Sketchup #10: The Rotate Tool

Thank you very much. I watched lots of videos about rotating, but was not able to repeat the comand by my own. After watching your video, I know that can repeat easily. Full marks

This video is now 10 years old, but it gives just the info I need right now! Thank you for an amazing and simple explanation. I was driving myself crazy trying to work it out on my own.

your making me a little impatient because you explain a little to much

My 2020 favorite hobbi learning something new sketchup

So slow. Too much filler

I've been using SketchUp for only a couple days now, and the rotate tool is easily the biggest pain in my ass. Every tutorial I've watched, these guys make it seem incredibly easy to manipulate the tool - it very much is not. I'm sure there are things they're doing which are second nature to them now that they don't even think about consciously when performing an operation. Little things like where you should have the camera positioned in order to make inferencing more stable - stuff like that. It's the kinds of things that really only come through practice, as it's more muscle memory than learning some particular "rule" of the program.
No one thinks to explain this stuff because they don't think about it when they're doing it. It just happens. It's like trying to explain walking - pretty friggin difficult to explain the minor mechanical details of everything going on, but it's exactly what needs to be learned by someone who's never tried walking before.


My advice as a noob to other noobs, would be to spend more time practicing simple stuff like making a box and moving it around, rotating it, cloning it out, etc. than you do watching tutorials. Believe me, I know it's frustrating, but I think if you start with simple shapes and practice simple moves you'll learn the things you're hoping these tuts will show you but never do. Take baby steps - when you can manipulate objects around and place them wherever you want without any issues, then go ahead and watch tutorials to get an idea of what else is possible with more complex functions and tool use and such.
Seriously... DO NOT expect to bust out some multi-piece model after a couple tutorial videos and an hour of practice in SketchUp - it ain't gonna happen bro. Just like you won't pick up a guitar for the first time, watch a couple tuts on YT and be able to shred like [ insert name of favorite guitarist here ]. One day you might be able to shred just like they do, but that day will only come if you practice the instrument. Same goes for SU I'm sure.


It sucks at first and it's frustrating as hell but put your chin down and power through it. It won't take as long as you think and the rough part will be over - you'll be modeling whatever you want to model sooner than you think - and it'll be badass. But... BUT! ... you gotta practice, practice, practice. Ain't nothin' to it but to do it.
Now get in there Sparky, and win this one for everyone back home!!.. 😆

Hi, loving your videos, great work. Does 2019 sketch have many differences to this? Thank you

great tutorial

so how to rotate round object sir? if rotate square object its very easy

what if the object you want to move is snuggled up to another object? how do you get one to move independent of the other?

Thank you!!!

okay question, what if i wanted to rotate a cube from the exact center of one the faces?

hurry-up already!

i really like your tutorials and is watching everythng. But your voice is making me sleepy all the time lol. its too relaxing.

I need to rotate the AXES 90 ?? Is that possible ?

I'm having problems with snapping the protractor to x/y/z axis for 2d objects. Do you have any solution?

You are showing rotations with the object having at least one plane in a plane of the co-ordinate system. I would like to see the steps necessary to align two components (face to face for example) when the components are sitting at arbitrary angles in the 3D space (each at different angles and with no faces parallel to the co-ordinate planes). Thank you in advance.

Great video and much needed before I pulled what's left of my hair out.  But PLEASE somebody - where is the OPTION KEY?

Thank you. I got very frustrated trying the rotate tools until i found your tutorial

Is there a way to snap to the center of the cube? It would be nice to be able to rotate it in place.

it's all fun and games when you're rotating cubes and the likes, but with triangles and pyramids I never seem to be able to rotate them around one of the edges. It's always some weird combination of horizontal and vertical rotation.

Very easy. Now I am understand this tool.

Very useful, I'm very thankful for this. But... it would be nice if you made a summarized vid at the beginning or at the end. This explanation was very very very detailed, 15mins to show something that could be explained under 1 min... Peace!

= D Thanks!

Thank you! :)

That rotate thing was driving me crazy til I watched your video. Tks

Anyone know if you can make multiple rotate copy's of a object as set deg apart. Gear teeth for example. Some why to input the number of copy's and the degree that I want them spaced apart.

you are an amazing teacher!!!! thank you so much for being great

Thanks you covered all my doubts.

I was sitting here this morning with my coffee and came upon this video . not even sure. I was watching .. a little smugly as I thought .. "I KNOW how to use the rotate tool...". Huh. That will teach me! Hadn't known about using the tic marks on the protractor or snapping to another object to align faces. I'll continue on now a bit less smug. :) .. excellent teaching method .. very clear.

Another thing I noticed because I am a multi-tasking Mom with little ones running around. A Little Boo-boo I did after doing it right the 1st few times. I hit the Protractor instead of the rotating tool. So of coarse it wasn't doing what i wanted it to do. :0)

I know it has been over a year for this Comment [christian udy1 year ago
 
when ever I try to rotate the object gets all twisted and weird] but wanted to reply.
I had the same issue a couple times. This Happens when i only had one face selected. I had to hit {cntrl + Z} to get my box back. Then you take the "Select Tool (aka Black Arrow)" and triple click the box. So that the whole box is Selected and blue. Then bring up your "Rotating Tool" :) Hope this helps someone Else.

Cam, thanks for the very well thought-out tutorials.  Your teaching style is concise and fun to follow.  You have held my interest enough that I will continue through the entire series.  Like Chef John at foodwishes, you make the comjplex understandable.

Great video, but you said "that is all you could ever want to know...", however, you completely skipped the capability to rotate with the protractor away from the object being rotated.  Among other things, this allows you to copy something into a circular pattern around a larger radius, for example.

Intermediate users jump to: 4:53

Where is the option key?

Thanks for the awesome tutorials man! you're like the Sal Khan of Google SketchUp! :D umm I'm having a problem but its no big deal, when 2 boxes snap together side by side they get attached, and when i choose 1 box to rotate - the other box's line comes with the rotation, its weird i don't know how to explain it right. If you're not able to answer its fine the problem is avoidable. Still going to continue with you tutorials you're the best!

sorry for the rant, nice tutorial :)

Great job! Like you tutuorials.

when ever I try to rotate the object gets all twisted and weird.

thanks cameron for these useful tutorials.

thanks, but one question how about if you dont have a reference face to rotate a particulat object? are there any shortcuts for a protractor to immediately snap to any of the axis?

im still here

13:22 to 13:14 - "And they are both in the exact same orientation..." I think the orientation was not exact. Try putting a hole into one of the cube's vertical face and see...

Just want to say thanks for this and the other videos you have done. I'm new to Sketchup, and I've found your videos to be the most helpful.

thnx man it really helps

thanks

also one can do skewing and perspective by grabbing just a point or a line and use the rotate tool as explained in the video.

Simple and to the point. Thanks!