How much of a project are you involved in?

[jacobshirley]

How much of an architectural project are you involved in? Do you purely do visualizations? Do you have to build the models yourself? Are you an architect or draftsman that does visualizations as an additional service?

 

I do the 'prep chef' work at the firm I work for, meaning I build a model in Revit (sometimes a large site), pick the colors and materials and then make the art to sell the project to the client or municipality. I'm curious to know how involved some of my colleagues are.

[khaledbou]

Personaly I try to have diverse skills (modeling, rendering, animations, graphic design, logo design...), cause I never saw a client that came to me for a particular thing, they never have a clear idea of what they want! most of the time they come up with a horrible 3D model in sketchup or just a verbal describtion, and they want renders but also wants to change the design and try new things along the way.

so being a specialist at one thing don't seem to me like a good idea.

[Lewis Garrison]

I'm an Architect but am in charge of the higher end visualizations at my work. This means that it depends on when I'm brought into the project. Sometimes I'm brought in at the very end of DD phase / into CD phase. Most of the design work is finished and I get to add details. Sometimes I'll work with a full Revit model, a partial sketchup model or just Cad Plans and elevations. Either way I bring them into Max render in Vray and to post in photoshop.

 

Then there are projects where I'm involved much earlier on in the design process. Because of my 3d abilities I'm able to propose ideas to the team in way that other designers can't. I also have more control of the Revit model optimizing it for import into Max since I know I will be rendering it eventually.

 

An interesting fact is I do Mural work on the side. So there have been projects where I was involved through the design process, worked on the construction drawings, Produced all the renderings and presentations then was commissioned to paint the artwork within the project. Talk about being up a projects ass!

[Chris MacDonald]

I started my career in 3D as an architectural technician, dabbling in Sketchup as and when it was needed and became really adept at it. During the recession our 3D guy was let go and I ended up filling his place in the years after, which required me to start looking into 3DS max.

 

These days my work is entirely 3D and I build everything unless there's a Revit model (which is only about 12/20% of the time). It's a great position to be in as I deal in the concept/up front/competition work that is very much flying by the seat of your pants stuff, with some crazy deadlines - it's very, very fun but also very tiring. I think the enjoyment from this is two-fold: it is hugely important to create visuals better than any others that you're in competition with because they are what get people really excited, and also because it's one of the only areas where I can directly affect the design by including/suggesting changes - though I've only been able to get confident at doing this (and not getting shot down by architects) following years and years of daily visits to design websites such as archdaily and dezeen.

 

I also (mostly) deal in creating visuals for helping to convince planners & local residents that are up in arms about developments that it really is going to look good, and for press releases/local news. This can be literally any kind of project from schools, hospitals, warehouses to casino's and leisure centres.

 

Lastly I create full photoreal images for marketing purposes (which is my favourite thing to do) though very, very rarely for residential developments - we work with the big house builders that have the capacity to create their own marketing stuff. Recently most of this stuff has been of industrial units and some aerial shots of large developments that are composited into drone shots. One of the most frustrating marketing jobs I've had has been of a retail development where the client is marketing to potential tenants - so every other week I have to re-create a shop front/interior; I just want the project to end!

 

If on the rare occasions I get any downtime, I browse pretty much all of the 3D & design websites and blogs you care to name. It's incredibly important to keep up-to-date and relevant in a profession that is constantly moving forward.

Edited January 3, 2017 by Macker

[jacobshirley]

Lewis Garrison - Murals too? That's interesting. Do you have a portfolio link?

[Lewis Garrison]

Yep:

http://rgarri4.wixsite.com/portfolio

[heni30]

Cool.

 

That's great that you're involved with such a wide variety of projects and work - keeps things interesting.

Did you ever do any clandestine stuff like tagging bridges or subway cars?

[Lewis Garrison]

I did! But not so much anymore haha