creating more realistic renders

[warrenwest]

Hi Folks,

 

As an interior designer I really need to step up my game with regards to rendering. If anyone can point me in the right direction it would be very much appreciated. Attached is a sample render using materials I would like to use in a real job so my questions are:

 

1) to make the tiles more realistic I would like to create a bump map for them. How is this done?

 

2) I can't seem to find a way to change only the color of the grout? I need the black tile to have a dark grey grout not white?

 

3) Realistic accessories for eg. shampoo bottles, toothpaste tubes, sops etc. I can find brand name items in 3dwarehouse but when I import them into CA I loose all the 'branding' and they just look like generic items.Whats up with that? 

 

I only have X7. No photoshop or other software like Lumion etc. Looking forward to any new ideas  

[MarkMc]

1- I've just started to look into these-started with Wikipedia-has some external links and a web search.

2-you need to edit the material- depending on if material region-open, structure, edit-select material, plan material, copy, edit. You can then change the grout color there under "lines"

3- I think because they are photos- I did manage to import a toaster oven once with the photo of the front intact- don't remember how, likely was accidental, deleted it. Not something I fuss with.

[Gawdzira]

Get GIMP and learn how to use it. That is what will help you make bump maps and such. Also to adjust materials and grout colors in your tile materials. Creating very realistic renders takes a lot of skill and time. CA has a very good training video on bumping up the quality of your materials in prep for rendering. Since you have X7 I am guessing that you don't have SSA?

[DavidJPotter]

 

 

1) to make the tiles more realistic I would like to create a bump map for them. How is this done?

First you must fully understand what a bump map is, technically speaking. as Mark and Alan suggested you will then need an image editor so you can alter the grout with tile textures.

 

 

 

3) Realistic accessories for eg. shampoo bottles, toothpaste tubes, sops etc. I can find brand name items in 3dwarehouse but when I import them into CA I loose all the 'branding' and they just look like generic items.Whats up with that? 

Some makers of symbols at 3D Warehouse short cut the 3d modeling with bit map overlays which if not fully imported as custom textures into Chief then are lost and you, as you say get a generic looking import. 3D warehouse is free but not always high quality.

 

You might consider buying and learning Sketch Up so you can make or repair such generic symbols, it is a matter of how intent you are to get a particular outcome.

 

DJP

[warrenwest]

Thanks chaps. A designer friend of mine recommended Pixplant3 for bump maps. Looks quite user friendly but having some scaling issues. So back to the youtube tutorials for me. Anyone familiar with it? 

 

Cant afford SSA so sure as hell can't afford Sketch Up pro at this moment in time. 

[rlackore]

As Alan mentioned, GIMP is a free and powerful image editor that can help with creating and transforming materials, including creating usable bump and height maps. Like Photoshop it has to be learned - you can't expect to pick it up in a few minutes. However, there are other, easier to learn free image editors (I prefer FastStone Image Viewer) that can be used to create bump maps by manipulating saturation, highlight and shadow, contrast, etc. I also use Genetica by Spiral Graphics. It's payware, difficult to learn, and is no longer actively developed, but it can produce very good results.

[warrenwest]

Thanks Robert, I guess I will have to spend some time learning GIMP then. 

 

-Mark, tried following your instructions regarding grout color but it doesn't show up in 3D view?

[michaelgia]

Not sure why anyone needs such "realism"? Is it to impress customers? What customer would not be impressed with just about anything in 3D? I get the impression that most people in this business going after hyper realism is just to impress themselves. The customer is not impressed.

If anything the more "realistic" it gets the cheesier it gets.

Just my two cents.

If you're posting your plan in architectural digest then spend the money and hire a company that specializes in cinematic rendering. Otherwise draw the plan show them some images and sign the contract.

[DRAWZILLA]

Not sure why anyone needs such "realism"? Is it to impress customers? What customer would not be impressed with just about anything in 3D? I get the impression that most people in this business going after hyper realism is just to impress themselves. The customer is not impressed.

If anything the more "realistic" it gets the cheesier it gets.

Just my two cents.

If you're posting your plan in architectural digest then spend the money and hire a company that specializes in cinematic rendering. Otherwise draw the plan show them some images and sign the contract.

Nicely said, michael

[DavidJPotter]

The purpose of renderings and plans is to clearly communicate a concept to those building professionals who are to make that idea a reality. Concepts need not be like a photograph to clearly communicate a concept. If you are being properly exchanged for a high level of Aesthetics then fine but most of the clients I work for are focused on the outcome, not renderings of an outcome. It is your choice but whatever you do, get a fair exchange for your skill and Artistry.

 

DJP

[jcaffee]

Not sure why anyone needs such "realism"? Is it to impress customers? What customer would not be impressed with just about anything in 3D? I get the impression that most people in this business going after hyper realism is just to impress themselves. The customer is not impressed.

If anything the more "realistic" it gets the cheesier it gets.

Just my two cents.

If you're posting your plan in architectural digest then spend the money and hire a company that specializes in cinematic rendering. Otherwise draw the plan show them some images and sign the contract.

 

There are a few reasons: funding, gov't approval, interior design, client approval, development/leasing marketing, etc., etc., etc.  Are high-res ray traces needed in CDs?  No.  But, if you're designing custom--anything, then somewhere along the line, you may have an audience who needs to be impressed, and that's where the artistic endeavors are worth their weight.

 

Awhile back, I presented for one of Scott Hall's user meetings, and the big "breakthrough" was: Know Your Audience!  My experience with funding and government approvals has taught me (sometimes the hard way) that a bit of prior research-- what works and what doesn't with a particular audience--goes a long way in determining what resources get used to sell the project.  I sure don't want to spend a couple million dollars on a ray traced video when what the audience wants is a physical model.

 

Know your audience.  If what makes their motor hum, (and you're billing hourly) then, by all means, play "doll house" with them--let them dream.

 

jon