How long does it take for an interior designer to create a 3D image and present it to the client? The SketchUp Viewer software product for Windows allows you to do this in hours. We will tell you about this program, its features and advantages, and why it should be on the hard drive of every designer.

Why is this program so good

Due to its ease of use, and convenient and user-friendly interface, SketchUp has become a handbook for many professionals, displacing more complex CAD systems. At the same time, SketchUp is compatible with the most popular programs used by designers and architects. Conceptual interior designs made in SketchUp can be seamlessly transferred to other programs for further refinement.

Quick start

After a short tutorial, you can immediately start working on the project and then study the rich functionality of the product. Many designers and architects compare working in SketchUp to virtual modeling.

Practical work with 2D and 3D

Even though SketchUp Viewer is supposed to work directly with 3D objects, the users can easily create 2D drawings based on the presented model. At the same time, 3D objects will be linked to drawings: when moving from a 3D model to a 2D drawing, the 2D components will automatically change as well. The program also allows you to work immediately in 2D format – for example, quickly create an illustration, use it as a basis for a 3D model, or work with it in the existing structure.

Functional features

The main functions of this Windows program are listed below:

• The ability to download and open sketches directly from other programs with similar functionality. There is also the «Open with» function for opening, for example, SKP files sent as email attachments;

• The ability to open files from Google Drive;

• The ability to test your 3D sketches in AR (augmented reality) mode in the paid app version;

• The ability to get detailed characteristics of object volume, areas of faces, length of edges, and so on;

• Easy navigation — scaling, axis motion, and panning with multi-touch gestures;

• The ability to switch perspective and orthographic cameras for production and architectural drawings;

• Selection of units when using the «Roulette» tool to measure objects;

• The ability to work with sketch layers;

• Different program modes help you to understand the hidden geometry of drawings and sketches;

• The ability to move the section plane to get a comprehensive view of the model's inner workings.