SketchUp Classes & Training Courses
Learn 3D modeling with ONLC's SketchUp training. Create architectural designs and master layout tools with live expert instruction.
SketchUp Classes & Training Courses
Learn SketchUp hands-on with live, instructor-led SketchUp classes from ONLC! Sketchup software is a powerful and intuitive tool for 3D modeling, designed to help users bring their ideas to life. Whether you’re working on architectural design, interior layouts, landscaping, engineering projects, or creative industries like film and video game design, SketchUp offers the tools you need to tackle any project.
With its user-friendly interface and unique "Push and Pull" method, SketchUp software makes creating 3D models simple and efficient. It also offers advanced features, including drawing layout functionality, surface rendering, and compatibility with third-party plugins. Additionally, the 3D Warehouse provides users with access to a vast library of pre-made assets from SketchUp's community and other CAD professionals, making it easy to quickly enhance your models.
SketchUp also offers a range of creative tools, including lighting, texturing, and rendering techniques, enabling photorealistic results. Its animation and scene creation features allow users to showcase their designs dynamically, perfect for presentations or client pitches.
With ONLC's SketchUp classes, you’ll learn from experienced instructors who provide professional guidance every step of the way. Hands-on exercises and labs ensure you gain practical experience, so by the end of the training, you’ll feel confident using SketchUp software for any project. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to refine your skills, our courses are designed to help you succeed in architectural design, CAD training, and beyond.
Hands-on, Instructor-led SketchUp Courses (ILT)
Instructor-led training (ILT) provides a live, interactive, and hands-on learning experience guided by a professional online instructor. Participants can easily engage by asking questions and participating in real-time class discussions. This dynamic format ensures a fully interactive learning environment.
You have the flexibility to attend ILT sessions from the comfort of from your own location using your personal equipment or opt for a distraction-free experience at one of ONLC's nationwide training centers 
.
For more information about our ILT format, visit our FAQs page , or learn about attending from home or office
Extra Value & Savings with Our Sketchup Training
Get more value with ONLC! Train with confidence backed by our money-back satisfaction guarantee and the option to revisit a through our free refresher course . These exclusive benefits are available to students attending our public, instructor-led SketchUp training classes.
Looking to train multiple team members or enroll in several courses? Take advantage of our volume discounts—the more you invest, the more you save.
Explore your Savings Options here .
Sketchup Group Training: Online or Onsite
Enhance your team's SketchUp skills with customized group training from ONLC. We offer a variety of training options and can tailor the content to align with your specific goals, schedule, and budget. Whether you're training a small team of 10 or an entire division of 1,000, ONLC provides expert instructors, proven resources, and dedicated support to ensure your training is effective and impactful.
Learn more about our Group Training Solutions and request a personalized quote today.
SketchUp Classes & Training Schedule
SketchUp Level 1 - Essentials
Course Outline
Overview
Dive into the world of 3D modeling with this hands-on, beginner-friendly SketchUp course. Over three days you’ll explore the essential tools and techniques for creating, editing, and presenting 3D models. Learn the fundamentals of SketchUp’s intuitive interface, master basic navigation, and create accurate, professional-quality designs.
Topics include:
• Introduction to SketchUp, interface overview, basic shapes, and modeling techniques.
• Advanced modeling, grouping, components, and importing/exporting files.
• Applying materials, creating scenes, generating layouts, and presenting your projects.
• Introduction to Layout
• Introduction to Plugins
• Material and 3D model libraries
By the end of this course, you’ll have the confidence to bring your ideas to life in 3D and a solid foundation for future exploration in SketchUp. Perfect for designers, hobbyists, and professionals looking to expand their skill set.No prior 3D modeling experience is required. Students are encouraged to bring their own projects to work on during practice sessions.
Prerequisite
No prior experience needed.
Introduction to SketchUp
- Overview of SketchUp and its applications
- Navigating the interface: toolbars, trays, and workspace setup
- Using navigation tools: orbit, pan, and zoom
- Setting up templates and units (imperial vs. metric)
Basic Drawing and Modeling
- Drawing tools: Line, rectangle, circle, and polygon
- Push/Pull tool for creating 3D objects
- Using the offset and follow-me tools for additional shapes
Groups, Components, and Organization
- Differences between groups and components
- Creating, editing, and managing components
- Model organization: Tags, scenes, and the Outliner
Intermediate Modeling and Precision Tools
- Modifying Geometry
- Scaling, rotating, and moving objects
- Using the inference system for precise modeling
- Intersecting and combining geometry
Model Organization and Materials
- Working with guides and dimensions
- Applying materials and textures
- Adjusting material properties (color, scale)
Working with Extensions
- Introduction to the Extension Warehouse
- Installing and using essential beginner plugins (e.g., Solid Inspector, Cleanup3)
- Practical applications of extensions in modeling
Practical Applications and Documentation
- Modeling Real-World Objects
- Step-by-step modeling of a simple object or room
- Best practices for scaling to real-world dimensions
Introduction to Layout and Presentation
- Basics of SketchUp Layout: setting up views and scales
- Adding dimensions, annotations, and labels
- Exporting PDF and image files for presentations
Guided practice: Creating a complete model from start to finish
- Individual troubleshooting and tips for improvement
Wrap-Up and Q&A
- Recap and resources, plugins and continued learning
- Case studies
- State of the industry
| Dates | Times | Location | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/27/26 - 5/29/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $1,195 | |||
| 6/22/26 - 6/24/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $1,195 | |||
| 7/22/26 - 7/24/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $1,195 | |||
| 8/17/26 - 8/19/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $1,195 |
SketchUp Level 2 - Advanced Sketchup with Focus on Layout, Construction and Manufacturing
Course Outline
Overview
Unlock the potential of SketchUp for practical applications in this focused 2-day workshop. Tailored for professionals and makers, this course emphasizes how to use SketchUp for creating detailed layouts, designing for construction, and preparing models for 3D printing and manufacturing workflows.
Explore SketchUp’s Layout tool for professional documentation, scaled drawings, and construction workflows. Learn to organize models and use plugins for your specific workflow.
Dive into modeling optimization for 3D printing and manufacturing. Understand file preparation, exporting models in compatible formats, and avoiding common pitfalls in complex modeling
This is usually a smaller class than the beginner class, so topics are more customized to students' needs.
By the end of the workshop, you’ll have the skills to create precise designs for real-world applications, from construction projects to modeling for manufacturing modeling. This course is ideal for architects, builders, and makers looking to bridge the gap between digital design and physical creation.
Prerequisite
Sketchup Level 1 Essentials or equivalent knowledge required
Efficiently creating accurate models
- Ensuring model accuracy
- Scaling and adjusting dimensions.
- Aligning to real-world coordinates.
- Working with intersecting geometry.
- Leveraging plugins for construction and manufacturing
- Time Saving Tricks
- Setting up templates
- Organization for productivity
- Customization for productivity
Construction Drawings with Layout
- Intro to Layout for SketchUp: Overview and interface.
- Importing SketchUp models into Layout.
- Setting up views, scales, and dimensions.
- Adding annotations, scrapbook items and
- Setting up title blocks
- Saving templates
- Printing and exporting construction documents (PDFs, CAD).
Intro to Digital Manufacturing
- Preparing Models for Manufacturing
- Ensuring model solidity for 3D printing or CNC.
- Exporting STL and DXF files for production.
- Using extensions to generate parts lists.
Wrap-Up and Q&A
- Case studies
- State of the industry
- Tips for continued learning (resources, plugins, and community forums).
| Dates | Times | Location | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
5/4/26 - 5/5/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $795 | ||
| 6/2/26 - 6/3/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $795 | |||
| 6/29/26 - 6/30/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $795 | |||
| 7/28/26 - 7/29/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $795 |
SketchUp Level 3 - Advanced Sketchup with Focus on Visualisation & Photorealistic Rendering
Course Outline
Overview
Elevate your SketchUp models with stunning, photorealistic renders in this 2-day workshop. Appropriate for intermediate-level users, this class provides an introduction to industry-leading rendering tools like Enscape, V-Ray, Twinmotion, and Lumion. We will get hands-on with rendering and practice some key concepts.
Topics Include
• Advanced SketchUp techniques needed to prepare your models for rendering
• Overview of rendering principles and workflow.
• Basics of rendering for SketchUp, including material setup, lighting, and rendering scenes.
• Introduction to real-time rendering, environmental settings, and animation tools.
• Learn instant renders, virtual walkthroughs, and presentation techniques.
• Compare rendering tools to determine the best fit for your projects, with time to refine and render your own models.
This is usually a smaller class than the beginner class, so topics are more customized to students' needs. By the end of the course, you’ll understand the strengths of each rendering tool and how to use them effectively to bring your SketchUp designs to life.
Who Should Attend
This course is perfect for architects, interior designers, product designers and hobbyists seeking to enhance their visualization skills.
Prerequisite
Sketchup Level 1 Essentials or equivalent knowledge required.
Understanding Rendering Basics
- What is rendering? Overview of rendering concepts (lighting, materials, and realism).
- Introduction to rendering tools compatible with SketchUp: V-Ray, Twinmotion, and Enscape.
- Setting up a SketchUp model for rendering: cleaning geometry, organizing scenes, and layers/tags.
Overview of Common Rendering Software
- V-Ray: Industry-standard rendering tool with advanced material and lighting controls.
- Twinmotion: Real-time rendering software with a focus on interactivity and animation.
- Enscape: Fast and intuitive real-time renderer with seamless SketchUp integration.
- Comparison of software features, use cases, and system requirements.
- Choosing the right rendering software for different project types (realism, speed, animation).
Materials and Textures
- Applying and editing materials in SketchUp vs Rendering engines
- Importing custom textures and working with many kinds of mapping.
- Enhancing material realism with reflectivity, transparency, bump maps and more
Introduction to Lighting
- Overview of natural and artificial lighting in renders.
- Setting up sunlight and shadow parameters in SketchUp.
- Using rendering tools to add and adjust artificial lights.
Camera Angles and Scene Composition
- Setting up camera views and perspectives in SketchUp.
- Framing scenes for impactful visuals.
- Animating walkthroughs and flyovers using rendering tools.
Rendering Workflow and Settings
- Configuring rendering settings for speed and quality (resolution, output formats).
- Understanding and optimizing render times.
- Post-processing options with rendering tools (color grading, effects).
Final Project and Best Practices
- Students render a prepared SketchUp scene, applying lighting, materials, and camera settings.
- Troubleshooting common rendering issues.
- Exporting final renders and creating a portfolio-ready presentation.
Wrap-Up and Resources
- Tips for choosing the right rendering tool for different needs.
- Recommendations for continued learning (tutorials, forums, and documentation).
Q&A and feedback
| Dates | Times | Location | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/6/26 - 5/7/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $795 | |||
| 6/4/26 - 6/5/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $795 | |||
| 7/1/26 - 7/2/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $795 | |||
| 7/30/26 - 7/31/26 | Live Online from our site or yours. | $795 |
Related Courses
See other 2D / 3D modeling software classes at ONLC
What Our Students Say
"The class has taken me from not knowing anything really about SketchUp to totally wanting to know everything about SketchUp!"
— Fritz T.
"I look forward to taking more classes and learning more about the 3D Modeling/Photogrammetry/Scan to BIM Technology."
— Aaron B.
"Instructor is very knowledgeable. He introduced many concepts and additional outside sources. It was a very helpful class and I learned a ton of new skills."
— Laura P.
Why You Should Learn SketchUp with ONLC...
- Savings
More SketchUp Training, Less Money.
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Save up to 35% on end-user and technical courses in the learning format you want.
(See ONLC Learning Credits) - Extensive Library
More Topics, One Provider!
With our extensive class library you can do all of your training with us. One stop shopping!
Our curriculum has intro through advanced level, specialty titles, boot camps, preps and more.
(See Courses Topics) - Free Retake
More SketchUp Learning—Free Refresher Course!
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You may repeat the same live, instructor-led class one time without charge within a year.
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With our Money Back Guarantee you can get a refund if not satisfied with our live, instructor-led training.
ONLC is committed to quality training.
(See details & restrictions) - Schedule
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Our public schedule of hands-on, instructor-led classes makes it easy to attend a fully interactive online class.
(See All Course Topics) - Our Place or Yours
More Training Locations.
We have hundreds of centers coast to coast with fully-equipped, interruption-free, training rooms,
especially beneficial if you can't participate from your own place due to cybersecurity restrictions.
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Prefer to learn from your own place? We have that too!
(See home/office details)
Frequently Asked Questions About Learning SketchUp
Can you learn SketchUp on your own?
Absolutely! SketchUp software is known for its user-friendly interface and intuitive tools, making it a great starting point for beginners. With plenty of free resources like tutorials, videos, and guides, self-learning is definitely possible. However, enrolling in SketchUp classes or CAD training can accelerate your progress, help you master 3D modeling techniques, and avoid common beginner mistakes while offering expert tips for architectural design and rendering.
How long does it take to learn to use SketchUp?
The time it takes to learn SketchUp varies based on your goals and experience. For basic 3D modeling skills, most people can become comfortable within a few days to a week of consistent practice. Learning advanced features, such as creating detailed architectural designs, mastering rendering techniques, or working with extensions, can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months.
Is SketchUp easier to learn than AutoCAD?
Yes, SketchUp is often considered easier to learn than AutoCAD. It’s designed with a focus on 3D modeling and features an intuitive drag-and-drop interface that’s beginner-friendly, even for users without technical training. AutoCAD, by contrast, has a steeper learning curve and is better suited for detailed 2D drafting and complex architectural design projects.
Is SketchUp free to use, or do I need a paid version?
SketchUp offers both free and paid options. The free version, SketchUp Free, is web-based and ideal for hobbyists or casual users focusing on basic 3D modeling. For professional use, including advanced CAD file exports, detailed reporting, and robust rendering techniques, you’ll need a paid option like SketchUp Pro or SketchUp Studio.
What industries use SketchUp the most?
SketchUp is a versatile tool used in many industries, such as architecture, interior design, construction, urban planning, and landscape architecture. It’s also a favorite in creative fields like product design, game development, and film or stage design. From conceptual 3D modeling to detailed architectural plans, SketchUp supports a wide range of professional needs.
What are the main features of SketchUp?
SketchUp provides a variety of features that make it an excellent choice for 3D modeling. Its user-friendly drawing tools, access to a 3D warehouse for model sharing, customizable templates, advanced rendering options, and support for extensions deliver both flexibility and functionality. SketchUp Pro also includes LayOut, perfect for creating 2D presentations and detailed documentation.
Can I use SketchUp for professional architectural design?
SketchUp is an excellent tool for professional architectural design. With its user-friendly modeling tools and powerful rendering capabilities, it’s perfect for creating conceptual designs, detailed plans, and 3D visualizations. While it may not completely replace CAD software for construction documentation, it serves as a valuable companion for early design stages and client presentations.
What is the difference between SketchUp and SketchUp Pro?
SketchUp is a powerful 3D modeling software offered in both free and paid versions. The free option, SketchUp Free, is a web-based tool perfect for basic 3D modeling tasks. For users seeking advanced features, SketchUp Pro delivers a robust suite of tools, including enhanced modeling capabilities, 2D documentation through LayOut, CAD file import/export functionality, and access to professional extensions.
SketchUp News & Offers
Education Advisors for Personal Guidance
Our Education Advisors can answer questions you may have about our classes and training options. Our Advisors can help you find training is right for your career goals.
ONLC's Education Advisors are available weekdays at our toll free number or via CHAT (icon on this page).
Hundreds of ONLC Centers Coast to Coast for Sketchup Training
We offer every live, online instructor-led (ILT) class at each of our centers on every date. Our training rooms are outfitted with the equipment needed for training and provide an interruption-free space so you can concentrate fully on learning. Find an ONLC center near you .
Live Sketchup Classes from Home
Attend our live, instructor-led classes from the comfort and convenience of your own home. The setup is really easy and you don't have to have the class software on your device. Follow our easy setup video . After viewing, if you're still not sure about the setup contact an ONLC Advisor toll free for assistance.
Questions about our SketchUp courses?
To register for training by phone or for more information contact an ONLC Education Advisor weekdays via chat or phone:
Looking for SketchUp training near me? Check our our list of locations below where you can go to attend a SketchUp class.