Seeing Tonal Contrast in Your Rendering

Tonal contrast is created when light tones and dark tones are positioned next to each other. The greater the difference between the two, in terms of brightness, the greater the tonal contrast. When viewing an architectural rendering, the eye tends to go to the brightest parts first. But, as the architectural illustrator, you want to direct the viewer’s eye to the part of the architectural rendering that you believe is the most important. A hallmark of the poorly composed architectural rendering is a conflict between where the architectural illustrator wants the viewer to look, and where visual elements within the architectural rendering (such as bright highlights) are pulling the viewer’s eye. A characteristic of the well-composed architectural rendering is that everything works in harmony. Visual elements pull the eye towards where the architectural illustrator wants it to go. All the elements work together, instead of fighting each other.

A little trick of mine is to squint while viewing your architectural rendering. By squinting, you'll remove detail and your architectural renderings contrast will really become evident.



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Bobby Parker
Hey there, thanks for visiting my online portfolio. My name is Bobby Parker and I’m a Minnesota based illustrator who specializes in photo-real architectural renderings, and I’m not afraid to turn my hand to animation if the job requires it. While growing up in Illinios I always had a childhood interest in drawing and artwork that has stayed with me throughout my career in architecture. I received my architectural education working for some of the most talented architects in Chicago. I’ve worked on a wide range of projects, and pride myself on the ability to deliver a valuable and visually-appealing end product, no matter what the scope. For me, it’s essential to achieve a balance between quality and speed. 24 years after working professionally, I am still combining the fundamentals of art with the most current industry technology, to create incredibly realistic 3D architectural renderings. I love what I do, and I hope that it shows in my portfolio. Please take a minute to visit my work page and drop me a message if you have any questions
www.bobby-parker.com
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What Makes a Good Architectural Rendering?