12 Reasons to refuse to Render!

[M V]

I studied drafting for 4 years in high school, attended 5 years of arch school, graduated and started the long process of IDP. I started doing more and more rendering work at my firm and realized that I wasn't getting the hours I needed to complete IDP and become an architect (my goal was to get licensed within 4 years). I talked to my boss and he started putting me on more construction document work and you know what... I realized that it was rendering that I loved and not architecture – I actually hated sitting over details and spec sheets!

It took over 11 years and a lot of student loans to realize what my passion was. I am now the Director of Graphics and Technology at my firm and the promotion was a big one for me. I still aid in the design process and I am still learning as much about architecture as most around me. I just will not become the licensed architect that I thought I would. The moral of that story is that if you want to be an architect and you are getting pushed into rendering, talk to your boss. If they won't accommodate your want/need to get CD and CA experience, than it might be time to leave the firm you are at and go to firm that has a strong reputation for teaching and in house IDP coordinator.

As for Architects vs. Renderers…

Architects need us and we need them. The professions are linked closely but are very very different paths to take professionally. Is one more important than the other – I don’t think so and I am sure there are many on these forums that would agree. Illustrators are just as important as designers, drafters, PMs, etc. As technology becomes more advanced and BIM takes over (it already is), along with one-click renderings (which we are all losing work to), there will be less of a need for the 'in-house pigeon-holed rendering guy' and more of a need for a 'talented in-house illustrator / graphics person'. In order to achieve this, you have to become faster, learn advanced software in and out, develop shortcuts and ‘secrets’, keep informed of the latest tech trends and know how to deal with the 3pm "need it in an hour" rendering. That is what keeps me employed – I don’t know about the rest of you.

As for losing personal space…

Do I get aggravated when someone is over my shoulder watching me and micro-managing my work - yes. I tell them that I will email them some stills when it is ready. Then they walk away and wait patiently for samples. I quit a job back in 2004 because the PM pulled up a chair and barked commands at me as I drew in CAD - I will not tolerate that - it's unprofessional and I will not deal with it.

[jhiler]

Standing up for yourself is the best thing you can do. At my last job I started as the toiet guy, I moved into construction, detailing, IT and finally into Visualization. It was all because I kept saying to my employer that I did not feel that this is where my path was going until I hit visualization. I was able to do that for 6 years. I hope my next employer is as open with my interests in mind as their own. If your employer is not open to someone finding their path it may not be the right place for that person. Coming straight out of school it is hard for anyone to know exactly what they want to do. Of course now everyone is worried for their jobs and being honest about your career path not going a certain direction can be looked at negatively.

[shaderkul]

You're all missing the point. This article isn't for aspiring 3D guys, it's for junior architects (the most underappreciated form of life). Junior architects don't want to get better at rendering. They want to become senior architects.

 

The way to do this is for them to practice working on architecture, but senior architects keep giving the junior architects rendering work (which is not architecture work) to do. The better the junior architect gets at rendering, the more rendering work is assigned, until it becomes almost impossible for the junior architect to do real work. The rendering work is unappreciated because the senior architects don't consider it real work, thinking it's something a computer does and not something a skilled junior architect does.

 

The best approach for the junior architect is to pretend not to know how to render.

 

FINALLY! AT LAST! After reading the article and the posts both on that site and this, I realized that 95% of the people that have commented are missing the point of the article! From personal experience, all what you've said is spot on. You could not have said it better! Thank you.

[danteprojetos]

I'll just quote Pat B from the comments section on that site, with whom I agree word for word:

 

I have to say this article is the worst thing I have read in a long time about what it is to be a young professional. The position of entitlement from which these complaints are made is irresponsible and will delay advancement in a professional setting rather than advance it. I’ll take this point by point.

 

1. You Will Lose Track of Time.

God forbid the day passes by while you are engaged in a task that is so captivating your whole day passes by. It sunny outside too.

 

2. More Demands on Your Time

Is this a serious comment? Are you not paid for your time?

 

3. The Employer Doesn’t Have Knowledge of the Software

That’s you chance to shine. It’s probably one of the only things a young architect is better at than their boss. Changes to the work are the same as redlining CD’s, what’s the problem?

 

4. You Will Find Yourself Re-doing Things Over and Over

That’s called a design process.

 

5. You Have to Sweat the Details

Understanding how a building goes to gather and occupies its site are the two most important things any architect can learn. You don’t work out the details because your client can not suspend their disbelief; you work them out because that’s what separates an architect from a hobbyist. Sweating the details, be it a rendering or CD’s, is the task a young architect needs to learn and ingrain in their process for any work they may undertake.

 

6. You Are On Your Own: No One Else Can Help You

That’s just not true. Maybe someone doesn’t know the software or compatible software but there are so many things that go into a rendering it rarely comes out of one program ready to go. One rendering can have numerous tasks shared by a team of people.

 

7. You May Have Knowledge in One Software But Not Another

Wait. You had to learn something new? That’s just unfair. It’s so hard, really. Good point.

 

8. You Lose Your Personal Space

The smell of their breath? How about saying ‘I’ll make these changes right away, come back in 10 minutes and I’ll show what I got’. Or continue with the cuddies argument.

 

9. You Won’t Be Working on Important Tasks

The skill to illustrate your idea is an important one. Would you rather review those detail references you’re sweating or coordinate a finish hardware spec or count sheets or pick up redlines for the third time? If you can’t appreciate the process of making pretty pictures you’re really missing a beautiful part of creating the physical expression of architecture.

 

10. You Will Learn Less

You are missing the point of the 3d modeling task. You learn how the building engages it site, how 2d drawings translate into 3d form, major structural systems, landscaping, understanding of basic civil issues, finish selection, not to mention vetting conceptual design and figuring out what works and what doesn’t.

 

11. You Will Be Under-appreciated

That’s just not true. Even the oldest boss remembers the time it takes to render in graphite, pen or colored pencil.

 

12. Professionals Do It Better

If someone can do something better then you, it’s just not worth doing

[M V]

I'll just quote Pat B from the comments section on that site, with whom I agree word for word:

Nicely said!

[jasonio]

At the beginning (now about 10 years ago) I found myself working really late trying to get 3d stuff done (computers were slow slow slow). (I got a job because I could do 3d - I had no architectural qualifications).

 

My biggest problem with inhouse is that it can hold you back as a 3d artist and as an architect. You get pigeon-holed into doing all the 3d stuff. They don't expect or want super photorealism (partly because they don't provide the tools, or the time). So you get to a point where you can't progress your skills. The main workhorses in archviz seem to be 3dsmax and V-Ray. If your inhouse job doesn't use it (like my last place) your options to move out to a archviz house (if you choose that path) will be small and you'll find you remain inhouse.

 

On the upside - if you're the only one doing visuals inhouse, everyone in the practice thinks you're some sort of guru! In an archiviz house you're more likely to feel like just be another team member.

 

Anyway, try running an actual architectural job for the first time and you'll quickly wish you were just doing 3d again!! (3d is easy for me compared to that!).

 

Anyway, start the render, sit back with a coffee, listen to internet radio and surf the net. Thats the best reason to render. And NEVER, EVER miss your lunchbreak.

Edited May 15, 2009 by jasonio

[Justin Hunt]

I think architectural illustrators NEED at least a base level of training in architecture and design. Like it or not, you are a part of the process. Understanding nomenclature, materials, light/shadow, spatial concepts, general architectural dimensions, and of course composition are required to facilitate the discourse during the design process. I'm not sure how you do that without a certain level of training.

 

I am just flipping the argument, Reasons Not To Be an Architect. Of course you need a certain level of training to do this job, but not 7, or so years worth. Besides Achi-School isn't the only place you can learn these skills.

 

I love being part of the process, its interesting and stimulating, but I dont want to be an architect, just as much as the person who wrote the article doesn't want to be an illustrator.

 

jhv