I thought that using Sketch up was fairly straightforward. Depicting simple shapes and geometries of my house was simple enough, however when it came to trying to depict more intricate aspects it became difficult. I think that overall SketchUp seems easy to become acquainted with, and with prolonged exposure becomes a lot easier to navigate and more intuitive to use.
I did find the snapping mechanics to be quite annoying at times, in terms of the inconsistency of when the surface I was dragging would snap to a desired fixed point. Additionally, I found it cumbersome to make certain things symmetrical and accurate and to uphold a certain architectural continuity throughout my structure.
The compromises that I did have to make mostly involved intricacy and detail. I wasn’t able to depict small details and whatnot, as I’m still not too well versed in SketchUp. However, I still did my best to render my house to the best of my ability and to the best of my recollection. I think that, overall, my house turned out pretty good, taking my experience with SketchUp into account.
I can envision this sort of 3D modeling tool to be useful in many humanistic aspects. For example, historic structures can be modeled and virtually explored by a user, accompanied by relevant information and facts. Additionally, such tools can aid researchers and historians with a much more comprehensive understanding of various historical/ archeological structures by allowing them to view them from different angles, different perspectives, and from any point within them.
A tip that I would offer fellow novice SketchUp users would be to take things slow – to not rush into making exactly what you envision. Instead, I would recommend slowing down and allowing yourself time to explore the various tools that are at your disposal and determine which ones suit your creative intentions the best. Additionally, don’t hesitate to backtrack! If you discover a new way of doing things that you prefer, don’t hesitate to go back and redo something in this manner if it would be beneficial!
