3D modeling is a modern design process that can help interior designers bring one-dimensional representations of spaces and objects to life. Using software such as Sketchup, a 3D modeling specialist can take a flat floor plan and make it come alive, offering clients the ability to take a virtual tour of a space that looks much more real in 3D.
What Is SketchUp?
SketchUp, formerly called Google Sketchup, is a 3D modeling computer program that designers use in a number of industries- architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, civil and mechanical engineering, and film and video game design, just to name a few.
The software is available as a web-based application, SketchUp Free, as a freeware version called SketchUp Make, and as paid version (this version includes additional functionality and allows designers to do more) called SketchUp Pro. The online 3D Modeling with SketchUp course offered by NYIAD is for anyone looking to build their skills as a 3D modeler for work specifically in the architecture or interior design industries.
Maybe you’re an experienced architect or interior designer who doesn’t know this specific software and you want to learn a new skill. Or you might be a complete design beginner looking to explore something new because interior design has always seemed like an interesting career. NYIAD’s course will introduce you to all the elements of the SketchUp software as you work to add 3D modeling to your portfolio.
What Type of Work Can You Do After Learning SketchUp?
After learning 3D Modeling with SketchUp, you can dive into the exciting field of interior design and drafting with a more modern, software-friendly skill set on your resume.
As a professional interior designer working in the modern world, this is an incredibly helpful software to know. It allows you to give clients an accurate look at how you can design and decorate their room, before you’ve actually made any changes to the space. Architectural firms today often use software like SketchUp to create realistic 3D models of structures, allowing potential buyers to take virtual tours of buildings before they are even built. As a proficient SketchUp designer, this is the type of career path you could begin to go down.
How Much Money Do SketchUp Designers Make?
The salary you can make as a SketchUp proficient designer mostly depends on the industry within which you apply your skills. A large portion of NYIAD’s 3D Modeling with SketchUp course students are interested in the interior design industry, and are simply looking to offer more modern software capabilities to their clients.
If interior design is the industry within which you would like to apply your SketchUp skills, the median annual wage you can be shooting for is $53,370. This was the median annual interior design salary as of May 2018 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While that number is reported as the industry average, depending on the type of clients you work with and how many clients you have in your portfolio, you could easily make more. As of 2018, the highest 10 percent of interior design earners were reportedly making more than $94,130.
Want to Learn More?
If interior design has always interested you and you’re interested in taking a modern, tech-savvy approach to preparing for a career, you should really consider learning software that can help take your design skills to the next level in the modern world. In NYIAD’s self-paced, fully-online program, you will study the ins and outs of this fascinating software as you explore how to take flat, one-dimensional floor plans and bring them to life with virtual, 3D models. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, call 1-800-583-1742 or click here for more information on how to get started.
