The basic SketchUp tools are in many cases inadequate. It is difficult to use them to perform complicated geometric operations, to texture organic surfaces or to control a complicated model. In this text, I will present you 10 plugins that will save you a lot of time and transfer your skills to a higher level.
1. 1001bitTools
It is a collection of many useful tools dedicated to architects. Thanks to them, we can easily create windows, doors, stairs and roofs only on the basis of the data entered. Even without basic modeling skills, we can easily create, for example, the construction of a gable roof.
The plugin is also available in the Pro version, which includes more functions and enables the creation of truly complex architectural constructions. For these functionalities, however, you have to pay 48 $,
2. Artisan
This is one of the best solutions available on the market for organic modeling. Without this extension, it is virtually impossible to create upholstered furniture or advanced terrain. Artisan introduces a completely different way of working than the one that SketchUp accustomed us to. It depends more on carving and smoothing the geometry through additional divisions of the grid.
3. CleanUp³
It’s a free plugin that helps you keep your scene in order. It will remove unused geometry, reduce the number of polygons to the necessary minimum and fix all errors in the file. If you have problems with SketchUp’s performance, please read the article: Optimization of ready models – discussion of the CleanUp plugin.
4. ClothWorks
It is a total breakthrough in fabric creation. Thanks to this extension, you will be able to imitate the behavior of a variety of materials as if it were in reality. You can, for example, throw a blanket on the couch, open the curtains in the windows or set up a tent. It’s not everything. ClothWorks works not only on planes, but also on lines. This means that you can also create advanced rope structures.
5. Curviloft
This extension allows you to create complex shells based on curves. You can, for example, create a skeleton of a sacrum and ribbed vault, and then fill it with geometry. You can also indicate the next elements of the tunnel construction, and Curviloft will connect them in turn. It’s an intuitive tool that will help you model non-specific grids.
Curviloft is a free extension that you can download from here: the free Curviloft version.
6. Floor Generator
It’s a plugin that allows you to create advanced patterns of tiles, boards and blocks in just a few seconds. You can easily arrange a regular parquet or a completely random natural stone on a flat surface.
7. RoundCorner
This extension allows you to quickly round the sharp edges of the models. Although it sounds obvious, it opens the way to many advanced transformations. Moreover, it is this seemingly insignificant solution that ultimately contributes to the photorealistic effect.
If you care about the precise mapping of geometries with smooth corners, you must look at the RoundCorner extension.
8. Skatter
Skatter also has its own vegetation library, thanks to which you can instantly create basic ecosystems.
9. SketchyFFD
This is certainly the least popular plugin in this list, but not less useful. It allows you to create an editable “frame” around the object and modify its individual nodes, which directly affect the geometry closed in the box. Thanks to the additional layer of transformation they are more proportional, and you have more control over the mesh and its final shape.
SketchyFFD is a free extension that you can download from here: the free version of SketchyFFD.
10. SketchUV
If you want to precisely
