CHAPTER
09
The Cost of 3D Rendering
The cost of 3D architectural visualization depends on many factors, including the type of rendering, deadlines, complexity of custom 3D models, number of revisions, etc. Another factor that affects the cost of 3D rendering is the desired result. Namely, the number of renderings and the resolution of the final images. 3D exterior visualizations have their own peculiarities.
The first point that determines the price of 3D exterior visualization is the scope of the project. For example, modeling a single house will take much less time than modeling an airport. Then, the surroundings of the main buildings and the number of additional details such as people, cars and pets also contribute to the cost of 3D architectural rendering.
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How To Save Money On Any Kind of 3D Architectural Visualization
To save money on 3D rendering without sacrificing quality, you need to prepare a detailed project brief and provide enough references such as technical drawings and material samples. This way, the 3D artists can realize the concept faster and more accurately. In addition, the studio has more time to work on a job if it is “on time” and not urgent, while the costs are also reduced.
Selecting simplified intermediate results (tests) helps minimize the number of corrections made during the final rendering of the 3D model. Since the image is more detailed, it takes longer to make changes. The more time it takes to make corrections, the higher the cost.
For this reason, 3D architectural rendering studios offer clay rendering and fast renderings or so-called preliminary designs. This allows architects to coordinate the production of visuals with 3D artists at various stages. If corrections are needed at a certain stage, they can be made quickly and without additional costs.
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Main Types of Preliminary Results
For getting a quality interior 3D rendering, one should make sure that there’s no intersection of geometric objects and that none of the interior elements are floating in the air. Those are the minimum requirements a 3D artist must comply with. Apart from that, one needs to pay attention to the furniture and decor in a scene. Namely, pieces of furniture should be scaled according to their real-life proportions. And decor should only subtly add to the atmosphere without cluttering the space. Plus, any patterns on the objects must be transferred carefully according to their dimensions and shape.
- 3D renderings in grayscale show finished interiors and exteriors without applied textures or lighting. They allow architects to test selected 3D models and the overall composition of the scene. If a detail needs to be changed, it is done quickly and does not affect the cost.
- Preliminary designs go further and show lighting and textures that have not yet been perfectly drawn. They allow the architect to see the geometry of the scene and make immediate corrections if something is not up to the technical task.
- Finally, the collection of 3D furniture models allows the designer to select the elements that will fill the space, rather than modeling everything from scratch. Usually, this works perfectly for unimportant elements, like decorations and background fillers. Most importantly, it simplifies the rendering process and makes it less time-consuming.
These were but the main products one can ask for during a CGI project. There are several other types of intermediate 3D rendering results, such as a grayscale with furnishings and yellow lighting, a viewport screenshot, a fast render, a final high-res CGI without post-production. Looking at these will allow checking up on the project progress and give timely feedback.