How best to present exterior animation model in context without the surroundings.

[Matt Sugden]

Sorry I know my topic subject is a bit convoluted, but I wasn't sure how to word it.

 

Basically I am producing a 3D exterior animation for a client, of a single (pretty large) private property in an suburban environment and I'm wondering how best to tackle the issue of the surrounding context for the model. First off I dont have any detailed information about the context, so I cant put any actual detail in such as real life massing. So my choices are doing the model on a white background, which seems to make the model look immediately much more CG, or the other option is trying to invent a large landscape going off into the distance of some description, but I'm not sure of what? or how best to tackle this. Some kind of infinite sky dome or a massive field with a treelined horizon?

 

My feeling is that the latter option may look best or at least more natural, so is there any hints or ideas for doing this?

[Brodie Geers]

When you say you don't have any surrounding context, what exactly do you mean? The architects surely had a site plan and you've at least got an address for google earth type data right?

 

-brodie

[Dave Buckley]

I was just going to suggest using the address and a combo of Google Maps/Street View to get the surroundings. Google maps is awesome for things like that.

 

You get things like tree placement and you should be able to knock something 'contextual' out in no time using something like SketchUP.

 

You mention that putting it on a white background will make it look CG, but so would the surrounding buildings in massing form if not fully textured etc.

 

On a side note. I will be emailing you soon Matt. Not had chance to get back to you since we last spoke with far to much going on at home.