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Hampstead Mews Apartment Rendering
My images get shared often, and they wind up across the globe. I have an equal amount of foreign clients as I do domestic ones. I usually get kudos for my renderings; however, our American architecture gets ripped apart from my over-the-pond friends. When working on this project, I thought about a project I did for an England client a few years ago. The Hampstead Mews Apartment Rendering has that European flavor and low-and-behold; Hampstead is an area in north London, England… kudos to the architect because they nailed it!
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Bayview II House Rendering
Here is a little project that I just sent off. It is actually a variation of another house I posted a few weeks ago. This one has a crawl space.
I received a Revit model, which I cleaned up and modeled over. Sometimes it is easier to start modeling over, but in other cases, like this one, I used some of the models and modeled problem geometry over.
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Bruce Southwest House Rendering
I am always excited when I am asked to work on a piece that’ll be published. The Bruce Southwest House Rendering will be posted in next month’s Dwell Magazine. I’ll be sure to update the link when the project goes live.
“Bravo! These are great!!”
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Ferguson House Rendering
Introducing the Fargus House Rendering!
Here is how I started my architectural illustration journey. My parents hired an architect to design their house, and they loved the 2d elevations they were being sent; however, some things after being built, not so much. During and after high school, I worked construction, and I started sketching people's houses, showing them to the homeowners as we built, and they inevitably made changes along the way because of the sketches I was providing. It became a passion, and I started to understand that people were spending their life's savings, going into things blindly without 3d drawings.
The architect for the Ferguson House sends the owners to me to show them how their house will look, which is why I do what I do.
Ferguson House Rendering
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Main Street Phase II
Often, people approach me for commercial renderings, saddened that it looks like I don't do commercial stuff. Oh, but I do, and I do just as many commercial renderings as residential renderings. Most of my commercial renderings are under NDS's, so I can't share. I need more on my portfolio page, but there usually isn't any confusion once I explain.
An NDA is a contract through which the parties agree not to disclose information covered by the agreement. I am always entertained by how close some people hold their design to their chest and others don't. I often get the architect refusing to give the developer, my client, pdfs to even provide a quote. If you were to look at my hard drive, I have 1000's drawings, and I have never entertained the thought of sharing anything with anyone, and believe me, people have asked. I get emails from people seeing a rendering on my website and reach out to me asking for the drawings… really?
The Main Street Phase II renderings aren't under any kind of NDA, so I can share. Actually, my contract says that I can share my work freely, so I am not sure how it works with an NDA.
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301 Border Street Renderings
Welcome to the 301 Border Street Renderings. Since these were quite the process and spanned over several months, I thought I would Google 301 Border Street to see if they are marketing it yet. I found a project, but it wasn’t this one, and the architectural renderings were, can I say, not good. I am sure nobody thinks they are good, but I am sure whoever was in charge thought they were fast and cheap.
I am not sure what happened, but there was a time where quality was king. Every project has a budget, and sometimes that funding isn’t a lot; however, you should compromise and do less quantity and more quality. If you can only afford one awesome image, run with it. A bad rendering can only hurt you and won’t help.
Having said that, I think these turned out great, and I am sure it’ll help the developer sell his units in record time. His money was well spent. If you skimp on marketing, where else do you skimp? People are smart and will figure that out.
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SiNi Software - Layer by Material
SiNi Software is a developer of 3D plugins that minimize your time doing the tedious and boring stuff allowing you to focus on the creative work you enjoy.
Here I show you how I clean up a Revit file in 3DS MAX by using their layer my material script. I have used their Forensic for a while, and it has been indispensable. I saw that they had a trial for their suite of plugins, so I went for it, testing it out, and fell in love. Almost all their scripts can be replaced with free ones that you can find around the web. However, these are all in one excellent package. No more searching down updates, finding scripts that are no longer being supported, or not getting any support for bugs. MAX has also become a bugger when it comes to stability. I find myself resetting it monthly, which means I lose all my customization; I was spending the better part of a day rebuilding my customization every time I had to reset MAX.
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Composition Tips
What makes an excellent architectural rendering? Well, what makes a good anything? In art, it is about composition. We look at a picture, piece of art, or rendering, and either we like it or don’t. Most people don’t know why something is pleasing to look at, but yours can be if you follow some composition theories.
A couple of tools I use are PhiMatrix Golden Ratio Design and Epic Pen.
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Brick 2.0 (OmniTile)
A while ago I posted a video on how I do my bricks in 3DS MAX. I no longer use the plugin I showed for part of the process, so as promised, here is an update, using OmniTile.
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Glass Tint in Post-Production
In post-production, I work on the overall image first. I want to create the feeling, and that is done with color-grading and tone-mapping. Once that is done, I dial into specific areas of my image, like in this case, the glass. If I warm the whole picture, my glass gets warm, but I want to retain that blue tint you get from the sky on a sunny Summer's day.
In this quick tip, I show you how I add some blue back into my glass.
The name of the game is subtle. Repeat that 10 times, no really, repeat it over and over. Almost no effect I apply is 100%, and if I think it looks good, I usually drop it down more.
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Bayview House Rendering
The first completed project of 2021!
Two years ago, the family and I took a trip to Houston, Texas. Why Houston? The kids never flew; I wanted the trip to be memorable, so I looked for the least expensive flight, and Houston won. Man, was it hot! We drove to the golf, which is the closest the kids have gotten to an ocean, and we took the scenic route back to Houston. On our way back, we saw a ton of these houses on stilts.
I request CAD files, but sometimes I get Revit or Sketchup files. In the case of the Bayview House Rendering, it was a Revit file. Sometimes clients want a discount if they provide the model and the answer is usually no. Flipped normals, double geometry are two of the many issues with these 3d models. They are not necessarily modeled poorly; they are just not modeled for my needs, and to fix things, sometimes take longer than modeling from scratch. The industry joke is, no discount if you provide a 3D Model, I will charge you more.
Bayview House Rendering
Bayview House Rendering
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Plombon House Rendering
The final project of 2020! I have a 1/2 dozen to be completed, but this is the last completed rendering of 2020.
Everything out of this architect’s office is fantastic. They are a local design/build firm, and they own their style. Like anything, if you are laser-focused on doing one thing really well, you can become a master. If you are looking for a lake cabin or something with the up north feel, let me know, and I’ll hook you up.
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3004 Belmont Blvd Rendering
On my blog, I share a lot about renderings (duh!)—both the artistic side and the business site. I have written about how I quote and don't give a number without seeing the project information. Some send me a vague description, and others send their plans and elevation; however, I need many things to get an accurate number. I don't think people are trying to lock in a low-number, knowing their project has some hidden obstacles (most projects have hidden obstacles), but I am sure some do.
Somehow 3004 Belmont slipped through the cracks with things that would have majorly changed what the project would have cost to be illustrated. Often materials are not ready, and I'll get a description like "exterior will be brick," as with this project, but brick with stone mixed in, in very particular places, changes the equation in a big way. Also, I don't think people switch and bait often, although I have seen it. 3004 Bemont's original submitted documents had a simple landscape plan, and updated plans got pretty specific, with a dozen particular tree and bush species.
My contract addresses these things. However, I rarely push the contract card, and I try to roll with the punches until I can't roll anymore. When these kinds of things happen, I remind my client that the request is called scope creep, and usually, people understand. In this project, I mentioned the scope creep, but I let it at that, and I continued with the project without making a fuss.
When a project is quoted, the number I give is what it'll cost. Like a lot of business models, they come in low, knowing they'll make their profit in markups. I don't do that. I understand that projects will creep, and I also understand that people have budgets. It would upset me going into a project with one number budgeted, knowing that whoever I hire dang well knew that the number will go up. Projects do creep, and I will, at some point, create an addendum, but that is when my time isn't being respected, and they are the ones trying to play the game that I refuse to play on them. This is when they know the number quoted will not cover the cost if the hidden things were revealed when the project is quoted. Having said all of this, 3004 Belmont is a small reminder to be on guard because, although this project didn't, some project's scope creep will be malicious and bury you, messing up all your other projects and cost you more than just money and time.
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6-Plex Renderings
From one of my Canadian friends, here is a 6-plex rendering. I am always happy when my Canadian friends hire me because, basically, they pay a premium. The dollar exchange means what I quote is actually marked-up, on their end, since our dollar isn’t as strong.
The more work I do for a client, the more I know what they are looking for in architectural renderings. With this client, we have gotten to the point that I am sent CAD drawings and a list of colors, and I deliver them their rendering. All the detail and nuances are known, so not many questions need to be asked.
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The Bull Mixed-Use Renderings
Great project for a great repeat client. I have to say, I am blessed when it comes to fantastic clients. Maybe once or twice a year, I get a flake, but most of my clients are great people and companies to work for.
When I am first approached to create an architectural rendering, I asked lead questions. The questions are formulated to pre-qualify projects. Again, I am blessed to choose my clients and the projects I want to work on. Most of the time, I weed out the flakes, not to say one or two doesn't slip through the crack, but they're usually isn't a second project with that client. There is too much online for my clients for me to get dragged down in the mud with a bad client. One lousy client, who usually doesn't have his or her own boundaries and doesn't respect my boundaries (calling me on Christmas morning to discuss your project isn't cool), can jeopardize other clients projects who play by the rules, and I won't have it.
These turned out great, and I wish my client the best of luck on his project.
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Ruttger’s Lakeside Cottage Renderings
It is always a pleasure to get commissioned to illustrate for one of our local resorts. I work for people worldwide, from Canada to Australia, but locally, only a couple of people. I have some theories, but I’ll keep that to myself. Funny enough, I am currently working on projects for both of my local clients.
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Chicago Apartment Renderings
Come on, oh baby, don't you wanna go
Back to that same old place
Sweet home Chicago
“Some good news on my end, the project you recently did for me actually sold out in 3 weeks! With only drywalled and framed out units to show. Thanks to your nice renderings!”
Chicago, the best city in the world! Okay, since I am from Chicago, I might have a strong bias. I was approached to do some interior apartment renderings for a real estate firm in Chicago; I got excited; see, I work from my home office. They don’t let me out often, so sometimes I live vicariously through my projects.
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Little John House Rendering
Here is another small house from a series that I have been posting. This one, unlike the others, is a two-story small house. There weren’t interiors requested for these, and it isn’t my place to share, but it is a cool little house inside, too.
I would love to read about the demographics of these little houses. I am assuming, it is for single couples, maybe in their late 20’s or early 30’s. I live in a resort town, and our population dwindles in Winter. These people are called snowbirds, and they go South in the Winter to avoid our brutal cold weather. Not many people can afford more than one house, but imagine having small homes around the country where you can travel. If we went small, we might be able to afford more than one residence. After all, remote working is now standard, and I doubt they will change once the pandemic is over, so who cares where you live?
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Joanna Small House Rendering
Here is another small house, part of the same project I posted earlier this week. There are a few more, and I'll post those as I wrap them up. This, I think, is my favorite of the lot.
These small houses remind me of an Architect I worked with 20+ years ago. He was a mild-mannered guy, pretty average in appearance, so I would have never have guessed that he lived out of a tent. No, really, and by choice. He didn't want to be tied down, and he loved the freedom of being able to pack up and move anytime he wanted. He would go to the gym every morning, workout, bathe and come to work. He was a cool guy, and I enjoyed working with him. We both worked late often, ordered out, tossed around the beach ball when everyone left (long story), and became pretty good friends. Oh yeah, he didn't own a car, either. I wonder where he is today. Probably retired at 40 and living on an island somewhere.
I don't think I could live in a tent, but a tiny house right now in my life would be fantastic.
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Lena Small House Rendering
Lena, in Greek, means "sunlight". I love houses with names; it helps me give the architectural rendering a personality. Most often, I get project names like House 1, which doesn't inspire me much. For this series, I wanted a lot of contrast between light and shadow, so you can really see sunlight.
In a few years, I'll be an empty nester. I anticipate it not being easy since I live for my family. However, I am looking forward to downsizing. Right now, my wife, two kids, and I live in a 5,000 square foot house, that we literally utilize less than half of that. When the nest is empty, I am downsizing to one of these little houses.
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