Customer Reviews

Google SketchUp for Site Design: A Guide to Modeling Site Plans, Terrain and Architecture (CourseSmart)

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a new sketchup user (going on 3 months) and a purchaser of four books on how to use Google's Sketchup, this book is without a doubt, the most comprehensive introduction to utilizing an amazing tool to design (in 3D) to your hearts desires.
Being a newbie to sketchup can be a daunting experience, such a powerful, yet easy to use tool can get one into all sorts of trouble and lead to many a sleepless night. Aidan Chopra's `Google sketchup 7 For Dummies' was a godsend, as were the numerous online tutorials on Youtube and various online sketchup forums.

Tal's book however has made all the difference, by offering a concise and easy to understand process of how to model effectively. He delivers it with an engaging style that makes all the difference when one is trying to learn something new. The book doesn't suffer the dryness that `Google sketchup 7 Bible' sadly offered. He makes it fun because it really is fun.

Daniel Tal's book is an altogether different beast. A guide book that encourages one to simplify ones approaches by getting organized from the outset, it's all about the process to get the most out of sketchup and ease up on the headaches and sleepless nights that can often entail- no small feat to accomplish in the written word, I can assure you.

The book is set up in four parts the first of which covers the rudimentary tools. The second is where Daniel's expertise and knowledge really start to unfold. On every page, for me at least, there were numerous A-ha moments. So, that's how it's done!!, it's all so easy when one knows how.

The other benefits of the book are the tutorials. These provide numerous exercises' to hone ones skills and climb the ladder to "Sketchup awareness". Part 3 offers an all too rare glimpse into the powerful tools that the `Sandbox' can provide (a feature that I understand Tal was instrumental in fine tuning with the people at Google) to create terrain and organic forms that can really add to ones models and offer endless possibilities. If you can imagine it, Tal's methods enable you to build it. Part four is perhaps the most important one, dealing with Sketchup's unique abilities to import CAD files and also how to greatly increase productivity and turnaround time by using the numerous `Ruby' scripts available.

This is more than just a beginner's book and it is more than just a landscape architects approach to using sketchup in his work. Whether you are an interior designer, a home builder, carpenter, student, an aspiring 3D artist, or a garden designer like me, this book is indispensable.

If you love to model in 3D, you will find this book to be of immense value. Words cannot convey the gratitude I have for this book. It has made me a better, wiser, calmer and happier modeler than even I thought was possible.

Two thumbs up and five stars all the way.

A trip to your local bookseller searching for the precise book which holds the secret to getting from a blank screen to a finished model using SketchUp often ends up with the hopeful user being fifty dollars poorer and having another book to fill their software library shelf. It seems like most of the books that target SketchUp training are aimed at taking the reader through the process of teaching you every nuance of the program and then turning you loose to figure out, on your own, how to apply your new tool set of skills on the problems that sent you to the bookstore looking for a software Rosetta Stone in the first place.

Google SketchUp for Site Design takes a different approach to bringing you up to speed. The cover of the book provides an example of what you can expect to be able to do with SketchUp if you chose to purchase the book and take the time to work through and mastering SketchUp methods introduced early in the book. Daniel calls this SketchUp Process Modeling and it's a great way to model with SketchUp.

Treating the task of software mastery by breaking it down into easy understand method the reader is guided through the process of building and managing complex models. I found each exercise helped me to understand how to model in SketchUp as well as why to model the way the author suggests. This is the first software book I have purchased that truly lives up to the subtitle on the cover. It really is a guide for modeling site plans, terrain, and architecture.

Daniel Tal walks you through the integration of CAD and SketchUp and introduces you to modeling workflow with more than one application, which is often left out in software training books. In addition you are introduced to the resources that can be found in the Google 3D Warehouse to enhance your models as well as add on tools for SketchUp that enhance the capabilities of the program.

If you are interested in investing the time with learning SketchUp you will find Google SketchUp for Site Design to be an able guide to take your modeling skills to the next level. The book is much more than another SketchUp software book. It is filled with quality content that represents the distilled knowledge and experience of someone who not only knows SketchUp but also uses it daily in his work as a practicing landscape architect.

I have used SketchUp since 2004 and I still learned something new on almost every page and chapter. Google SketchUp for Site Design will spend more time open on my desktop beside my keyboard actively being used that it will gathering dust on the shelf. This is a book that anyone who is looking to understand modeling should seriously consider purchasing.

I ordered this book because I wanted to learn 3-D modeling without a lot of pain. I've dabbled with various 3D programs over the years like Autodesk Maya and Zbrush, but quickly gave up due to the steep learning curve and high level of complexity. Google SketchUp, being free and supposedly easy to learn, seemed like a great way to dive into the field of architectural modeling and landscape design and give 3D modeling another whack.

Firstly, unlike many of the computer books in my house, this one isn't the thickness of a telephone book. It's also not filled with dense technical language or boring explanations. It dispenses with the usual boring introductory fluff and dives right in with hands-on tutorials. It teaches you basics, work methodologies, and techniques that are common to other 3-D modeling software, not just with SketchUp, so the skills learned here are good fundamentals that are easily portable to other applications and fields like game design and animation, engineering, wood-working, and manufacturing. It teaches you how to think logically about constructing objects by building them up from simpler ones like a circle, a cube, or a rectangle. For example, the book shows you early on how to create complex objects like a lamp post and a bench from primitive ones, using extrudes, lathes (revolving a shape around a point), sweeps, lofts and SketchUp's "Follow Me" tool, etc. These are techniques common to all major modeling apps on the market.

The chapters are broken down into step by step lessons that are very well-explained. Getting through the book should be fun and easy, because there's not a lot of text to read. The book is mostly pictures. Without exaggeration, almost every single one of the 360 pages contains a big, detailed and colorful graphic showing the step being explained (and in most instances 2 or 3 graphics on each page). The only pages that do not have a picture are the table of contents, the index, and few overview pages.

I would recommend this book anyone interested in learning how to model. It is immediately accessible to users of all levels because of the quality and abundance of the illustrations.

I'm a woodworker and like to use sketchup to design whatever I'm building. Sketchup is a powerful tool and has so many features that it can sometimes be overwhelming. I decided to get this book, even though it covers more than the basics and is more focused towards architecture and landscaping. The book was very useful. It starts with a tutorial of sketchup basics, provides some useful shortcuts and describes components and layers. I knew components before but layers were new to me and was something I learned from this book. It includes great work done using sketchup and many tutorials that allows you to follow and learn as you practice. It covers things such as scanning a hand-drawn sketch and importing it into the software. Overall, this is a great book for anyone looking to learn sketchup in a nicely illustrated way.

My experience with SketchUp instruction manuals is limited (this is the first one I've read), but overall, I was happy with the book, however, I have reservations before recommending it to others.

The examples that Tal includes were very clear, well-explained, and organized in a logical order. The images are helpful, and go a long way in showing what SketchUp is capable of in terrain modeling. Tal's approach makes it easy to learn some of the more complex techniques dealing with terrain grids, follow contours, and the like. That said, I felt that the book was generally thin in complex techniques. By the time I read this book, I'd been using SketchUp for a couple years, and had already learned most of this stuff through Google's online tutorial videos and the Go-2-School podcast series, both free. I also left the book a little hazy on some of the finer points of terrain modeling, like drape vs. stamp, etc, and wish that Tal had really spent more than a couple paragraphs on these.

I also wish that Tal had devoted more space to explaining how best to present a finished model. This could include using Scenes effectively to export images, describing the ideal views for a project, proper workflow to see a project through from beginning to end, and even on using LayOut (included in SketchUp Pro). I would think many readers, who spend a number of hours building a model, would want to know the best, cleanest ways to show off their work.

In the end, Tal's book is very useful for someone who would like to use SketchUp for terrain modeling, but 1) hasn't really started to explore the software's features, and isn't sure where to start, and 2) doesn't really know what SketchUp is capable of in terrain modeling exercises.

Daniel Tal's Google SketchUp guide is a useful resource for anyone who wants to learn more about SketchUp or improve their existing skills. I found it helpful for the design work I do for my job.

The book is arranged into four themed parts, each containing chapters with design instruction ranging from easy to advanced. Given the complexity and abundance of instructional material, this book is organized very well. The first part opens with a brief introduction to SketchUp and a basic beginner's guide. The second part delves into process modeling, the method Tal recommends for completing your design from beginning to end. The third part details SketchUp's sandbox tools, which allow you to work with natural, non-linear geometry to create organic, realistic design features. The book's fourth part provides instruction on using your existing AutoCAD files in SketchUp. Finally, there is a comprehensive topical index in the back.

Professionals, students, even the casual user -- anyone who wants to use SketchUp or improve their skills -- would find value in this guide. Tal's writing style is clear, concise, and rather informal, which makes the guide more engaging and easier to follow than a typical instructional manual or textbook. The pages have a simple, clean, logical layout, and each series of instructions has several diagrams -- nearly one (or more) on every page. Often with some of the more difficult instructions, Tal gives step-by-step diagrams. Additionally, there are no large blocks of solid text anywhere in the book.

One particularly useful feature of the book is that it tells you about ruby scripts, which are tools created by Google and by users to accomplish highly specialized tasks that would otherwise be impossible or extremely tedious; for example, there is a ruby script for dropping trees onto a 3D terrain. Those who are familiar with SketchUp user forums will likely already know how to find and use ruby scripts, but beginners and/or those who perhaps aren't familiar with the online SketchUp community may not know about them. This book is a good resource for an introduction on ruby scripts and learning how to use some of the most valuable ones.

It's important to note that you don't actually have to buy a book to learn the basics of Google SketchUp. There's a plethora of free online tutorials, and, of course, simply playing around with the program can teach you quite a bit. However, the online tutorials will only take you so far, and they can be unorganized; at times, you really have to dig to find the tutorial you want, if it even exists. The one huge advantage of this book is that Tal provides a clear, deliberate, comprehensive story for how to create a design from beginning to end. So, if you're a true beginner, I would recommend that you go through some of the online tutorials, play around with SketchUp, and then, if you like what you've seen, get this book.

Tal's comprehensive Google SketchUp guide would be a great resource for beginners or intermediate users who don't mind (or even prefer) learning the ins and outs of a software program from a textbook. This guide will give you the tools and instruction you need to do most design work. Recommended!

I've been using SketchUp for a couple of years now, but wasn't taking advantage of the full feature set (e.g. Sandbox) because I just hadn't been able to find a tutorial that breaks down these complex operations into easy-to-follow steps. Daniel Tal's book changes all that. He begins with the simplest tools and doesn't take anything for granted -- simple geometry, pushing/pulling, the stuff you probably have figured out on your own. But early on, Tal imposes a discipline: he teaches you how and why to use layers, components and Ruby scripts to make your models (and your life) far more efficient. Each chapter builds logically on the next, and the tutorials increase in difficulty but never get too far ahead of your current learning. Tal even makes his own models available in the SketchUp 3D Warehouse, which (a) helps keep the book slim and affordable, and (b) gives you the option to check your work -- or not -- at your own pace. In this respect it's a fantastic teacher for the self-directed "student." By the last chapter I was comfortably creating complex landforms, architecture and site features, but never felt like I had broken a sweat or struggled to keep pace. The only missing bits I could wish for are equal time for the Mac version of SketchUp (the book is PC-centric), and some discussion of VectorWorks (the book explores the integration of AutoCAD). These are minor quibbles for an otherwise wonderful guide that should be your first stop on the road to mastering SketchUp.

I agree with the other reviewers here when they write that this is a great book for learning how to use SketchUp. Almost a year ago I had purchased "Google SketchUp for Dummies" but after the first chapter I lost interest and found it difficult to follow. This book provides clear directions and great illustrations. The author breaks down the information into digestable chapters that do not assume previous knowledge.

Google SketchUp for Site Design really has opened my eyes to ways to use the program to get more relevant information into my architectural models. I never really applied an order or organization to how I model. I just went at it, creating the forms and shapes I needed. Daniel's book has given me an entirely new framework for using the program. I now realize how important it is to use layers and think about how a model will function, not just how it looks. My building models, which are mostly residential and some commercial, are easier for me to put together using the steps outlined in the book.

The book taught me the best ways to include the surrounding building context, including terrain. The book calls this conceptual grading and instead of using contour survey data, I use the Sandbox tools to sculpt out elevations around the buildings. The book even shows how to create quick building models using the Sandbox tools, something that would never have occurred to me.

This is just some of what I learned and found useful. The tutorials are clear, concise diagrams and in many cases I did not need to read the accompanying text. Only when I stumbled over some of the results did I need to go back and read the instructions.

The book has changed the way I practice and I am looking forward to using what I learned on other projects.

Google sketchup rocks! This book is probably the best one I've used. I just learned how to use sketchup for urban planning concept display. The book is easy to understand and it provides excellent tutorials, workflow methodologies, and places to download free Ruby scripts to enhance your Google Sketchup. I'm currently using the Pro version (not the free version) and am very pleased that I can design rich 3-D graphics and animations for the public to view.

I highly recommend this book if you are in the site plan, architectural, and planning profession. This book is good for anyone else who wants to learn Google Sketchup!

Tim Hennig
Green Bay, WI