This really lovely textbook is perhaps even suitable for self-study--that is, if you are sufficiently familiar with computer-like reasoning and you possess above-minimum skills in geometric projection. However, after taking an online tour of beginning SketchUp videos and tutorials, and walking through countless examples, I question the necessity of a print version. Perhaps, if I were on a different planet--a planet without the Internet--I might want to do a study of products. Today, though, there are so many online resources--Web sites, blogs, discussions, tutorials, and videos--that I can find little justification for this book.

The book pedagogically starts with installing and downloading the software, as well as understanding the toolbar and toolsets. It then presents basic shapes and transformations, basic 3D printing, and pragmatic considerations (for example, costs). Next, it approaches various aspects of graphics creativity, including synthesis, analysis, inspired plagiarism, brainstorming, time-saving techniques, advanced shapes, photography compatibility, symmetries, and a broad spectrum of 3D printing alternatives. Even after all that, this is still just beginning SketchUp.

As a physical book, it is more than adequate. If you are looking for an orderly, introductory, walk-you-through-it manual about an easy-to-access (albeit over-hyped) program, look no further. This book is sufficiently organized and articulate, with plenty of illustrations to help you learn the software.

Furthermore, there are industrial and creative jobs to be had for those who master SketchUp. Despite all the wonders of online interactive learning, it is still nice to have a well-indexed handbook on the shelf. Not everyone is suited to the unstructured learning that the World Wide Web (WWW) offers, so a methodical series of concepts and exercises is and will remain of value.