SketchUp & Layout for Architects: A Quick Start Guide

Everything you need to know to start producing beautiful 2D drawings from your 3D SketchUp Model

BUILT BY ARCHITECTS FOR ARCHITECTS

Here at SKALA we know what it’s like to struggle with the ebb and flow of architectural practice.
We’ve been there.

As Architects, we have to have to wear so many hats. We’re not just designers, but business owners as well, and at times it can be overwhelming.

That’s exactly why we built SKALA studio. We are passionate that all architects should to be able to work efficiently, effectively and, of course, profitably.

By leveraging the power and flexibility of SketchUp Pro and its sister package Layout, we can show you how to build systems and put processes in place that will give you back your time, and save you thousands of dollars along the way
Once you witness the power of this simple piece of software you wont look back!

Here's What You'll Learn..

This is a short course but we have packed a lot of content in to get you up and running with SketchUp & Layout as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Here is a quick summary of the various learning modules you can expect to find in the course :

1. Get Organised

Learn about how to make proper use of Layers, Groups & Components inside SketchUp as well as modelling best practices to optimise your 2D and 3D output... we'll also show you how to stop everything sticking together!

2.  Create Your Drawings

Generate accurate & attractive Plans, Sections and Elevations right inside SketchUp by taking strategic slices through your optimised 3D Model. We will also show you how to take control of what you see and what you dont to create the drawings that you want

3. Control How They Look

Unlike most other BIM softwares, SketchUp gives you complete control of how your drawings look both in 3D and 2D including colours, lineweights and hatching -  We'll show you how.

4. Finish Like a Pro

Finally take your drawings into Layout to create professional looking plotsheets, complete with annotation and dimensions. We will also show you how to automate repetitive tasks using Layout's powerful Templates and Scrapbooks to save even more of your precious time.

LEARN TO produce drawings like these using just SketchUp & Layout:

Course Curriculum

Meet Mark Gregory

Course Instructor

Mark Gregory is a practicing Architect successfully running his own small residential design practice on the back of his flexible, efficient and cost-effective SketchUp workflow. He has worked for numerous other architecture firms, both large and small, and has experience in pretty much every software and drafting package used in the industry today.

When setting out on his own Mark chose to invest his time and money in SketchUp, and subsequently has developed practices, methods and templates that allow him to replicate the systems and processes available in larger BIM programs, but at a fraction of the cost and in much less time.

WHAT MAKES SKALA DIFFERENT?

  • UNRIVALLED SUPPORT
    Unlike others who might promise support but don’t follow through. We genuinely want to help you make the transition to SketchUp and Layout successfully, and we will help you every step of the way.

  • NO NONSENSE TEACHING STYLE
    We like to keep things simple. We will teach you everything you need to know, and nothing that you don’t. Our lessons are short and easy to digest, but packed with value.

  • ACTION FOCUSSED
    You don’t need more information, you need an action plan and this is it. Every lesson is laser-focussed with actionable steps to help you get to where you need to be, fast.
  • PROVEN TECHNIQUES
    We don’t teach theory. Every lesson and every technique we will teach you has been tried and tested on real architectural projects, and is the result of years of refinement.

  • YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR
    Sure, you could spend the next 12 months searching through YouTube videos, just don’t be surprised if you are underwhelmed by the results.




GET STARTED WITH THE SKETCHUP & LAYOUT TODAY

  • Organise Your SketchUp Models the Right Way
  • Take Control of How Your Model Looks in 2D
  • Get to Grips With Sketchup's Powerful Sister Program: Layout
  • Build Professional Looking Architectural Drawings Quickly & Easily

$35

Single Upfront Payment

Frequently Asked Questions:

I am not an architect. Are you courses suitable for me?

Yes. The focus of our courses is certainly on building design but the techniques we teach and the templates we provide are equally applicable to many other fields, such as: Interior Design, Product Design, Furniture Design & Joinery and even Landscape Architecture





I am a complete beginner and I have never used SketchUp before, where should I start?

SketchUp is one of the quickest and easiest modelling packages to learn. Indeed, somebody with AutoCAD experience for example will find the transition to SketchUp pretty straightforward.

However,  if really are just starting out then I would recommend SketchUp’s own Fundamentals courses, either online or in-person if you can find one near where you live. Once you have grasped the basics, come back and join us!

I don’t have a lot of time to spend learning new software. How long is this going to take?

The online video tutorials shouldnt take more than an hour to complete if you were to watch them back to back.. which we wouldn’t recommend doing.

We normally suggest working through them in smaller chunks, perhaps a module at a time, and then allowing yourself time to practice or, ideally, to try and implement your new skills on a project you are currently working on.

Once you get started with SketchUp and Layout, you might find that time becomes less of an issue anyway because it is just so much fun.. it can become addictive!

Can these techniques be used for large complex buildings?

Certainly. The techniques we teach in our online courses can be applied to any building type or scale.

The only thing holding you back really would be whether or not your computer can handle the larger file sizes and the increased polygon counts, though this would be the case for any 3D modelling software you might choose.

SketchUp files actually tend to me a lot smaller than some other BIM file types because they contain less complex data.


Do I have to purchase SketchUp Pro or can I use the free version?

The free version of SketchUp is a great place to get started and to familiarise yourself with the software, but, in order to fully utilise the techniques outlined in our courses you will need to switch to the paid (pro) version which will give you access to the SketchUp’s powerful sister program: Layout.

I use a Mac, am I still able to take your online courses?

All of our online courses are delivered using the Mac version of SketchUp. While the interface is largely the same on both the PC and Mac versions, where there are differences we make every effort to point them out during the lesson.

PERSONAL NOTE

Here at SKALA studio we are really proud of our online courses.

We are architects and we have families too. We know first hand the challenges of starting and running an architectural practice which is why we are determined to help our students not just make more money, but to have more fun too.

We wont just show you how to use SketchUp, we will teach you the philosophy behind it, how to approach each new project with a clear plan in place and how to leverage your hard work to make future projects even easier.