Breaking into Architechtural Vizualization

[kid606]

Hi all,

 

I'm interested in getting in to architetural vizualization, I know quite a bit of 3DS Max and have 3½ years of agency experience doing graphic design & flash/webdesign for national and international clients. I'm 25 years old, and currently back in school and would like to get into arch viz. on the side.

 

So what's needed to get into this business? I don't really have any production quality 3D work to show. I have a few interesting experiments, but that's it.

 

I know it would be best to have some cool projects to show, but it's really hard to get stuff done when there is no deadline or client pushing you. I'm eager to start applying for jobs, but I'm uncomfortable with not having a kick ass portfolio.

[STRAT]

lets see what you have so far

[kid606]

I'm not really interested in a critique. I'm more after business tips, what's needed to get that first project? Is CGI vizualization something that used internally, during the creative phases, or is it only for final presentation? How did you guys get your first vizualization job? If I'm to produce a serious portfolio piece this summer, what should i go for? What's best a polished still or some less polished, but animated stuff?

[STRAT]

I'm not really interested in a critique.

 

well interested or not it'll help us advise you.

 

a good portfolio is the most critical part of convincing clients how good you are.

[kid606]

Maybe I'll return for critique later when my projects start to take a bit more shape, thanks for your time.

[chuck]

hey kid,

 

i just posted a similar question...here's the link:

 

http://www.cgarchitect.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5854

 

here's a great set of articles about this very subject:

 

http://www.cgarchitect.com/upclose/DW/default.asp

 

you are in Bangkok eh?

 

chuck

[kid606]

Wow, thanks. Those articles look great. And no, I'm not really in Bangkok.

[plastic]

kid606 eh?

saw him life in a small club recently...incredible performance...pretty noisy and loud.

[Jim Mann]

You refuse to let people know who you are, what work you do or where you are and yet you still expect people here to give you advice?

 

Scam!

[Scott Schroeder]

First off if you really want to get a job in Viz then you will push yourself to to portfolio quality projects. What I did in the 6 month lull between college and job was to create projects for myself and treat them in the manner of a real time project. Set up milestones for yourself and push to hit them. Set up some sort of negative for yourself if you do not hit the milestone. Say, don't go see a certain movie or buy something you've been wanting until you hit the milestone. For me, my GF would hold back the sweet loving if I missed a milestone. Lemme tell you, I NEVER EVER missed one.

 

Besides most of you not wanting to hear that let me continue.

 

The good thing about doing this is when you goto an interview and they ask you how you are about hitting deadlines you can tell them that you did work on your own and hit everyone of your own deadlines. If you can hit ficticious deadlines, then you can certainly deal with the real thing.

 

As for project ideas look on the web or around you and see what is being built. Goto that project's website and obtain all the info you need. Again, for me several new campus buildings were being built so I used the existing CG renders and tried to meet or exceed the quality of them as a sort of benchmark.

 

Always be open for critiques, if you can't handle them then you are in the WRONG business. It doesnt matter if you think your work isnt up to par, post it anyways so you can learn better or get ideas on how to improve. There are tons of well experienced people on this forum who are willing to help you. This is in my mind a great resource for a budding artist to use.

 

Hope this helps.

[hockley91]

Kid606,

 

Why did you say you're from Bangkok when you're really not?

 

Anyway, my advice would be to start modeling stuff. Find a building or house you like and just model it. Create a 3D scene and then market it.

 

You need to have something in your portfolio to show first.

 

A client wants to see some work before they hire you. They won't do it just from your personality and what you say you can do. This field is about imagery.

 

Hockley91

[kid606]

Hey everybody, thanks for the advice. I'm sorry about the false info, but I always fill in bogus information when signing up for something to fight of spam - I wasn't aware that it would show up. Anyway, I'm in the middle of a personal project that I look foreward showing you guys when it's further progressed.

[Ernest Burden III]

I'm sorry about the false info, but I always fill in bogus information when signing up for something to fight of spam

 

You won't get spam just by admitting you are in Indiana.

 

This is a professional forum, so act professional. Do you plan to be in business without a website or a real name? That is where you will more likely to be 'mined' for personal info. Anyway, the more open you are with others here the more they will want to be open with you--including helping you.