SketchUp.
Training courses.

Learn SketchUp through practical modelling exercises. Build accurately, organise your model and create clear presentation views. Choose Beginners or Intermediate training, or develop your lighting, materials and rendering skills with our one-day V-Ray for SketchUp course.

Choose live online training or in-person sessions at your premises in London. A training venue can be arranged if required. One-to-one, group and bespoke team training are available. For training elsewhere in the UK, tell us your preferred location so we can confirm arrangements.

Your course options.

1. 01

   Set up and navigate with confidence

   Choose a template, set units and explore the workspace. Use Orbit, Pan and Zoom, and understand standard views, perspective and parallel projection.

2. 02

   Draw accurately from the start

   Create lines, rectangles, circles, polygons and arcs. Understand edges and faces, then use the Measurements box, inference locks, axes and Tape Measure guides to control size and position.

3. 03

   Build forms from simple shapes

   Use Push/Pull to turn faces into volume, Offset to create parallel outlines and Follow Me for simple profiles along a path. Practise creating walls, openings and basic details.

4. 04

   Edit, repeat and adapt your design

   Move, copy, rotate, scale and flip objects. Create repeated copies with arrays and constrain movement along an axis to make controlled changes.

5. 05

   Use groups and components correctly

   Understand how connected geometry behaves. Keep objects separate with groups, create reusable components and see how editing one component can update its other instances.

6. 06

   Keep the model easy to manage

   Name objects and use Outliner and Tags to manage visibility. Keep raw edges and faces Untagged, and choose and position suitable content from 3D Warehouse.

7. 07

   Add materials and refine appearance

   Apply colours and materials, edit basic material properties and adjust texture position and scale. Check face orientation and soften or smooth edges where needed.

8. 08

   Create clear presentation views

   Add dimensions and labels, save scenes and create a simple section view. Choose styles and shadows, then export clear images of your model.

1. 01

   Build from CAD and reference plans

   Import CAD drawings and image references, check their scale and organise the imported content. Use the reference geometry to develop an accurate model and avoid carrying unnecessary detail into your file.

2. 02

   Manage more complex models

   Work with nested groups and components, Outliner and tag folders. Edit repeated elements efficiently, use Make Unique for variations and control visibility as your project grows.

3. 03

   Create detail with greater control

   Develop curved forms and profiles with Follow Me and Intersect Faces. Control curve segments, work with hidden geometry and refine softened edges to balance detail with a manageable model.

4. 04

   Combine and cut with Solid Tools

   Check whether groups and components are valid solids. Use Union, Subtract, Trim and Split to create openings, join forms and model details that are harder to build with basic tools alone.

5. 05

   Diagnose and simplify your model

   Identify reversed faces, stray edges and unwanted internal geometry. Purge unused content and simplify unnecessarily complex components to keep your model easier to edit and navigate.

6. 06

   Refine materials and texture mapping

   Create materials from images, adjust colour and transparency, and control texture scale, rotation and position. Explore projected textures and applying materials to curved surfaces.

7. 07

   Coordinate sections, scenes and styles

   Set up consistent views using section planes, tag visibility, styles and shadows. Update scenes deliberately and control transitions when creating a short walkthrough animation.

8. 08

   Create a simple sheet in LayOut

   Get a practical introduction to LayOut: place saved model scenes, set view scales, add dimensions and notes, update the model reference and export a PDF presentation sheet.

1. 01

   Prepare your model for rendering

   Check model scale, face orientation and organisation. Open the prepared SketchUp scene, confirm its materials and saved views, and identify the details that matter in the final image.

2. 02

   Get comfortable with V-Ray

   Explore the Asset Editor and V-Ray Frame Buffer. Start an interactive render, make simple changes and use quick test renders to understand how the scene responds.

3. 03

   Frame the view and control exposure

   Choose a camera position and composition, set the image proportions and keep verticals clear. Adjust exposure and white balance to create a balanced starting point.

4. 04

   Light the scene with daylight

   Set up Sun and Sky lighting, then compare it with a Dome Light and an HDR image. Adjust the direction and strength of the light to shape shadows and mood.

5. 05

   Create convincing materials

   Apply and edit V-Ray materials for surfaces such as wood, glass, metal and fabric. Control colour, reflection, roughness, texture scale and simple bump detail.

6. 06

   Add and balance interior lighting

   Place rectangle and spot lights, adjust their intensity and colour, and balance them with daylight. Use test renders to check the effect of each light.

7. 07

   Improve render quality efficiently

   Move from quick previews to a final render. Set output size, recognise noise, use the denoiser and balance image quality against the time available.

8. 08

   Refine, export and review your image

   Make final exposure and colour adjustments in the Frame Buffer, save the render and organise the project files. Review the result and practise a repeatable workflow for your next model.