@Last Software's development of SketchUp has been driven by the growing need among design professionals for a more intuitive and accessible 3D design tool.
Anyone who loves sketching by hand but finds using CAD cumbersome or frustrating will appreciate SketchUp's unique approach: Instead of requiring users to learn a vast, complicated set of commands SketchUp combines a compact yet robust tool-set with an intelligent guidance system that streamlines the 3D drawing process. The result is an interface that supports a dynamic, creative exploration of 3D form, material and light without requiring large investments in training and support.
New Features in SketchUp 7
SketchUp™ Features
Simple & Fast
SketchUp has a unique interface that allows 3D forms to be created, viewed and modified quickly and easily. The core of its simplicity is an interface that allows y\ou simply to draw the edges of the desired model in 3D space, just as they would using a pencil and paper. Intelligent inferencing capabilities automatically determine the nature of the lines and "fill" shapes to create 3D geometry. SketchUp is used by all kinds of designers in many different industries. It is quick to learn, fast to use and hard to forget.
Patent Pending Push/Pull Tool
Push/Pull, as the name implies, enables the you just to click on a shape and push or pull it to create 3D geometry. Much more than just an extrude tool, it allows you to create complex forms quickly and efficiently.
"Sketchy" rendering
Sometime, when you're just working things out at the begining of a new design, too much precision in your drawings can be a bad thing. SketchUp's realtime renderer let's you visually "soften" your drawings with rendering effects like jitter lines, extended edges and dynamic profiles.
Material Exploration
Use SketchUp to experiment with color and texture interactively and directly on your model. Designers who often work with color and material compositions will attest that the relationships between color, texture, form, and light are subtle and cannot simply be inferred from monochromatic models and paint samples. And for them more technically minded, the surface area of any material is always available for material quantity management and cost estimates.
Interactive Sections
Sectional views have been a part of the designer's toolbox since the Rennaissance. SketchUp's Section Tool allows you to place cutting planes interactively, and to move them around as you are modeling to dynamically reveal inner details of your model. Once placed, you can export 2d section views of your model in any supported file format for use downstream in your workflow.
Simple & Fast
Patent Pending Push/Pull Tool
"Sketchy" rendering
Material Exploration