Artist Impression & 3D Rendering Process and Workflow

The below example is a guide on how to create a 3D Artist Impression or 3D rendering. The below example is for an external render however a very similar process applies for 3D floor plans & Internal Renders.

What Files are Required - Step 1

What is required initially from the client is a PDF set of plans including detailed floor plans, elevations and any site information. If possible and if available you would also require the CAD file/.dwg file from your designer or architect if its available as this can be helpful for accuracy and some additional layout details.

Also some photos or images can be helpful also, these can be of your site, houses you may have seen, or display homes or images of colours and materials you may like. The more information you receive initially the better.

The more information you can supply initially should limit the number of drafts going backwards and forwards as you will have a very good idea on what you would like to achieve at the start of the project.

You will also need to ask your client the approximate viewpoint location or the area of the home you would like for your 3D rendering. You can then capture the correct viewpoint and elevation in the initial model and viewpoint setup.

Standard image size is 4000 x 3000 pixels for the final 3D Rendering Artist Impression. The final images are suitable for internet, brochures, print media and signboards.

If you require the 3D Rendering to be printed on a large billboard you would require to know the dimensions and DPI required for the final image.

Step 2 is the 3D Model Creation

From the initial plans, elevations, reference images that you supplied you create the 3D model of the property and set up 3 viewpoint options for you to choose from. The viewpoint drafts will be emailed through to you for approval and you will continue to the next stage with the selected viewpoint. If any alterations are required to the initial viewpoints that are set up you will make the changes and send through another set of drafts to choose from.

Step 3 - Colours, Materials & Lighting Setup

When the viewpoint has been chosen the initial model has been approved you will then continue the colour and materials and apply these to the model.

At this stage you will require the colour specifications, reference images and anything that relates to the look you would like to achieve with the property or development.

You may not know everything that you would like which is fine. You would then apply the initial colours and materials to the design and send through a draft, the client can then make further changes and add in any further selections once you have seen the initial draft. You continue to repeat this process with drafts until the colours and materials have been approved.

You normally allow around 3 separate drafts throughout this stage. Depending on the project you may need to include more. This is assessed on a project by project basis.

You will only continue to the next stage once the draft has been fully approved.

Step 4 is the Landscaping and Post Work stage

Once the previous colour and material draft has been fully approved you will then proceed to the final rendering. This process usually takes about 6-8 hours of generation time through the rendering engine. The time taken to render depends on a lot of factors however it is usually between 6-8 hours. The final rendered image will be around 4000x3000 pixels in size. Again if a larger size is required you would need to know this prior to the final generation.

One the final image has been generated you then proceed to the landscaping. The image file is opened up 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 the post work.

Only use trees and plants which are real life photo's. This gives you the realistic effect to the image.

Also add in any cars and people required for the image.

Once the Final image is fully completed and landscaped and sent through you will then have the opportunity to make 1 lot of changes to the landscaping and post work step.