Introduction to SketchUp for iPad
Presenter: John Wood
Date: 30 & 31 March 2026
Time: 13:00 - 16:00 on both days
Please note that this event will be recorded and will be made available to delegates after the event. For more information on recording and privacy please click here. Once you have booked onto the event an invitation register to the Zoom meeting will be sent via email, including information on how to join the meeting.
SketchUp for iPad is a versatile and powerful CAD program that allows users to easily model in three dimensions with impressive precision. While its technical accuracy far exceeds the needs of most garden design projects—SketchUp can actually model to six decimal places of a millimetre—it is more than capable of producing highly accurate construction details and three-dimensional models. These models can be presented both in plan and elevation and can achieve near-photorealistic quality in visualisations.
What will be taught on this course?
This course will introduce you to SketchUp for iPad, focusing on its unique capabilities and how it can be used effectively in garden design. One of the major strengths of SketchUp is its ability to produce high-definition garden visualisations with rendered surfaces that accurately represent constructed elements, as well as botanically correct images of planted areas. The iPad version of SketchUp also integrates seamlessly with digital plant libraries, allowing designers to easily incorporate realistic plant renderings into their models. Given the importance of planting design in our work as garden designers, this course will dedicate time to exploring the best practices for incorporating planting into SketchUp models and generating visually appealing renders.
One of the key advantages of using SketchUp on an iPad is the intuitive nature of its interface. Modelling with a digital pencil offers a level of control and ease that is far superior to using a mouse. This makes the iPad version of SketchUp more approachable, particularly for those who may not be as comfortable working with traditional computer-based CAD software. The tactile nature of drawing directly on the screen provides a more natural experience, even though the models created are fully three-dimensional and contain all the necessary data for generating detailed construction drawings.
This introductory course is designed for complete beginners, with the aim of empowering participants to create their own 3D garden models by the end of the course. Whether you want to produce visually compelling presentations for clients, or generate technical plans and elevations for contractors, this course will provide you with the foundational skills you need.
Additionally, this course will be useful for those familiar with the desktop version of SketchUp who want to transition to the iPad version. While the core functionality is similar, the iPad version has a different interface that requires some adaptation—especially when switching from mouse input to the more intuitive touch-based system. By the end of the course, you’ll feel confident using SketchUp for iPad as part of your garden design workflow, whether you’re new to SketchUp or making the leap from desktop to tablet.