3d artist transitioning from VFX/games to archviz

[Robert Higgins]

Hello everyone. This is my first post here. I just joined and have had a look around. I'll introduce myself quickly but I also have some questions to ask, hence why this post is not in the introductions forum. I have done some searching and haven't found these answers yet.

My name is Robert, I'm based in London and am a 3d artist specialising in modeling and texturing. So far everything that I've done has been oriented towards film/broadcast CGI and games. For years this was a hobby rather than a job but earlier this year I got my first freelance work which kept me going for a few months.

A while ago I decided to transition into architecture and interior design visualisation. Coming from VFX and games is an advantage in that I have an artist's eye already somewhat developed and should be able to pick up Unreal Engine for viz at a fast pace. The problem, though, is that I have no training in architecture or architecture-specific photography.

I can get a part time job for a few months to stay afloat, which gives me plenty of time to study each day. So my first questions is does anyone have book recommendations for learning the general principles of architecture? I'm not trying to become an expert by any means, just enough to feel comfortable doing archviz. Also, I have some books on general photography but one or two that are specific to the craft of archtecture/interior photography would be invaluable.

My second questions is since many of us here (certainly myself) are trained as 3d artists and not architects, how do you guys get drawings for buildings that you use for self-directed portfolio projects?

I look forward to your answers.

[Scott Schroeder]

Part of being a an arch viz artist that sets yourself above the rest of the crowd is the ability to look at a photo or a napkin sketch and make the building. Understanding the basics of buildings will play an important part in figuring out scale if you need to. I'm not sure if a book is worth it for that or just doing google searches for things like average door height or kitchen counter height. You may not always get plans or a model to work from.

As far as photography goes, again I would just use google and look at photography sites like archdaily. Find images you like then study them, see what makes them tick. It is also important to use your phone when you are out and out and just take photos of buildings, and build your eye for photography yourself. There are some good tutorials, thought a bit expensive, on fstoppers. https://fstoppers.com/ I haven't purchased any of them, so I can't speak to their total quality but some of them look promising.

Then, file those skills away because every client you work for will want to control your camera view. "I want to see the building end to end! 2mm lenses for all!" is what they will say.

Unreal is not that widely used in this industry just yet. We're still fighting our delivery timelines and Unreal still just takes a bit too long to get a good result when compared to methods like vray/corona rendering or Lumion and Twinmotion.

I wish you the best of luck with this transition. It may not be an easy one, but coming from VFX you should be familiar with tight client demands and deadlines.

[Thomas Edward Allen]

Hey Robert,

I have done a great deal of VFX for advertising and film along side arch viz over the years, and I think they can go hand in hand for the most part. I have a degree in architecture which definitely has helped for arch viz stuff, but ultimately I think it comes down to attention to detail, creativity and an understanding of current design trends. If you are working with an architect they often provide a model and detailed design intentions so you can be more focused on lighting and environment. Other arch viz clients might need you to be more of a designer - and that could come down to an understanding of current trends in interior design, landscape design, and architecture. Social media like instagram and Pinterest have loads of content to inspire as well as sites like officesnapshots.com. Books are great (take a look at phaidon)- I have loads of them, but there is such a plethora of information online now that I rarely crack them open.

Have fun! Welcome to the business!

Edited June 4, 2020 by Thomas Edward Allen

[Robert Higgins]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Taking on board what you guys said, it seems that studying images online and creating my own would be the best way to develop. I'm thinking that the next steps are to break out my sketchpad and start making sketches from existing images. I used drawing as a method to study anatomy a few years ago and found that it's an effective way of internalizing the complex forms of the body. I'm sure I could adapt the method to study what makes a good arch/interior photo different from a bad one... Also I'll break out my camera and try compose my own shots.

I'll check out Instagram and other social media platforms. Social media has never been my thing, to put it midly.

Thanks for the info, people. If anyone has any other tips to offer, I'm all ears!

[Tommy L]

I'd advice looking at the portfolios of successful studio (DBox, Neoscape, Pictury and so on). And watch the 3rd and the 7th by Alex Roman (search on youtube for the long version). It established alot of the ongoing aesthetic norms for arch-viz. 

Edited June 9, 2020 by Tommy L

[Angel Villacis Cusme]

Hey Robert I was on the same boat as you and essentially ended up learning on the job. which was scary!

the biggest thing will be learning how to model from elevations I would suggest practicing with a variety of them and understanding how they work. you would be surprise how many people still don't get this right. this makes the difference between somebody who you rather work again with as oppose to any visual artist. as others have mention lighting / materials etc. it comes down to selling Architecture. so dynamic interesting lighting would come a long way. focus on quality and speed. and keep track of it. as any other industry you would only get a certain amount of time per project. work smart. remember design changes on  a daily basis.  if you can introduce design to your services you can have a long career!!!! also expand your knowledge don't get afraid to learn software like Sketch Up. been able to navigate back and forth. It will give you a greater freedom and essentially you will always be book with work. 

As far as getting drawings, 40 percent of the time I would get a 3d model depending on the client, otherwise I would just get CAD elevations and a design package. 

try to have a broad portfolio including interior & exterior work!! 

Best of luck

[Ernest Burden III]

On 6/9/2020 at 6:59 PM, Tommy L said:

And watch the 3rd and the 7th by Alex Roman (search on youtube for the long version). It established alot of the ongoing aesthetic norms for arch-viz. 

Wow, if that isn't an understatement.  That piece built 'the look'.

[Ernest Burden III]

Books:
anything by Francis D. K. Ching, but especially Architecture: Form, Space, and Order which is a degree in Architecture in one book.

also, Ernest Burden (my father) Architectural Delineation: A Photographic Approach to Presentation

good down-to-earth methods in Jim Leggit, AIA Drawing Shortcuts  mostly hand-drawing but you see how pictures come together.  One common failing of 3D artists is to think its all about the model, when in fact its really all about how it looks in the final, no matter how you got it there.

[TomD_Arch]

On 7/24/2020 at 9:30 AM, Ernest Burden III said:

Books:
anything by Francis D. K. Ching, but especially Architecture: Form, Space, and Order which is a degree in Architecture in one book.

also, Ernest Burden (my father) Architectural Delineation: A Photographic Approach to Presentation

good down-to-earth methods in Jim Leggit, AIA Drawing Shortcuts  mostly hand-drawing but you see how pictures come together.  One common failing of 3D artists is to think its all about the model, when in fact its really all about how it looks in the final, no matter how you got it there.

So I just ordered the one with the color cover.  Is there that much difference between that and the red cover one?  Also...your dad did the Entourage books???

[Ernest Burden III]

On 7/31/2020 at 10:43 AM, TomD_Arch said:

So I just ordered the one with the color cover.  Is there that much difference between that and the red cover one?  Also...your dad did the Entourage books???

Sorry for the late reply...  Let's see, there are three or four versions of the Architectural Delineations book, the first had the red, but it was used again on the Third Edition.  Some of my work is in the later versions.  Yes, my father did the Entourage books, again, some of my drawings in there, and my sister's, and my mentor, Brian Burr.  The later versions of the book went to awful photos instead of the generally-nice hand line drawings.  My work is the cover of one edition.

But don't miss the Ching books, they are GREAT.