Last Software, developers of design tools, is showing SketchUp 2.0, the fifth release of their design software, at this week’s Macworld Conference & Expo in New York City.
SketchUp 2.0 is a tool for creating, viewing, modifying, and communicating 3D idea. According to the folks at Last Software, it “combines the elegance and spontaneity of pencil sketching with the speed and flexibility of today’s digital media.”
SketchUp 2.0 has several new features designed to offer better integration throughout the entire design process. 2D Hidden-Line Vector output lets you bring your 3D SketchUp drawings into 2D CAD or illustration software. New printing options allow drawings of any scale or size to be printed using any standard printer. Image Objects let you draw over scanned sketch drawings, and to incorporate aerial and site photographs in your designs.
To beef up the product’s design exploration elements, Last Software has enhanced several of SketchUp’s 3D digital tools. In-Place Component Editing allows architects to visualize changes in one building element dynamically throughout an entire project. Updated material exploration tools provide immediate feedback, providing flexibility in color and texture assignment. New Auto-Folding Geometry lets you explore complex forms. Also new in version 2.0 are an Interactive Scale Tool, linear and radial array capabilities, Mirroring and object grouping.
SketchUp 2.0 costs US$495. But you can download it for $475.
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