words, teleportation, ownership, etc. where you can actually build a skyscraper in the virtual world and call it your own.

This was many, many years ago – probably around the time of Cybiko if I remember correctly. That would place it around 2002 or so, give or take a few years. That software must have been ahead of its time. It was more rudimentary, but it worked extraordinarily well. And it had all the networking features, along with friends and everything, to make it a really amazing immersive experience.

On the other hand, I’m glad it ended, and closed that phase in my life. It was almost addicting. I remember that it was just about the time we moved into our house here at Elkwood. Hmm.. that means it probably happened before Cybiko. I’ll have to write a lot more about this at a later time. I’ve experienced some amazing things over the years! (All computer-related…)