SketchUp Pro: A Stepping Stone for Creative Graduates

For graduates entering the dynamic world of creative industries, having the right tools at your disposal is essential. SketchUp's powerful 3D modelling capabilities can be a game-changer for those looking to stand out in fields like architecture, interior design, garden design, gaming, and even film production. 

SketchUp Pro: Why it should be in every creative graduate's toolbox:

Intuitive Interface:  SketchUp Pro boasts a user-friendly interface that allows you to create intricate models without a steep learning curve. This makes it perfect for beginners and seasoned designers alike, letting you focus on expressing your creative vision. If you want to learn how other creative professionals get the best out of SketchUp, check out our series of customer case studies.

Time is essential for designers, and SketchUp saves me a lot of time in the design process. For example, I can easily create different profiles for mouldings, skirtings, and beadings using the Follow Me tool, which speeds things up considerably. I can also save items I create in a library for future use. Sam Foot, Cooper & Sam Design

Design Flexibility: SketchUp Pro empowers you to translate your ideas from concept to form with remarkable ease. Whether you're sketching furniture layouts, crafting architectural models, or designing fantastical game environments, SketchUp Pro's versatility makes it a true all-in-one design companion.

Design on the go, included as standard: Imagine using your iPad to scan a real-world object and instantly create a 3D model! With the "Scan-to-Design" feature, you can:

• Work directly with clients, making changes to their ideas as they talk.
• Avoid multiple visits by capturing everything you need in one meeting.
• Share your 3D model easily through Trimble Connect (also included in your subscription) for further editing on your desktop back at the office.This lets you be more productive and keep your clients happy!

Efficiency is Key: Time is valuable in the creative industries. SketchUp Pro streamlines your workflow by eliminating the need to juggle multiple software programs (unless you require specific extensibility of course). From initial sketches to creating detailed 3D models and presentations, SketchUp Pro keeps everything under one roof, saving you precious time and resources.

This has never been more apparent than with the introduction of new features such as Ambient Occlusion, a new style setting that adds visual emphasis to corners and edges, Ambient Occlusion increases perceived depth and realism within the SketchUp interface.  

3D Warehouse, the largest free 3D model library in the world: Take any image, drop it into the 3D Warehouse search bar, and let the new powerful AI search engine do the rest. Adding real-world textures and ready-to-use objects to your SketchUp model has never been this efficient. Easily access your favourite products, models, catalogues, and collections across desktop, mobile, and web when you log in with your Trimble ID. When you launch 3D Warehouse within a SketchUp project, all your curated content will be accessible for use right in your model, speeding up your workflow. 

Collaboration Made Easy: SketchUp Pro fosters seamless collaboration. With Trimble Connect, teams can work on the same model simultaneously, fostering better communication and efficient project management. This is a valuable asset for graduates entering collaborative work environments. Project teams benefit from real-time, construction-ready project information: view, review, action and reference 3D models, drawings and all the data you need for successful construction projects. Need to generate detailed reports for your team or clients? Generate cost estimates by exporting reports directly from your 3D architecture drawings.

Powerful Extension Library: SketchUp Pro's extensive library of extensions empowers you to customise your workflow and tackle specialised tasks. Need to render high-quality images for your portfolio? Look no further than V-Ray or Enscape. Looking to create 3D printed models? There's an extension for that too. This level of customisation ensures SketchUp Pro can grow alongside your evolving creative needs and dependant on your area of work.

Where Enscape really excels is the ease in which you can create and adjust materials. We all know that materials are so important to giving visuals a realistic look and feel, so being able to do this in real-time makes such a difference. Once created you can save these down and then apply them to new projects where you want to use them, speeding up the workflow.  Henry Cheney, founder of HBC Visual

While not strictly a SketchUp Extension, Procreate is popular with architects, garden, interior and landscape designers and can slot seamlessly into their CAD workflow, with stunning results. Also worth mentioning are  Concepts and Morpholio.

Want to learn about parametric modelling or take it to the next level? You need the impressive Profile Builder. This level of customisation ensures SketchUp Pro can grow alongside your evolving creative needs. You can buy SketchUp extensions directly from our web store, or check out the SketchUp Extension Warehouse. 

Industry Recognition: SketchUp Pro is a recognised industry standard across various creative fields. Having proficiency in this software will make your resume stand out to potential employers and demonstrate your commitment to using the latest design tools. However, you'll already know this as a SketchUp Student user!

A Gateway to Other Skills: SketchUp Pro serves as a fantastic springboard for learning other 3D modelling software. The foundational skills you acquire in SketchUp Pro, like 3D modelling principles and spatial reasoning, will translate well to other programs, making you a more well-rounded creative professional. SketchUp plays well with a vast array of plug-ins and extensions that you'll become fluent in real-time visualisation software enhancing your skill set and giving your growing portfolio of talents a huge boost along the way.

We have two heavily discounted Graduate-SketchUp options available:

SketchUp Pro Graduate subscription includes:

• SketchUp for Desktop, SketchUp for iPad, SketchUp for Web, PreDesign, LayOut, 3D Warehouse, Extension Warehouse, Mobile Viewers, Viewer for Quest, Trimble Connect Business).
• This subscription equips design and construction graduate professionals with an ecosystem of intuitive and extendable 3D design and communication tools. This licence is designed to help graduates transition smoothly from academic to professional work and take on their first commercial clients.

SketchUp Studio Graduate offers everything in the Pro Subscription:

• SketchUp for Desktop, SketchUp for iPad, SketchUp for Web, PreDesign, LayOut, 3D Warehouse, Extension Warehouse, Mobile Viewers, Viewer for Quest, Trimble Connect Business) 
• In addition, SketchUp Studio also offers Windows-only V-Ray 6, Scan Essentials, and Revit Importer. Studio provides advanced BIM and CAD tools for importing and modelling on point cloud data, conceptual design, creating photorealistic and interactive renderings, and enabling interoperability with Revit projects.

Ready to level up your undergraduate-SketchUp experience to professional-mode?

Graduates needing to use SketchUp post-studies should consider investing in SketchUp Pro Graduate or SketchUp Studio Graduate as it is an investment in your creative future and gives you the flexibility of using pro-software for commercial projects at a big discount.

It empowers you to bring your ideas to life with efficiency, fosters collaboration, and prepares you for success in the ever-evolving creative industries.