2 week project

[harper.rb]

Hey guys, Im working on my second 3ds max building. I was given a big project on a small site. about 170k sq ft and I just wanted to get some feedback on it. This is about 5 days of work.

 

I feel like I m a bit weak on my materials. So, if anyone has any suggestions for enhancing the material effects let me know. I'm also trying to figure out how to produce a nice green wall effect, but Im not having any luck that doesnt bog my computer down like crazy (ivy generator). Right now I just have some ivy textures with bump maps.

 

Also, for some reason, when I render a night scene (daylight system turned off, back ground map turned off) none of my tree leaves render (AEC foliage). They are just the trunks. Any ideas?

 

I forgot as well... I want to add in a bunch of people. The whole bottom half is supposed to be retail and restaurants, but to keep my polys low, I want to just use cutouts. Anyways, its really not working out well. I figured the best way would be to just photoshop them in later. Just wondering if anyone had ideas to that end as well.

 

And last thing. If anyone has suggestions for rendering a night scene, I'd be more than appreciative for some ideas. As of now, I just plan to throw up a soft cooler light to be the moon, but if anyone has some numbers in their head to save me lots of trial and error...

Edited April 21, 2010 by harper.rb

[tcupp]

I think the first two need some ambient light. The areas in shadow are way too dark. I would like to see what is going on in your images at those areas. As for people, I always just use an extruded plane with a reflective material on them for day shots and light emitting material for night shots.

 

I really like the way the night shot is going. My personal preference is to give night shots a blue environment. Gives the impression of real world night time light and typically plays nicely with the warm colored building lighting. If the interior is modeled, I think some lights in the building for this shot would add a lot of interest too.

[CJI]

I like them. They look very conceptual stylewise, much like models i've seen in the Books "Architecture NOW". Agree with comments above though, those dark areas are a little too dark.

 

As for the ivy wall, have you proxied the ivy geometry after its been generated. That would spped things up, otherwise if your not getting too close to the green wall, bump and displacement would be fine.

 

I usually Photoshop the people. I find it easier and gives me more control.

[Jonathan Sanchez]

That is one crazy looking bldg rory.. I like! Agree with comments above... especially about darkness. Pump up the light.. and if you are not doing so.. use linear workflow which will bring up the lighting in those dark areas.

[harper.rb]

Thanks for the replies guys!

 

Two things that are over my head though, "proxied the ivy geometry". I don't know what that is exactly. It makes me think that I can replace the in model geometry with some simple form so I can work, but renders fully. If this is the case, then no I havent done that, and no I don't know how to do that.

 

Also, "use a linear workflow". I'm vaguely familiar with the term workflow in 3d modeling. But I don't know what that means in this case.

 

Sorry for being such a nube.

 

I am definitely a sucker for hard shadows (its either 4-6 pm or 6-8am for my renders most of the time). I get flak for it all the time, too. But i'll definitely put up some noonish shots.

 

 

Either way Ill google both asap. I gotta run now though, thanks again!

 

PS here are some more renderings before I had a chance to implement your suggestions.

 

The first is a shot between the two structures. Its a bit earlier than the other renderings. Since this one I raise the right glazed structure off the ground for an open market area below. But Im still struggling to decide what I want to do the walkway above (please excuse the floating tree ).

 

The second is from the west. Im unhappy with the way the low curvilinear form is rendering. Its supposed to be rough concrete on the side, but it looks terrible to me. Also this side is very bare. Its supposed to be high density residential, but I havent really worked with the facade yet or added amenities.

 

Finally the last one is a 7am shot from the east. The goal here was an early evening, where there is still light, but the interior lights have come on. I have all those lights from the night scene in this shot, but when I add the daylight system and the background they are not rendering. hmm. Ill try turning down my exposure even more and see if that works.

[harper.rb]

Probably last update on this guy. Im going to do the rest of the details in photoshop.