Bobby Parker 10/2/15 Bobby Parker 10/2/15

I Alway Ask for a Deposit

I alway ask for a deposit before I start working on an architectural rendering project. There are three main reasons for this:

I need to pay my bills, and I can’t wait until the end of a project to do that. Plus, I’m doing my best work, so I deserve to get paid during the work. Sometimes projects take a few weeks, or even months, and going without any money during that time is a hardship.
The second reason is that sometimes, My client and I will decide to part ways before a project ends. That isn’t my fault. Clients occasionally run out of money or need to stop a project for reasons that have nothing at all to do with me. But if I have the project set up so that I don’t get paid until the end, I run the risk of walking away with nothing, even if I’ve already put a lot of hours in.
Most projects require me to invest in new assets or maybe a plugin speciaclyy needed for that project

Agreeing with my clients on a few payments over the course of the project, which includes an initial deposit, assures me that my work wasn't done for nothing if we do part ways early.

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Bobby Parker 9/29/15 Bobby Parker 9/29/15

Creating Tilable Brick in 3DS MAX

Making materials for your architectural rendering is both a science and an art. Like most things in life, the more effort you put into it, the better the results. Here, is my workflow for making bricks in 3DS MAX.

There are a lot of moving parts when building an architectural renderings. Some might think that there is a magic RENDER button, but there isn't. Out of the box, the software is dumb. It takes a good eye, lots of patience, and some good workflows.

Bricks are a tale-tale sign of a good architectural rendering from a poor one. Typically, brick covers larger areas, so the repeating pattern when using a bitmap is painfully obvious. Even when you are lucky enough to get a high resolution brick sample from your clients, it wasn't photographed to be repeated, so those can only get you so far. Here, in the video, I show you my brick workflow.

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Bobby Parker 9/29/15 Bobby Parker 9/29/15

Market Price for Architectural Renderings

The market price for architectural renderings has a wide range, just like anything else. Just as a pair of jeans can be either very cheap or very expensive, the cost of an architectural rendering can vary greatly.

Would you buy a car for $50 and then use it to drive your kid to school? Probably not. When a car is being sold for a ridiculously low price, you know something stinks. Maybe the engine is rotten, or the police are looking for it. You know you get what you pay for, and a $50 car is probably a bad idea.

Some clients do think that architectural renderings are a commodity. Some think that all illustrators do the same job. We know that’s not the case at all.

Personally, I have a niche. I live and breathe architectural renderings. I have been in architecture for 25 years. Working within a niche means that I only work with clients in architecture. When I work on these projects and with my clients, I have increased my value for other clients in that same niche in the future.

I am always trying to improve my skills. Too many people stop improving on their technical skills as soon as they finish school. Do you think you know all of the shortcuts in Photoshop? Do you even know if Photoshop is the most efficient tool for you? Have you tried Sketch?

By investing time in improving my technical skills, I can get stuff done faster, which means a more profitable project. Even better, it means improved results.

I try and innovate my process. That’s right, innovation is not only for companies like Apple, it’s also something I do. What I mean by innovation is simply trying new ways of working, all the time. A new ways to send proposals, I try new workflows, I try running my meetings differently. The point of innovation is to find a better way to do the things I already do. By investing time in trying new and better ways to work, I can save a lot of hours and make myself more profitable. Trying new things takes time. Not every idea I have improved my workflow right away, but I consider this an investment that will pay off in the long run.

The architectural illustrator who charges too little, in a few weeks into the project, they will inevitably realize that they hadn’t priced the project correctly. They would then start suffering. The low-priced illustrators would lose all motivation and become hostile to their client, because they knew that they were losing money. The client would have no clue why, that they weren't nice anymore, and the project would stop being fun for both.

One of the biggest questions I am asked is, "how much do you charge for a rendering?". After 25 years of doing architectural renderings, I am still confused by this question. An example would be to call your local real estate agent and ask how much does a house cost. There are many questions to get answered before a price can be given.

First, I would need to see the plans and elevations. Each project is unique and each project has its own obstacles and challenges.

Also, doing something I love and find meaningful is a major part of why I chose to be in this business in the first place. And some clients have more exciting projects to work on than others. To be totally transparent, As a rule, if I’m not that excited about a project, I always charge more. By doing so, I make it worth my time to work on something that’s probably going to bore me. It also makes it possible for me to take on more interesting, but less profitable projects as well. On the other hand, if I’m super interested, I might not push the price too high, to increase my chances of getting the project.

Every project I take on is another part of my career journey. It will have an effect on my future. Understanding the long-term effect a certain project might have will help me to understand the true value of the project, and therefore how to price it correctly.

Bobby Parker 9/25/15 Bobby Parker 9/25/15

Tamarac Village Renderings

Tamarac Village is a large development in Florida. My objective was to produce 12 photo realistic renderings of the exterior, which included 3 commercial buildings, a clubhouse, several parks, and 3 different sized residential buildings, including these larger units.

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Bobby Parker 9/23/15 Bobby Parker 9/23/15

Adam's House Rendering

What a pleasant project to work on. I really enjoy helping architects, builders, and developers show their clients what their client's dream house will look like. Architectural renderings really help the client get engaged and excited about their future dream home.

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Bobby Parker 9/15/15 Bobby Parker 9/15/15

Recommended on Houzz

Always an honor to be acknowledged for my work. I have received a Houzz Recommended badge.

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Bobby Parker 9/15/15 Bobby Parker 9/15/15

Modern Townhouse Rendering

Modern living! It took me awhile to warm up to these modern building renderings that I have been illustrating, but I think I am liking them. I like the metals with the stone and the hard clean lines.

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Bobby Parker 9/14/15 Bobby Parker 9/14/15

The Gramercy Architectural Rendering

I shared the project earlier last month, but the project was sold, so the new owner has made some changes in architecture prior to a press release.

“Those are incredible!!!!!!”

— Owner

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Bobby Parker 9/11/15 Bobby Parker 9/11/15

Commercial Architectural Rendering

“Bobby is extremely talented with his rendering abilities, very accommodating and quick turn around times.”

— River Valley Architects Inc.

Quite a lot of architecture flows past my desk and I am not a fan of some, however, I really appreciate the proposed building for 220 Graham Ave., Eau Claire, WI.

220 Graham Ave Proposed Commercial Rendering

River Valley Architects approached me to prepare them a presentation rendering for a city council meeting. I received a solid Revit model, which is always nice, and a complete color board. Since the model wasn't built to illustrate, I had to spend a few days working the model into something I can use. I created many custom textures, which no repeating pattern can be seen, set up the lighting, and arrange the composition.

Since I had some good architecture to start with, the final architectural rendering turned out great. I wish the architect the best of luck and I hope to see it built.

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Bobby Parker 8/29/15 Bobby Parker 8/29/15

See it Live: Autodesk 3ds Max 2016 Extension 1

Join Chris Murray as he takes you on a tour of 3ds Max 2016: See how new tools and new workflows help you get started quickly, work better, and collaborate like never before.

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