Process and workflow
The following example is a guide on how to create a 3D Artist Impression or 3D rendering. The following example is for an external render, however a very similar process applies for 3D floor plans and internal renderings.
What files are needed – Step 1
What is initially required from the customer is a set of PDF plans that includes detailed floor plans, elevations, and any site information. If possible and available, you will also need the CAD file / .dwg file from your designer or architect if available as it can be helpful for precision and some additional design details.
Also some photos or images can also be useful, these can be of your site, houses that you may have seen or show houses or images of colors and materials that you like. The more information you receive initially, the better.
The more information you can provide initially, you should limit the number of drafts going backwards and forwards, as you will have a very good idea of what you would like to achieve at the beginning of the project.
You will also need to ask your client for the approximate viewpoint location or area of the house that they would like for their 3D rendering. You can then capture the correct point of view and elevation in the initial point of view and model settings.
The standard image size is 4000 x 3000 pixels for the final 3D rendering artist impression. The final images are suitable for the Internet, brochures, print media, and signs.
If you need the 3D rendering to be printed on a large billboard, you will need to know the dimensions and DPI required for the final image.
Step 2 is creating the 3D model
From the initial plans, elevations, and reference images you provided, create the 3D model of the property and set 3 viewpoint options to choose from. Point of view drafts will be emailed to you for approval and you will proceed to the next stage with the selected point of view. If modifications are required to the initial views that are set up, it will make the changes and push them through another set of drafts to choose from.
Step 3: setting colors, materials, and lighting
Once the gazebo has been chosen, the initial model has been the original version, then it will continue with the color and materials and apply them to the model.
At this stage, you will need the color specifications, reference images, and anything else that relates to what you would like to achieve with the property or development.
You may not know everything you would like, which is fine. Then you would apply the initial colors and materials to the design and submit a draft, the customer can make more changes and add more selections once they have seen the initial draft. Keep repeating this process with drafts until the colors and materials have been approved.
Typically allows around 3 separate drafts throughout this stage. Depending on the project, you may need to include more. This is evaluated on a project-by-project basis.
You will only proceed to the next stage once the draft has been fully approved.
Step 4 is the landscaping and post-work stage.
Once the previous material and color draft has been fully approved, the final rendering will proceed. This process typically takes 6-8 hours to build through the rendering engine. The time it takes to render depends on many factors; however, it usually ranges from 6 to 8 hours. The final rendered image will be around 4000×3000 pixels in size. Again, if a larger size is required, you will need to know this before the final build.
Once the final image has been generated, proceed to the landscaping. The image file opens in Photoshop. This is where you add the background, plants, trees, and grass. You can also add additional effects to the image through Photoshop, which is called post-work.
Use only trees and plants that are real life photographs. This gives a realistic effect to the image.
Also add the required cars and people for the image.
Once the final image is completely finished, landscaped, and shipped, you will have the opportunity to make 1 batch of landscaping step and post-job changes.