The Ultimate Guide to Understanding what is 3D Rendering?

What is 3D Rendering?

The term 3D rendering synonymous with 3D graphics, 3D Visualization, computer-generated imagery (CGI), architectural visualization or Arc Viz. The artist who works in this industry known as 3D visualize or 3D designer. 3D Rendering / Architectural Visualization is an artistic representation of three-dimensional objects in a still or animation to communicate a message. Basically, refer to the process by which graphical content is created using 3D software such as Sketch Up, Rhino, Blender, 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Ravit, lumen 3D and Maya you can create animations and CGI images that will encourage your audience to engage with your product or brand. Now it is one of most fastest-growing technology right now in the world.

3D renderings play a major role in real estate marketing, Architecture, Advertising, product design, furniture design, and Interior designs. It makes it possible to make design related decisions well before the product is actually built. From recent studies, it has been identified that customers tend to take a lot of time in order to make decisions. Therefore, it is important for you to come up with effective techniques to reduce the overall time taken. That’s where photorealistic 3D renderings would come into play.

However, there are some misconceptions regarding the terminology 3D Rendering is a process that generates visual content (i.e., images and animations).   It’s not the same as CAD 3D Design. Cad is used by architects, engineers, drafters, artists, to draw technical drawings. CAD software can be used to create two-dimensional (2-D) as well as basic 3D cad files.

What are the best uses of 3D renderings?

• 3D architecture visualization is capable of providing excellent assistance for marketing. That’s because it is a better method available to convince all the potential buyers in a convenient manner.
• Get better financial support as the presentation of the project can be better showcased by financial institutions, banks, and other lending authorities.
• 3D rendering is a cost-effective, highly efficient way to create visual assets while offering incredible creative control.
• 3D renders allow you to study the design beforehand and understand how it would most likely look like in real life.
• It will help to figure out any flows on a design in an effective manner.
• It will reduce the time taken by customers to take decisions
• It will help you to present your projects in a better way

Process for Creating a 3D rendering

There are a few key steps during the process for creating a 3D rendering such as 3D modeling, texturing, lighting, revision, rendering, and post-production. However, Visualization studios also heavily depend on 3D model libraries. More than 75% of the item used in a CGI rendering is Pre-existing models from 3d Sky. Ever Motion, Viz Pack, and Forest Pack.

• 3D modeling is the process of creating a 3D representation of any surface or object by manipulating polygons, edges, and vertices in simulated 3D space.  The 3D model is created and manipulated using computer software like 3D Max, Sketch Up blender, Maya and various other softwares.
• Texturing is a method for defining color information on a computer-generated 3D model.
• Setting up lights in the 3D scene to replicate lighting in the real world using HDRI maps.
• The test renders will be provided for the client’s feedback and makes changes in order to improve it.
• Rendering is the automatic process of generating a photorealistic image using the 3D rendering software and render engines such as V-ray and Corona. Rendering can take anywhere from several seconds to several days, depending on the complexity of the model and the quality needed.
• Images produced by 3D rendering software required further improvement. post-production is where precise fine-tuning occurs.

What is the difference between high-quality rendering and low-quality rendering?

Example of a High-quality rendering

It’s very simple when it comes to rendering.  If an average a person can say the image is a computer-generated, then it will come under low-quality.  If a person has a hard time to distinguish a real image and CGI, it will come under high-quality rendering also known as a photorealistic rendering.

How much an architectural visualization cost?

Computers have become faster, the software has become smarter and rendering has become cheap. Quality versus cost is not about being fancy and always buying the most expensive version of everything or being cheap and always buying the least expensive version of things.  It’s about making sure what you spent serves your purpose or not. When it comes to rendering if any artist or studio can producer eye-catching rendering that looks close to a photograph that will serve your purpose for sure. A visualization Studio in New York and Los Angeles, usually charge for a high-quality 3D still image is between $350 USD and $ 1000.00 USD. This is an average price you could expect that paying in this range as being fair for small to medium projects, large projects range from $2500 USD onwards depending on the project. While standard 3D animation costs anywhere between  US $1000.00 USD and $5000.00 USD, you could expect to pay a fair bit more depending on the duration and complexity of the video. Obviously, every studio is different and prices vary depends on the geological location. Studios in US, UK, Canada, and Australia chargers more and  Studios in Sri Lanka, Indian and China charge less. Taking the full advantage of cheap labor we at Rapid Renders only changes around 250 to 350 USD  for high-quality renderings  (download our price guideline). We also have a detailed blog post about 3D rendering prices.

What is the most recent advancement in 3D rendering?

Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented reality (AR) adds digital elements to a live view often by using the camera on a Smartphone.  Augmented reality is widely used in online shopping. 3D visualization makes configuration of any furniture pieces possible.  The augmented reality technology allows for color accurate and size accurate pieces of virtual furniture to place around the house. The app works by overlaying 3d Models of furniture brands over real-time video of your house interior. Customers now can see how each piece of furniture fits their home decor.

The IKEA 2014 product catalog furniture catalog app was downloaded  8.5 million times? Mitsubishi Electric reported a 50 million dollar boost in sales in response to the success of their mobile augmented reality application. And 152% Sales Boost.  The company also saw a 2 million dollar decrease in their print costs because the product models could be stored entirely on the mobile device instead of the traditional paper catalogs. Also of augmented reality experiences include Snap chat lenses and the game Pokémon Go.

Virtual Reality(VR)

Virtual reality also called as  VR is an experience taking place within simulated and immersive environments that can be similar to or completely different from the real world.  Unity 3D and Unreal Engine are the best 3D animation programs, currently available for architectural visualization industry.   Virtual Reality completely enhancing customer experience and feel like you are there mentally and physically.  The world turns with you so the illusion created by whatever world you are in is never lost and forget it is a virtual-artificial environment and begin to interact with it as we would naturally in the real world. If you are looking to impress your client this is the way to go. It is really magic to experience.

What is a 360° Virtual Tour?

A 360° virtual tour is more like a simplified version of VR.  It contains a series of 360 Panorama rendered images collected into a navigable environment in which they help to present a virtual space and gain insights about your design.  Commonly used on a website or with Virtual Reality tools such as Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard.

What is a Rendering Engine?

The Rendering engine is a platform that is reasonable for generating the graphical output. Basically, the job of a rendering engine is to convert the applications internal model into a series of pixel brightness’s that can be displayed by a monitor.  There are multiple rendering engines such as Mental Ray,Maxwell Render, Octane, KeyShot, V-Ray and Corona and F-Storm, However, V-Ray and Corona most commonly used in the industry. It is used as a 3^rd party  (plug-in) for 3D computer graphics software’s such as 3ds Max, Maya, sketch up, Blender and Cinema 4D

There are two large families of 3D rendering engines  CPU and GPU based. The most obvious difference between the two methods is the number of operations that can be performed simultaneously: a CPU can do from tens to hundreds of operations at the same time, while a GPU can do up to thousand different ones. However, V-Ray and corona are CPU based but F-Storm render and Octane Renders are GPU based. In recent development form, F-Storm render team has shown some quality results comparing to corona and V-Ray. Some top studios use F-Storm as their primary rendering engine to stand out from the competition.

What is 3D scanning? 

3D scanning is the process of analyzing a real-world object or environment to collect data on its shape and possibly its appearance. Using specialized 3D camera equipment data can be collected and then be used to construct digital 3D models. After the capturing process is complete Matterport software can generate a 3D Virtual Tour to provide viewers with a 3-Dimensional representation of a property or space where viewers can interact with the environment through seamless navigation at their own pace. However, The only done side is the cost. It can cost around 3395 USD for the camera equipment.