Need some illustration help

[marshigh]

I posted this (possibly mistakenly) in VWA.

I usually give clients a few exterior renderings to help visualize the exterior 3D geometry. I have a builder who would like me to start doing his marketing illustration that go on his "coming soon" yard signs. Not sure what the best way of moving toward this "look" for him is. I used to own photoshop and could get by pretty well, but that's been years. Not sure if that's necessary or not. I have attached a recent rendering I sent him as well as what he'd like me to aim at (an illustration another guy did for him). Please advise. Thank you!

[PVA - Admin]

I'm sure there are many here with far more experience and artistic taste than I, but my two cents:

You CAN add the grass and plants and forest background via textures, image props and backgrounds respectively, but in this particular case, where the only needed image is a straight-on elevation it may be easiest to add those in post with Photoshop or GIMP.

If you need to do multiple angles, then its usually worth it to model the site, texture it with grass, place image props of the intended plants and either a larger image prop in the background of the treeline or a renderworks background that includes one. That way, you can set up multiple camera angles and while the rendering time will be increased from the additional geometry, it allows more versatility and will most likely be far less work than manually creating a composite in Photoshop for each and every angle you want to see the model from.

To get a nice sunny look, it helps to light with the Heliodon rather than with just ambient lighting, with Warm Colors enabled, or use a Renderworks background that includes a sunset/sunrise physical sky for even warmer colors if thats part of the look theyre wanting.

[PVA - Admin]

Another note, if the client is planning on providing you with the image of the existing site from the angle they want the model positioned in, then its nearly ALWAYS easier to import the image and just align your view such that the model sits in the right orientation, then cut and crop the image so the parts in front of the model and behind are displayed as such.

Now that you can crop images directly in Vectorworks with custom crop shapes, much of the basic process can be done without photoshop, but thats up to you.

[James Russell]

A few major things I do with external & outdoor renderings.

Matt Panzer's CameraMatch is pretty awesome at the whole outdoor reference image manipulation. In the past when I've used it, for say two perspective shots, I'll CameraMatch them, render and export, and then touch-up in Photoshop with highlights and blurs.

Otherwise Image Props are probably the other big time saver as Jim mentioned. I probably rely on them too heavily sometimes if anything, as they represent organic structures (most of the time) better than you'll ever be able to draw them.

Somewhere on the forums (and I'll need someone to link if they have it bookmarked) there was a post a while ago on grass textures, and it was a great discussion with really nice resources. I'll have to find it again for my use and the greater good.

J

[AlanW]

Generally the illustrators render a building in VW then photoshop all the entourage in Photoshop if it's an external image and internal most done within VW and then add a few highlights in Photoshop.

Plants rendering use too much rendering power and don't usually look all that good.

HTH

[marshigh]

I'm looking for an image props library...is there one native to Renderworks? Also, you mentioned a background that may include trees...Are there any in Renderworks.

In general, (historically) I have terrible success when trying to find a resource. Maybe its that I tend to use many of the same resources and put them into my template and don't routinely hunt for new items VS. familiarizing myself with the zillions of libraries and resources available. I just don't know how to navigate it well for some reason?

[AlanW]

There a few trees and things in the he VW library and there a lot of library's available. Not at home but someone will post the sites for sure. You can also make your own props easily.

Edited May 21, 2015 by Alan Woodwell

[PVA - Admin]

This should cover it as well:

http://www.vectorworks.net/getting-started-guides/renderworks/Gsg-2015-r06-creating-image-props

[jmartinarch]

Jim,

How does one get to the plants? I need to drop a couple in plan view 2d and elevation 2d also. I see the library, but I probably need to do something make it active, right?

Thanks,

John

[PVA - Admin]

This SHOULD cover the basics of adding a library to your favorites list in the browser:

http://kbase.vectorworks.net/questions/456/Adding+objects+to+the+Resource+Browser

If it doesn't explain it clearly enough, let me know.