Exterior rendering with mental ray

[audunberg]

Studio/Institution: just me working on my skills
Genre: Residential Exterior
Software: 3ds Max
Description:

I found an image in the paper of an exterior rendering of a house, and would like to make something similar myself. My main focus in this project will be

 

- make a convincing material for white planks on the house (try to avoid plastic feel, make it more dry, kind of)

 

- believable reflections in the windows

 

- nice and natural-looking lighting (somehow my lighting ususally seems cg and flat)

 

I know there is not much to comment on now(so far only modelling done, with a default daylight-system thrown in) , but will post images as I get further in the process, so any feedback will be appreciated=)

[kirthaymore]

You are off to a great start; although, the trees look too small to me. Personally I like to give all the objects in the scene a light gray color when I do basic lighting tests. Then texture the scene and do the rest of the lighting. For realism texture plays an important role.

[audunberg]

Hi Kirt!

 

Yeah, the trees might be a bit small. Didn't really think too much about the size when I put them there, they are really just some default trees from 3Ds Max that I put in real quick to get the idea across. Don't even know what kind of vegetation I am going for yet!

 

I agree with the lighting process you talk about. I really don't see why some people texture, then do lighting, and then realize their textures are way off, so they have to do major tweaks to them. So much easier to do the basic lighting first, then texture the scene, as you say. I'm not too good on textures, so that's something that I am really working on. I'm going to post an update real soon, just need to finish up all the texturing first!

 

Thanks for the feedback=)

[audunberg]

http://http://www.cgarchitect.com/2012/11/mental-ray-exterior-rendering