Cool to see your Arch. renderings in REAL life!!!

[Chris Johnson]

Today I went and visited the grand opening for a large master planned community I did some renderings for. A large copper mine here in Utah has decided to liquidate a few thousand acres and build the largest (so I hear) master planned community in the United States. I did some residential renderings (Only 6) for a builder who has some model homes there.

 

All the builders have about 16 model homes in total. All the homes are within walking distance of each other. The grand opening was today, complete with hotdogs, 50's style music, games for kids, and some band (A former Nsync person) set up at the end of the street blaring away. Just an aside about the band. The band must have been paid big bucks because they had a really nice stage set up, and had all the extra stuff too. However I was glad to see about 8 people lounging around listening to them. AHAHAHHA! 8 people, who didn't even seem very interested, but bored silly!!!! I thought that was funny. That was sure a waste of money!!!! By the way their music stunk, and was unmemorable. Well going on....

 

It was really fun to see the homes for REAL. Not pixelated or in a wire frame!! Though seeing one of the model homes that I rendered was also a special treat.

 

The only disapointment:

The builder I did the work for, built all their base models!!!

Whereas the other builders built their models with all the bells and whistles!!

 

The design of my builder was that common to our region; as such the plans were bland.

Whereas the other builders had plans more suited back east; therefore unknown here in Utah.

 

Well the site this new city is going to be built on is on a long sloping hill and has a fantastic view of the whole valley. I was really excited to see the project and I think it will sell well. In all I heard there were about 10,000 people who went through there today. Well the funnest part was going into the model homes of my builder, and saying "I did those renderings." And then seeing the reactions of the salesmans faces.

 

In retrospect I think for that job a few things could have helped make the renderings better:

 

1. They could have given me information about what the lots would be like. These were houses built on tiny lots with 0 feet setback. For my builder, that means I could have stood between two houses and reached out both hands and touched each wall with my hands. Yes I'm talking about a 4 foot seperation. They didn't tell me that, so I did the typical residential rendering where the house is placed in the middle of the some lush forest.

 

2. The uglier the house, the more I should charge. If everyone in the 3D architect industry did that, maybe residential homes would improve. As it is my builder did alot of changes (6 revisions) and I haven't billed them yet, but I think I will charge more now. In the end it is nice to build a pretty home once in a while.

 

3. I should have gone out to the site. I can't go to the site for every project, that's impossible. But on this one I should have. It was important enough, and it did get a TON of traffic today. I should have gone out and took photo's on site just to get a better idea of the environment. As it is I new nothing about the area when I did the renderings. So for the next big project I'm going to try to learn my lesson.

 

4. Middleman. I was introduced to this by a middleman, who acted as a go-between for far too long. I should have worked directly with the builder more.

 

5. Why didn't my the builder who hired me, also hire some dang hot babe to be a salesman to show people around the model home? Come on people..... I walked into one model home, and who was there to greet me but some dang cute chick. Was I interested in the house? Not really, but for her I was But the point is that having a nice smile to welcome you into the house is a nice added touch and could translate into sales. Cha-Ching!!! I mean who wouldn't want a cutie to sell your renderings?

 

There you have it, advice and experience first hand.

 

And Marty (You know who are), whats up?

 

Chris J.

[Susan]

I read your commentary with interest. I just want to comment on one of your observations. It is a rare subdivision home that is ever really built in the forested lush greenery that we renderers place them in. No one expects to get that kind of an environment when buying a subdivision home. It is universally understood that this is an "artists concept" image and it is intended only to isolate the home and focus in on it as the subject of the rendering and the plan details.

 

 

I don't think any builder will be happy with you if in the future you intend to render a home showing just how on top of one another the homes are.

[Ernest Burden III]

I don't think any builder will be happy with you if in the future you intend to render a home showing just how on top of one another the homes are.

 

One of the problems with 'photoreal' renderings is that, when done right, they show how a project will really look. So a little 'licence' often is helpful, even when it takes away from the accuracy of your work. The trick is to know what to fake or embellish and how. A history in, or knowledge of, traditional media rendering helps.

[Chris Johnson]

One of the problems with 'photoreal' renderings is that, when done right, they show how a project will really look. So a little 'licence' often is helpful, even when it takes away from the accuracy of your work. The trick is to know what to fake or embellish and how. A history in, or knowledge of, traditional media rendering helps.

 

Heh. One problem I have with smaller builders when they come to me, is they give me their base plans of their small homes. I model it, render it, and they see how you silly their homes look with no add-ons. They then come back to me and say "We'd like to change this and this.." In other words they would rather put a disclaimer on their marketing materials saying "Home shown has option A, B, etc.."

 

I'm happy to oblige because I charge them a hefty fee for change orders..

 

I'm still trying to learn to fake and embellish.

 

Chris J.