Visualising objects in 3D

The creative landscape of Photoshop, Flash and Illustrator is enough for most designers to think about, without worrying about the third dimension as well. 3D computer-aided design takes years to learn, is unwieldy and is probably not worth the trouble - better leave it to the specialists, eh?

Well not necessarily, because while SketchUp doesn't have the flexibility or power of tools such as 3ds Max, it does serve a purpose for quick visualisations and layouts.

This tutorial will give you a flavour of the versatility of the modelling environment, enabling you to draw shapes straight into the 3D space and push or pull them into full objects. My example shows the layout of an exhibition stand, but SketchUp can be used in a number of ways - for modelling packaging, architectural concept drawings, abstract objects for editorial illustration or just laying out a plan of your office.

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The Creative Bloq team is made up of a group of design fans, and has changed and evolved since Creative Bloq began back in 2012. The current website team consists of eight full-time members of staff: Editor Georgia Coggan, Deputy Editor Rosie Hilder, Ecommerce Editor Beren Neale, Senior News Editor Daniel Piper, Editor, Digital Art and 3D Ian Dean, Tech Reviews Editor Erlingur Einarsson, Ecommerce Writer Beth Nicholls and Staff Writer Natalie Fear, as well as a roster of freelancers from around the world. The ImagineFX magazine team also pitch in, ensuring that content from leading digital art publication ImagineFX is represented on Creative Bloq.

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