Instructify

3D projects in my day involved either shoe boxes or sugar cubes. Google’s SketchUp is a free download that lets people create virtual 3D models with just a few clicks of the mouse.

It’s easy to get started playing around, but more of a challenge to get it working the way you want it (at least for me, who likes to “play first, read the directions later”). If you do need some help, you can find great tutorials on YouTube by the author of SketchUp for Dummies, that can help you get started.

SketchUp is a great way to teach area and volume, or to plot out a room arrangement or design a car. You can even import elements from the 3D Warehouse, where others have done the work for you. It also integrates with Google Earth, and has several different options for sharing your creations.

The program is a free download for Mac and Windows. There’s a pricey Pro version, which appears at the top of the download page, so look below the “Download Pro” button to find the free version. Once it’s installed, have fun with virtual model-making. Save the sugar cubes for your tea. -GRETCHEN SCHAEFER

Google SketchUp

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