Light is a Key Requirement

Light is a key requirement for our renderings and with consideration it to be one of the most interesting facet of our work especially when combined with ambience.

The intent is to add something special to our renderings to raise them up above the norm.

So frequently with the dull, lifeless renderings with a light so flat, and boring, that however we executed our work it does not stand out in the crowd.

Color temperature can be an effective tool suggesting the time of the day as well as giving an feeling of hot or cold weather, and this can impact the entire rendering or just a part.

 If you have any question please, contact me, and I'll reply as soon as possible.

Break The Rules!

This is not the last resort though, but many a times breaking the rules is all you have to do — not only for interesting captures but also for winning over the creative rut. For instance, one of the compositional guidelines suggest not to place the subject in the dead center. It makes up for a boring composition. But at times placing the subject in the center works wonders. So first learn the rules and then try to break them often. After all rules are meant to be broken.

 If you have any question please, contact me, and I'll reply as soon as possible.

Skies, Light, and Atmosphere

Skies, light, and atmosphere are all bound together, and to blend these elements together will enhance your exterior renderings substantially.

Even the most ordinary of subjects can be transformed by the right lighting and mood. Many 3D artists find themselves in a rut from time to time, incapable to bring forth exuberance for the next exterior rendering. By creating or changing the sky, lighting or atmosphere, you can come up with a genuinely fresh look for your work.

Skies set the mood of an exterior rendering and greatly influence the light, yet many 3D artist scarcely give any consideration.

So before starting an exterior rendering, I ask myself a number of questions:

What sort of mood do I wish to create that would work with the composition? 

• Do I want a cool, warm, or neutral sky?
• What time of day do I want to suggest? 

• Is there a need for the sky to balance the composition?

• Can the clouds or light in the sky be arranges to highlight a prominent feature?

• How should the sky relate to the landscape, especially where the two elements meet?

• Do I want intense light coming from some part of the sky and if so, where?

These questions may seem to be over- complicated, but after a while they become second nature and most are instantly solved.

With just a little forethought and knowledge you can turn your skies into absolute gems 

 If you have any question please, contact me, and I'll reply as soon as possible.

Cast Shadows

Cast shadows are a outstanding way to evoke a notion of sunshine in your rendering, so make the most out of them. Where you have a house or building, by all means push those trees closer in to give yourself an excuse to lay cast shadows over the walls and roof - it will breathe a little magic into your rendering.

Cast Shadows​

Another thing you can do, to utilize cast shadows, is place a Gobo off screen.​ A Gobo is a  partial screen used in front of a spotlight to project a shape. Here is a great resource for some free Gobos: 

http://www.cgtextures.com/

 If you have any question please, contact me, and I'll reply as soon as possible.

Try to Avoid Parallax

Who wants a building to look like it’s falling over?​

If everything in the scene is approximately the same distance from the camera, or very far away, the parallax effect will be elminated or at least minimized. 

The way you keep your verticals vertical is to try to keep the plane of your camera parallel to the vertical line of the building, which is not always possible, of course.

Wide angle lenses can help reduce parallax effects because a wide angle lens accentuates perspective, making everything seem further away. However wide angle lenses also have a larger field of view so there is a greater chance that things in the foreground (including the ground itself) are captured and then cause problems. 

If you use a render engine like V-Ray, you'll have a guess parallax toggle​, but if you don't, there are post-processing tricks to do the necessary tweaks!

 If you have any question please, contact me, and I'll reply as soon as possible.

Kahn's Exeter Short Film

CG Shortfilm about Louis Kahn's Phillips Exeter Academy Library. Footage from "The Third & The Seventh" project for illustrating Mundos Digitales 2009 conference. Done with 3dsmax, Vray, AE and Premiere. Main theme soundtrack it's The Divine Comedy's "Laika's Theme" from "Absent Friends" album. www.thedivinecomedy.com

CG Shortfilm about Louis Kahn's Phillips Exeter Academy Library.

Footage from "The Third & The Seventh" project for illustrating Mundos Digitales 2009 conference.

Done with 3dsmax, Vray, AE and Premiere

Know Your Rights: Copyright 101 for Artists

How Much Do You Know About Copyright?

Artist Daily and the staff at Interweave have released a new free eBook Know Your Rights: Copyright 101 for Artists to help raise awareness of the issues surrounding copyright and give credit to the talented writers, designers, artists, photographers, and innovators who work with us to share their products and ideas with our readers.

This guide to the basics of copyright is for anyone and everyone: designers and makers, crafters, retailers, library staff, educators, and more.

Most people think of pirated movies or music when they hear about copyright violations, says Eunny Jang, editor ofInterweave Knits magazine. But we answer questions about copyright for crafters, artists, designers, and authors every day—copyright and other intellectual property issues are a big deal in the DIY marketplace, where the "I can do that!" spirit and respect for original, independent design and authorship need to coexist peacefully.

This free resource addresses topics such as:

• What is copyright?
• How does copyright work?
• What is copyright infringement?
• Plus other pressing topics from simple questions to more complex issues, such as:
  • Can I resell a pattern/magazine/book/DVD I own? What about purchases of my digital downloads?
  • Can I make and sell projects I found in a book or magazine?
  • Where can I find more instructions for projects that I can make and sell?
  • How can I tell if a work is in the public domain?
  • Do I always retain copyright as the original author of a piece?
  • What do I do if someone’s violating my copyright?
  • And much more.

  Ultimately, copyright is about protecting the creative process, ensuring that the creator of a work can benefit from that work," adds Jang. ​

Our goal at Interweave is to educate our consumers about what copyright is, and why it matters—and to give authors, artists, and designers everywhere the tools they need to protect their own rights so they can continue to create new works and share them with the public.

Colored Pencil Techniques

Colored Pencil Techniques from Artist Daily: Create Faster, Richer Effects in Your Colored Pencil Drawings

As a medium, colored pencils are rapidly growing to a higher level of appreciation in the art world today.Artist Daily has compiled free tips and techniques for achieving fresh and innovative effects using colored pencils in this free eBook. Many artists over the years have come to find out that color pencils are a very non-forgiving medium. However, following this free tutorial, you may find how fulfilling and uplifting working with color pencils to be.

Colored pencil art is on the rise. Many artists want the lushness of color and the precision of a drawing implement, and the ability to mix the two with their painting practices as well. Using colored pencils is a way to have all of this. In our new free eBook, Colored Pencil Techniques: Create Faster, Richer Effects in Your Colored Pencil Drawings, artist Janie Gildow gives a colored pencil tutorial based on her own artistic practices that show just how adaptable colored pencils can be. Get your free copy today!

A Blend of Color Temperature

​A full cloud cover brings together the color of the sun (white, 5200k) and that of the blue sky (about 8000k to 10,000k), merging them into a color temperature that is slightly higher than the sunlight alone. The amount of blending depends on the cloud cover, but a general rule of thumb is 6000k.

Mediating Mediums - The Digital 3d

contact | gregmtran@gmail.com Short Version - http://vimeo.com/gregtran/mediatingmediumsshort Mediating Mediums - The Digital 3d {Thesis Prize Winner - Harvard Graduate School of Design 2011} Greg Tran architecture | animation | music Full Presentation Script : http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/57431988?access_key=key-1pyggugumvz9ujkdqftd Thanks to my family and friends for various advice and support. Matt Storus, Julian Wu, Chelsea Garunay, Chan Youn, Emmet Truxes, Andrew Domnitz, Will Choi, Paul Cattaneo, Rachel Dao, Rachelina Robertson, Victor Lorenzo, Alex Yoon

Harvard GSD student Greg Tran, whose thesis explored “architecture’s ability to mediate spatial and perceptual experience.” His exploration into techniques that engage and allow for an immersive experience for architects to design with presents an interesting proposal for the future of our profession. The technology, in its current state is largely unexploited and employed as a standalone object, rather than a holistic experience and progressive tool. See his video and proposal for an enlightening take on how we can use this technology for the advancement of architecture. Greg Tran is the recent Thesis Prize Winner – Harvard Graduate School of Design 2011.