The right hand toolbar contains stacks of useful panels including a simple and effective animated tutor called the Instructor (Image credit: Carrie Marshall) The online library also includes full models of various building types that you can import into SketchUp and make your own, including really ambitious projects such as mansions and skyscrapers, but you’ll find that many of the more exciting structures are just external shells rather than full architectural plans. SketchUp has its own site of 3D models (opens in new tab) from which you can download models for everything from fences to fridges. Unlike dedicated home design software, SketchUp doesn’t launch with a library of commonly used building materials, fixtures and fittings to get you started so you’ll need to draw your structure yourself or cannibalise somebody else’s model. The left hand toolbar contains the navigation tools and the drawing tools, which you’ll use a lot. Where other apps fill half your screen with toolbars and sidebars, it takes a more Zen approach: there’s a toolbar down the left of the screen and another one down the right. SketchUp Free’s interface is deliberately extremely simple. The interface is very minimal, with just two on-screen toolbars, so it shouldn’t intimidate newcomers (Image credit: Carrie Marshall)

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