my first revit rendering, need some suggestions!

[m_williams]

I been using Revit for almost a month now. This has been a complete change for me. I am a graphic designer trying to learn Revit. Just wanted some tips and suggestions. I have yet to bring it into Photoshop (i think i may feel a little more comfortable once i get into Photoshop).Let me know what you think..This is my first rendering straight out of Revit. Thanks guys..

[Scott Hopkins]

Good first try!

OK here are some tips:

1) Materials, Materials, Materials - You need to use better materials maps (particularly for your grass) Try to use photographic textures over textures built with Accurender. Try to avoid a lot of visible pattern repeating. Do a search on materials on this site and you will find many links to free texture sites. Start building your own texture library.

2) Don't use the Accurender built in sky. Try using a spherical sky.

3) Try placing the sun so that it casts longer more dramatic shadows.

4) Try a perspective from a different angle. The one you have explains the building very well but it doesn’t sell the building very well.

5) Remember the key to good composition. You need to have items in all three planes of view (foreground, middle ground and background)

6) Always try to do something to obscure the plane where the horizon and the ground meet. Place some plants there, a building, anything.

7) Another option is to keep the rendering more abstract so that you can focus on the form of the building. Try a black sky with simple grey materials.

[SCShell]

Hi there,

First off, re-read everything that Scott said! (Excellent advise) In addition, try some of these ideas.

Before rendering, while in your 3d view, play with shadows so that you can begin to get a feel on how they may look in the actual rendered view. With the new 7.0 release, it is really easy to set the shadows to "location, date, time" and then spin the model to approximate your "photo view". This lets you see which view and shadow pattern has the most dramatic and appealing look for your rendering. Once you have a feel for the sun placement (date and time), then shoot the camera view and play with that in the same way. (Thank the factory for version 7 at this point. I used to have to play with these in rendered views first.)

I usually try to avoid aerial view renderings. They tend to shown too much ground and other items outside of the rendering (like 'nothing'). Try to use views that are slightly distorted in order to create more dynamic punch. If you take a camera shot closer to the building, then when in your view, start stretching the crop regions in order to force the 'distortion'. (This is based on the standard rules of perspective and your field of vision.) Revit determines the best field of vision; however, by stretching the view, you can pull in the rest of the building which isn't in the normal "correct" field of vision. This really can add pizazz to rendering.

I also really like using black sky with a ton of clouds. It creates a very unique looking 'stormy' quality. (Here in Tucson, AZ, we get afternoon monsoon rainstorms which have this.) In addition, try using lower sun angles to create more intensity to your rendering.

Try placing more items in the foreground to "frame" your building. In the old days, we always had a tree branch creeping into the view from an upper corner of the drawing to help make it look like we were actually in the drawing. We also made it look like we were viewing it from over a hedge or wall so that we didn't have to draw all of that grass! Background items are critical too. Add some trees to one side, behind a rear corner so that they frame the building. This helps to "define" the corner profile better and make the drawing more interesting. Leave the other corner simple and the sky will create the profile. Remember, a building's profile "edge" against the sky, or it's form, is what we actually use to define a building mentally. Seldom are the materials the most defining property of a building.
These are all methods to "layer" the drawing in order to create strong profile edges, depth and visual interest. Scott refered to this in his post.

Remember, rendering in Revit is no different that rendering in the "old days". A perspective drawing still must follow the standard guidelines and rules for visual graphics and art. If I may offer a suggestin, try looking at some books of older rendering styles from the library or your local college of architecture. There are tons of really good examples to follow. Nobody creates in a vacuum. And, as I have said here before, don't get caught up in technology to the point that you forget the basics.

Best of luck and keep on experimenting! The results will be worth it!!
Steve

[Martin P]

Some things I like to have when taking a Rendering into Photoshop are an export of the same view, at the same resolution set as "View>shading only" and also "view>hidden line" you can get some nice effects with photoshop using these views on layers set as multiply etc......

Try experimenting a bit with lighting (the studio light that comes with revit is useful) and turn the sun right down, you can get good looking results - there are some posted here.

Make/aquire some maps of your own is very good advice, and should be easy for a graphic designer too please post your nice photoshop mpas here once you make them!!

A nice background image always helps. I have one that is just sky and treeline, and I have a basic "grass" map to match it - in your 3D view go to rendering>settings>environment>background image and set the backround image there....
I have attached them both if you are interested in looking. (the grass texture I just stretch it out really big in Revit - and pick mirror tiles so there is no edge where the maps meet)

I am interested that a graphic designer is using Revit - can you expand a little...

And congrats on the model, good going for 1 month use.

[m_williams]

Thanks so much for all of the advice. For those of you that were wondering. I am a graphic designer just began working for an architecture firm. I have no revit, or architecture experience. We are hoping to merge our two worlds where I can bring a somewhat artistic perception to renderings. Right now though, I am just trying to learn the basics of Revit. I think once I really understand the workings of Revit that I will be able to really make this work. Thanks again for all the suggestions.

[ejburrell67787]

Hey Martin, is that a Windows XP standard wallpaper you are using for your background?

And is the weather really that nice in Scotland? I've never seen it so clear down here in England.

Elrond

[Martin P]

LOL hmmmm yes.... it is quite similar isnt it....

it does tone down a lot in a rendering though and most of it is blotted out by the building. And its true, By rights I should have light grey skies and no real shadows - render settings something like "cloud density - 1" and 3D clouds set at 1000..... not pretty!

[npv_89]

i think no need to bring it to photoshop brother. just explore more revit for me is wonderful see what ive done to my rendering purely revit rendering check it out.

nolan ventura