Software Tutorials and Guides

A range of links to useful online content for improving your software skills.

Our Maker Spaces staff have compiled a list of useful tutorials and guides for software, that may help you in refining your skills or learning a new software. The guides here are for software regularly used in the Maker Spaces, and the content is geared towards getting the most out of our services.

The university has provided students access to ArchiStar Academy, a learning package that provides tutorials and guides for most of the software used in the Maker Spaces. We have curated a few of our favourites along with other useful guides in the lists below, but definitely check out their massive list for yourself. Click here to find out how to connect ArchiStar Academy.

Tips for using tutorials

Tutorials are a really great way to get information about a software, see how other people might tackle similar issues to you, or just be introduced to something new. However, anyone who has used a tutorial has probably had the experience of being overloaded with information and the endless possibilities for software tools and not really remembering much at the end.

A great way to combat this is to work on a project alongside the tutorial. A project can be anything meaningful to you, from an assignment for class, to working on your portfolio, to designing something for your house. Using a project to guide your learning of a new software is super useful because it allows you to focus on the tools that are useful to that project without worrying about needing to remember everything they try to teach you (remember, you can always watch them again!). Typically this allows you to become familiar with the UI and processes of the program, whilst also coming out with a tangible result. Next time you try to learn a new software, give it a try!

3D Modelling Software

Rhino

Info	Link
Beginner	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/rhino-essentials
Intermediate	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/rhino-designer
Advanced	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/rhino-advanced
Laser Cutting Basics	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/laser-cutting-essentials

Grasshopper

Info	Link
Beginner	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/grasshopper-essentials
Intermediate	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/grasshopper-designer
Advanced	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/grasshopper-advanced

Revit

Info	Link
Beginner	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/revit-essentials
Intermediate	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/revit-designer
Advanced	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/revit-advanced

Maya

Info	Link
Beginner	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/maya-essentials
Beginner Series	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJLo6MafPVM

AutoCAD

Info	Link
Beginner	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/autocad-essentials

Sketch Up

Info	Link
Beginner	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/sketchup-essentials
Beginner Series	https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/collection/36e1fa0d054a15eecc725c514c21d975/Self-paced-Tutorials

3Ds Max

Info	Link
Beginner	https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=10&v=YM9spHSNPpM&feature=emb_logo
Example walkthroughs	https://www.tutorialboneyard.com/3ds-max-modeling-beginner-tutorials/

Rendering Software

Vray

Info	Link
Interior Rendering	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/photorealistic-interior-rendering
Exterior Rendering	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/rendering-commercial-exterior-night
Landscapes	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/rendering-landscapes-for-competitions-with-vray-and-rhino

Lumion

Info	Link
Beginner	https://www.archdaily.com/911559/tutorials-for-architecture-visualization-in-lumion

VR Software

Unreal

Info	Link
Basic VR setup	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/advanced-vr-in-unreal-engine-4

Unity

Info	Link
Unity Basics	https://learn.unity.com/tutorial/create-your-first-unity-project
VR Basics	https://learn.unity.com/tutorial/getting-started-with-vr

Adobe Suite

The Adobe Suite is a fantastic set of software for improving the design, aesthetics, and clarity of your project. The Suite has an extensive list of software, all with their own quirks and benefits for working on a design. The Adobe website has a great resource of tutorials and guides to look through, especially for beginners.

Illustrator

Info	Link
Beginner	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/adobe-photoshop-and-illustrator-cc
Create an icon	https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/how-to/create-an-icon.html?playlist=/services/playlist.helpx/products:SG_ILLUSTRATOR_1_1/set-header:illustrator-projects/playlist:topic/learn-path:key-techniques/en_us.json&ref=helpx.adobe.com

InDesign

Info	Link
Beginner	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/adobe-indesign-cc
Page Layout	https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/how-to.html/aem_id~'playlist/indesign/graphic-design/page-layout-course'

Photoshop

Info	Link
Beginner	https://academy.archistar.ai/courses/adobe-photoshop-and-illustrator-cc
Editing	https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/how-to/photo-editor.html?playlist=/services/playlist.helpx/products:SG_PHOTOSHOP_1_1/learn-path:key-techniques/playlist:topic/set-header:quick-starts/en_us.json&ref=helpx.adobe.com

Premiere Pro

Info	Link
Beginner	https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-pro/how-to/create-project-import-media.html?playlist=/services/playlist.helpx/products:SG_PREMIEREPRO_1_1/learn-path:get-started/set-header:ccx-designer/playlist:ccl-get-started-1/en_us.json&ref=helpx.adobe.com

Light Room

Info	Link
Beginner	https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-cc/how-to/get-started-lightroom-cc.html?playlist=/services/playlist.helpx/products:SG_LIGHTROOM_1_1~cc/learn-path:get-started/set-header:ccx-photographer/playlist:ccl-get-started-1/en_us.json&ref=helpx.adobe.com

After Effects

Info	Link
Beginner	https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/how-to/getting-started-after-effects.html