# 3D Architettura > 3D Architettura - Digital Architecture Magazine --- ## Pages - [3D Architettura - L'architettura in 3D](https://www.3darchitettura.com/visualizzazione-architettonica-3d/): Il portale con approfondimenti sulla visualizzazione architettonica 3D, i migliori software e tecniche di rendering per architetti e designer. - [3D Architettura - Digital Architecture Magazine](https://www.3darchitettura.com/): 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine: news, interviews, and software for 3d architectural visualization and rendering. - [Get published](https://www.3darchitettura.com/getpublished/): Publish your CG portfolio and show your projects to professional 3D Architettura community. Share news about your 3D rendering software, plugin or tool for CG on ArchitecTools --- ## Posts - [Marvelous Designer 13: Digital Garments with Runway Realism](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/marvelous-designer-13-digital-clothing/): Marvelous Designer 13 brings new tools for digital clothing design and simulation—discover the features in Digital Architecture Magazine. - [Immersive 3D Modeling with Gravity Sketch](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/gravity-sketch-3d-immersive-design/): Gravity Sketch 3D modeling offers an immersive experience for quickly creating 3D models in VR and on desktop. - [CATIA: Driving Innovation in 3D Design](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/catia-3d-design-innovation/): CATIA 3D design innovation is reshaping architecture and engineering workflows. Discover how designers use CATIA for advanced digital design. - [Mirella Dimitrova — From Event Design to Immersive Worlds](https://www.3darchitettura.com/alumni-insights/mirella-dimitrova/): Alumni Insights - Interview with Mirella Dimitrova on 3d Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine - [Sam Donyagard — From Construction Sites to Sensory Spaces](https://www.3darchitettura.com/alumni-insights/sam-donyagard/): Discover the inspiring journey of Sam Donyagard, from working on construction sites at 17 to redefining architecture as a sensory experience. - [RealityScan 1.6 Update](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/realityscan-1-6-update/): Discover the latest features in the RealityScan 1.6 update, including new 3D scanning modes, and enhanced processing tools for polycount. - [Substance 3D Painter 10.1 Update](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/substance-3d-painter-update/): Discover the latest Substance 3D Painter update: new tools and enhancements to streamline your 3D texturing workflow and boost creativity. - [Twinmotion 2025.1 Preview 2 update](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/twinmotion-update/): Discover the latest features in Twinmotion 2025.1 Preview 2, including optimized Lumen and Path Tracing rendering systems and lighting. - [3dsMax Importer Extension For Blender](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/blender-3dsmax-importer/): Discover how the Autodesk MAX Importer plugin allows Blender to import .max files directly without external conversions. - [UNIGINE SDK 2.19.1 Update](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/unigine-sdk-2-19-1-update/): Discover all the new features and improvements in Unigine SDK 2.19.1 update, enhancing performance and expanding developer capabilities. - [Dinis Ferreira](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/dinis-ferreira/): Interview with Dinis Ferreira, a Portuguese 3D artist, as he shares his passion for ArchViz and the creative process behind his projects. - [Geo Week 2022: what to expect?](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/geo-week-2022-what-to-expect/): Geo Week 2022 is at the intersection of geospatial and the built world, bringing together a variety of events and conferences. - [CH visual](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/ch-visual/): CH visual is a creative team who help to present projects, even at the design stage, with realistic visualizations and video animation. - [Peiman Amin](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/peiman-amin/): 3D Architettura presents a portfolio of selected projects by Peiman Amin, 3D visualization artist, Designer, Architect from Iran. - [Powerkh](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/powerkh/): See 3D CGI portfolio of digital design consultancy Powerkh on 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine. - [Advisory Board Geo Week Announced](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/advisory-board-geo-week/): The Geo Week Advisory Board is comprised of industry leaders who will help craft programming, recommend speakers, and deliver critical insights at the launch of the highly anticipated event in 2022. - ["Virtual Cities" atlas is published](https://www.3darchitettura.com/stories/virtual-cities-atlas-is-published/): “Virtual Cities” by game urbanist Konstantinos Dimopoulos offers an atlas and exploration of Video Game Cities. - [CGI summer 2020](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/summer-2020-software-releases/): 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine - a digest of the software 2020 releases to create a perfect CGI and arch-viz summer . - [Saeed Asgharpoor](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/saeed-asgharpoor/): Saeed Asgharpoor, architect and designer from Iran presents his portfolio on 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine. - [Yuriy Dulich](https://www.3darchitettura.com/stories/yuriy-dulich/): CG visualizations of photorealistic animals and birds - the story of character artist Yuriy Dulich, the winner of Best Still category, animago Awards 2019. - [Best CGI software and tools for 2020](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/2020-updates/): 3D Architettura editors created a summary of 2020 updates of CGI software and tools for modeling, texturing, image-based lighting and rendering. - [Samir Al Qeisi](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/samir-al-qeisi/): Architectural Visualization projects on 3D Architettura of Samir Al Qeisi, Consultant Architect, Urban Designer & Lecturer at University of Nizwa. - [Winners of animago Award 2019](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/animago-award-2019-winners/): The winners of the animago AWARD 2019, the international competition for 3D animation, still, visual effects and game, have been announced. - [animago AWARD 2019 Nominees](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/animago-award-2019-nominees/): The animago jury had some tough decisions to make this year, chosing the best 30 projects out of 1137 entries. Meet animago Award 2019 Nominees! - [Corona Renderer 4](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/corona-renderer-4/): Chaos Czech (formerly Render Legion) has presented two important releases this June - Corona Renderer 4 for 3ds Max and Corona Renderer 4 for Cinema 4d. - [Amir Lashgari](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/amir-lashgari/): Arch-Viz CGI portfolio of Amir Lashgari, 3D artist and architect from Iran, on 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine - [animago Award 2019 - Submissions are open!](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/animago-award-2019-submissions/): The 23rd edition of animago Award 2019 is coming up and submission for 3D animation projects, visual effects, design and the like is open now! - [Real HDR 1.5 released](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/real-hdr-1-5/): PlaySys Software Engineering has released Real HDR 1.5 with a Skylight Module for creating photorealistic skies and clouds for CGI. - [Next Limit released RoomBox](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/roombox/): Next Limit, developers of Maxwell Render, have recently released their new software, Roombox, for creating 3D visualizations directly from AutoCAD 2d plans. - [UNIGINE 2.8 is now available](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/unigine-2-8/): Developers of Unigine, a real-time 3D visualization platform for simulation and training, digital twins, BIM and VR, have recently released Unigine 2.8. - [Substance Painter Spring 2019 update](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/substance-painter-spring-2019/): Allegorithmic released Substance Painter Spring 2019 that is "more officially" - Substance Painter 2019.1 with a lot of new tools and features. - [Mari 4.5 with Mari Materials System is released](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/mari-4-5/): Foundry has recently released Mari 4.5 with Materials System that allows artists to create high-volume assets faster and more cost-effectively. - [Marko Stojkovic](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/marko-stojkovic/): Marko Stojkovic, lead 3D artist of Renderus, Serbia - read interview on 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine and see CGI and arch-viz projects - [Real HDR 1.4 released](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/real-hdr-1-4/): Real HDR 1.4 is released with new 3D preview and 3D light placement mode and many usability and customization improvements. - [UNIGINE 2.7.3 released](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/unigine-2-7-3/): Unigine 2.7.3 released with improved texture and geometry import, better placement tools, rendering improvements ad VR optimizations. - [Autodesk Mudbox 2019 is out](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/mudbox-2019/): Autodesk Mudbox 2019 update - Preserve Volume, Dynamic Tesselation, Combine Meshes, Separate Selection and other new options. - [Adobe acquires Allegorithmic](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/adobe-allegorithmic/): Adobe has acquired Allegorithmic, makers of Substance Painter and other tools for 3D textures and material creation in game and video post-production. - [Autodesk Maya 2019](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/maya-2019/): Autodesk has released Maya 2019 with performance improvements, Cashed Playback for faster animations, Viewport 2.0 and other features. - [Substance Painter 2018.3](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/substance-painter-2018-3/): Substance Painter 2018.3 has viewport upgrades, new UI helpers, an enhanced symmetry tool, proper 2D view export and a boost in performance. - [Artlantis 2019 is out](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/artlantis-2019-is-out/): Artlantis 2019 - software for rendering architectural visualizations, urban planning and interiors - was released recently. - [KeyShot 8.1](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/keyshot-8-1/): Luxion has released KeyShot 8.1, a free update for 8.0 users - following the release of KeyShot 8.0 in October. - [Corona Renderer for ARCHICAD Alpha 2](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/corona-renderer-archicad-alpha/): Render Legion has presented Corona Renderer for Archicad that is now officially available for Windows users as public alpha (Alpha 2). - [Alexander Beim](https://www.3darchitettura.com/stories/alexander-beim/): Exclusive interview with CG artist and CEO of LotusArt Alexander Beim, winner of animago Award 2018 in the Best Still category with Albert Einstein project. - [Lumion 9 is out](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/lumion-9/): ACT-3D has released Lumion 9, real-time rendering software for arch-viz with photorealistic sky, rain, grass and improved UX features. - [animago AWARD: winners of 2018](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/animago-2018-winners/): The winners of the animago 2018 – an international competition for 3D animation, still, VFX and visualization – were awarded on October 25th in Munich. - [Quixel Bridge 2018.4 is out now](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/quixel-bridge/): Developers of Quixel Megascans have released Quixel Bridge 2018.4 that allows browsing, batch download and batch export assets to 3d and rendering software. - [KeyShot 8 Available](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/keyshot-8/): Luxion released KeyShot 8 with new updates focused on materials and volume, lighting and optics, advanced geometry, image and output, and collaboration. - [Real IES 3 released](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/real-ies-3/): Real IES 3, software to create photometric lights, is released with some new features added, a slight redesign of UI and general usability improvements - [3dsMax 2019.2 update with Arnold 5.2](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/3dsmax-2019-2/): Autodesk has recently released 3dsMax 2019.2 update with Arnold 5.2, fluids loader, alembic UV exporter and other cool stuff. - [animago AWARD Nominees 2018](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/animago-award-nominees-2018/): The nominees for the 2018 animago AWARDS are in! An independent jury of experts sifted through nearly 900 submissions from 61 countries to find the final 36 nominees for the animago’s twelve categories. - [SiNi Software 1.11](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/sini-software-1-11/): Developers released SiNi Software 1.11 for 3ds Max 2019 with bug fixes for all plugins plus the addition of new features and update. - [Sandra Vasques](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/sandra-vasques/): Architectural visualization projects of Sandra Vasques, CG artist from Macau, presented on 3D Architettura.Digital Architecture Magazine - [Konstantinos Dimopoulos about Virtual Architecture and Urbanism](https://www.3darchitettura.com/stories/konstantinos-dimopoulos-virtual-cities/): Interview with game urbanist Konstantinos Dimopoulos about virtual cities, real architecture and trends of the digital world. - [Corona Renderer 2 for 3ds Max](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/corona-renderer-2/): Render Legion released Corona Renderer 2 for 3ds Max focused on heterogeneous media and the first steps in V-Ray compatibility. - [Real HDR released](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/real-hdr/): Developers of Real IES, a standalone tool for photometric lights, recently released their new software - Real HDR, that allows creating 32-bit HDR files. - [3ds Max 2019 and 3ds Max 2019.1 Update](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/3ds-max-2019/): It's already June, so it's time for an overview of the new release of 3ds Max: 3ds Max 2019 and 3ds Max 2019.1 Update. Let's see what Autodesk has prepared for us this year. - [KeyShot Viewer Released](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/keyshot-viewer/): Luxion has released KeyShot Viewer a free, stand-alone, touch-enabled, desktop application for Mac and Windows for sharing, interactive viewing and presentation of KeyShot scenes. - [Autodesk Sketchbook goes free](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/autodesk-sketchbook-goes-free/): Digital drawing software, Autodesk Sketchbook, became free for Windows, Mac and Tablet from May 1st for individual use with Autodesk ID after a week's trial. - [animago AWARDS 2018: call for entries](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/animago-awards-2018-call-for-entries/): Once again creatives from all the world are invited to send their projects and to compete for trophies in a total of twelve categories representing all CGI disciplines. animago Awards 2018 call for entries is finally announced. - [V-Ray for Unreal](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/v-ray-for-unreal/): Chaos Group has opened the beta for new V-Ray for Unreal Engine that allows to bring V-Ray scenes from 3ds Max, Maya and SketchUp directly into the Unreal Editor and connects the best of real-time and ray tracing. - [Unreal Studio open beta](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/unreal-studio/): Unreal Studio - a complex real-time visualization solution created specifically to meet the needs of architects and product designers - is in free open beta until November 2018. - [Photogrammetry in Unity](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/photogrammetry-in-unity/): Technical artists from Unity Labs created a highly detailed photogrammetry guide for professional artists to produce high-quality, reusable digital assets from photos and video. - [What's new in GrowFX 1.9.9](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/growfx-199/): Exlevel released Service pack 6 for GrowFX 1.9.9, a plant modeling and animation system for 3ds Max. - [Mohamed Faisal Al-Kazee](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/mohamed-faisal-al-kazee/): Portfolio of Arch Viz projects of Mohamed Faisal Al-Kazee, Assistant Professor at the University of Nizwa, on 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine. - [V-Ray Cloud](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/v-ray-cloud/): Chaos Group presented the end of February V-Ray Cloud beta - new cloud rendering integrated directly in V-Ray that seamlessly unlocks the speed and virtually unlimited power of the cloud. - [ProBuilder and Polybrush join Unity](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/probuilder-polybrush-unity/): The full editions of ProBuilder and Polybrush, tools for seamless level design and texturing, recently became part of Unity and are now available to all subscription plans with no extra costs. - [V-Ray Next Beta 2](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/v-ray-next-beta-2/): End of February Chaos Group presented V-Ray Next Beta 2 for 3ds Max with GPU volume rendering, Nvidia denoising and many other cool new features. - [OctaneRender for Unity](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/octanerender-for-unity/): Unity engine developers announced their partnership with OTOY and presented OctaneRender for Unity Editor available both in free and paid versions. - [Rhino 6 for Windows](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/rhino-6-windows/): Robert McNeel & Associates have recently released Rhino 6 for Windows with Grasshopper as a full-fledged part of Rhino and updates in materials and rendering. - [Quixel Suite 2.3.2](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/quixel-suite-2-3-2/): {:en}Developers of Quixel Suite have announced the release of 2.3.2 update for the software with compatibility with Adobe Photoshop 2018 and other improvements{:ru}Developers of Quixel Suite have announced the release of 2.3.2 update for the software with compatibility with Photoshop 2018 and others{:} - [V-Ray Benchmark](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/v-ray-benchmark-1-0-7/): Chaos Group recently released version 1.0.7 of V-Ray Benchmark, a free stand-alone application for testing hardware rendering speed. - [NVIDIA Mental Ray discontinued](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/nvidia-mental-ray-discontinued/): Starting from 20 November 2017 NVIDIA Mental Ray discontinued: it will no longer offer new subscriptions to the Mental Ray plugins for Maya and 3ds Max, as well as Mental Ray Standalone. - [ID studio](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/id-studio/): ID Studio from Jordan published the portfolio of their latest CG and arch viz projects on 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine - [Blender 2.8](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/blender-2-8/): Future presented Blender 2.8 with updated viewport, new Grease Pencil and other new functionalities. - [Magicplan by Sensopia](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/magicplan/): Sensopia announced magicplan 6.0. This floor plan creation app lets to create dimensioned floor plans without actively measuring or drawing. With its Augmented Reality technology you just have to capture the corners of a room to get your plan. - [Cineware for Illustrator](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/cineware-illustrator/): MAXON has partnered with Turbosquid and released free Cineware for Illustrator plug-in that allows to add and edit 3D objects directly within Adobe Illustrator CC 2017, to apply labels to 3D packaging or incorporate 3D elements seamlessly into 2D artwork. - [Adobe Dimension CC](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/adobe-dimension/): Adobe has launched Adobe Dimension CC that was in beta since last year by the name of Project Felix and allows to design directly in 3D and later export scenes as layers to Photoshop. - [Juan Hiriart](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/juan-hiriart/): Juan Hiriart, architect from Argentina, published his portfolio of latest CG and arch viz projects on 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine - [Google Poly](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/google-poly/): Google has presented a new initiative to popularize VR and AR creation - Google Poly, a library of low-poly 3D objects and scenes optimized for apps. - [Corona Renderer 1.7](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/corona-renderer-1-7/): After becoming a part of Chaos Group, Corona Renderer team released Corona Renderer 1.7 of their rendering engine focused on speed boost and better materials and shading. - [Marek Denko](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/marek-denko/): Today we continue our animago Award 2017 series of articles by introducing you the winner in Best Still nomination - 3D visualization artist Marek Denko. We talk about his way in CGI and behind the scenes of creation and development of his latest awarded project, "Her Eventual Hesitation". - [Pico Goblin all-in-one VR headset](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/pico-goblin/): This August Pico Interactive released an innovative all-in-one virtual reality headset, Pico Goblin. Initially, it was on sale on the USA and China markets and recently became available for the European users as well. We had an opportunity to test and to work with the Pico dev-kit and it's impressive. - [Jacinto Miguel Valente Monteiro](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/jacinto-miguel-valente-monteiro/): Jacinto Miguel Valente Monteiro, architect and digital artist from Portugal, published his portfolio of latest CG and arch viz projects on 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine. - [3ds Max 2018.2](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/3ds-max-2018-2/): End of August Autodesk has presented 3ds Max 2018.2 release with procedural spline modeling and animation tools, batch processing for some background tasks, and some other improvements. - [animago Award 2017: the winners](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/animago-award-2017-winners/): animago award 2017 winners: This year’s animago AWARDS were handed out on September 07 in a total of eleven categories. Roughly 1,000 digital artists from 58 countries submitted projects for consideration as part of this international competition in 3D animation, stills, visual effects (VFX), design and visualization. - [Hugo Ferreira & Pedro Teixeira - OK Draw](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/okdraw/): Hugo Ferreira & Pedro Teixeira, digital artists and OK Draw studio owners from Portugal, showed their latest architectural visualization projects on 3D Architettura - [Lumion 7.5](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/lumion-7-5/): Act 3D has released Lumion 7.5 update in the beginning of July. - [The Foundry released Nuke 11](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/nuke-11/): The Foundry released Nuke 11 update full of new stuff. - [Substance Painter 2017.2](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/substance-painter-2017-2/): Mid-summer release of Allegorithmic software Substance Painter 2017.2, what's new? - [Renderman 21.5](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/renderman-21-5/): Pixar has released Renderman 21.5 - their rendering software (with integrations to Maya, Houdini and Katana) with many improvements, fixes, and various changes for better skin and soft materials, more photorealistic hair, improved shaders and workflows. - [Behind the scenes of animago Award](https://www.3darchitettura.com/stories/animago2017/): Behind the scenes of animago Award 2017: 3D Architettura interview with Günter Hagedorn, Jury Chairman and animago AWARD Management/ - [Autodesk Maya 2018](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/maya-2018/): Autodesk has released Maya 2018 with major workflow improvements and new features, including a live link between Maya and Adobe After Effects to make real-time changes and view scenes simultaneously - [Cry Engine 5.4](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/cryengine-5-4/): End of July Crytek has presented a major update to CryEngine with over 623 improvements. - [Modo 11.1](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/modo-11-1/): The Foundry released Modo 11.1 update with a lot of cool features - [Paint 3D](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/paint-3d/): Microsoft announced that after 32 years MS Paint is not discontinued and also has a younger brother - Paint 3D, Windows 10 new app for creativity with 3D capabilities and some features of MS Paint like photo editing, line and curve tools, and 2D creations. - [Valentin Ayrault](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/valentinstudio/): Valentin Ayrault from Valentinstudio interview and portfolio of latest architectural visualization projects on 3D Architettura - [Google Blocks](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/google-blocks-vr/): Google has released a Google Blocks - new app that allows 3d modeling directly in VR. - [Clayton Hollister](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/clayton-hollister/): Clayton Hollister published and overview of his 3D projects from the last 20 years on 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine - [Blend4Web](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/blend4web/): Russian developers from Triumph LLC recently released an updated version of Blend4Web, an open source framework for creating interactive online 3D experiences. - [animago Award nominees 2017](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/animago-2017-nominees/): The nominees for the 2017 animago AWARDS are in! An independent jury of experts announced the final 33 nominees for the animago’s eleven categories. - [Luciano Alves do Espirito Santo](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/luciano-santo/): Luciano Santo, architect and scenographer from Brazil, shows portfolio of his latest CG projects on 3D Architettura- Digital Architecture Magazine - [Unity 2017](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/unity2017/): Unity Technologies has demonstrated a preview of long awaited Unity 2017 at Unite Europe 2017 in Amsterdam. The software wass released soon after the event. - [V-Ray 3.6 for 3ds Max](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/v-ray-3-6/): Chaos Group has recently presented a new release of V-Ray 3.6 for 3DS Max 2018. The latest version of V-Ray 3.6 among its key features has a hybrid rendering mode: V-Ray GPU CUDA now renders on CPUs as well as GPUs, to take full advantage of all available hardware. - [ZBrush 4R8](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/zbrush-4r8/): Pixologic released an updated version of digital sculpting software ZBrush. Among new features of ZBrush 4R8 its users can find live Boolean to sculpt on models with an immediate preview of the boolean results, vector Displacement Meshes that allow undercutting when drawing on a model's surface and others. - [3ds Max Interactive](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/3dsmaxinteractive/): Autodesk has introduced virtual reality engine 3ds Max Interactive in 3ds Max 2018.1 Update. New 3dsMax 2018 update for virtual reality and augmented reality architectural visualizations - [MAXWELL RENDER 4.1](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/maxwell-render-4-1/): Next Limit has presented Maxwell Render 4.1 with a lot of new features and a new addition to Maxwell’s catalog of ies files included in the installation; provided by Real IES. - [Realflow 10.1](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/realflow-10-1/): Next Limit has released in May RealFlow 10.1 with workflow enhancements, brand new materials for our Dyverso Multi-physics solver, improved stability and various bug fixes. - [Corona Renderer 1.6](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/corona-renderer-1-6-3ds-max/): End of April Corona Renderer 1.6 for Autodesk 3ds Max was released. Among new features the renderer users can benefit: significant speed boost, lower memory usage, reworked distributed rendering and corona Image Editor. - [Meshmixer 3.2 by Autodesk](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/meshmixer-3-2-released/): Autodesk Research announce a release of Meshmixer 3.2 - a free software for Windows and Mac OS for working with triangle meshes - [thinkingParticles version 6](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/thinkingparticles/): Cebas Visual Technology Inc. announced the release of thinkingParticles version 6 Subscription Drop 5 with new workflow and production tools. - [What's new in Autodesk 3ds Max 2018?](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/whats-new-3ds-max-2018/): Autodesk has released 3dsMax 2018 from the mid-april with modeling, animation, rendering and workflow updates. - [Substance Source Textile Collection](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/textile-collection-substance-source/): Textile Collection Substance Source hit 1000 materials on the 13th of April. The collection is a selection of more than 150 scan-based materials dedicated to textile universes such as clothing, sportswear, interior decoration, and upholstery. - [Sony Xperia Touch](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/xperia-touch-projector/): Sony presents Xperia Touch - a portable projector powered by Android that transforms a wall or table into an interactive touch-screen. - [3DS Max 2018: good bye Mental Ray, hello Arnold](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/3ds-max-2018-good-bye-mental-ray-hello-arnold/): 3DS Max 2018: good bye Mental Ray, hello Arnold renderer: With the release of 3ds Max 2018 scheduled on April 12, 2017, Autodesk will no longer include NVIDIA’s Mental Ray as part of 3ds Max. Instead the company offers access to the Arnold renderer developed by Solid Angle that was purchased by Autodesk in 2016. - [Chaos Group V-Ray 3.5 for NUKE 10.5](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/v-ray-3-5-nuke/): V-Ray 3.5 is now compatible with NUKE 10.5 and has powerful new features such as falloff texture, volume grid and many others. - [animago Award 2017 call for entries](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/animago-award-2017-call-entries/): animago Award 2017 invites creative professionals and young talents from all over the world to submit their work in the fields of 3D ANIMATION & STILLS, VISUAL EFFECTS and VISUALIZATION. - [Techtextil Contest 2017 call for entries](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/techtextil-contest-2017/): Till 26 February 2017 students and young professionals in design, architecture and engineering can register for 14th Techtextil Contest ‘Textile Structures for New Building 2017’ and win € 8,000. - [Ultimate Unwrap 3D](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/ultimate-unwrap-3d/): Ultimate Unwrap 3D - UV mapping tool for unfolding and unwrapping 3D models - has released its version 3.50.22 and is compatible with 3ds Max, Maya, SoftImage, Cinema 4D, Lightwave, Modo, Sketchup and other 3d software. - [Online 3d collage on CGPort](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/online-3d-collages-on-cgport/): CGPort team of the designers and 3d-artists came up with an idea of online 3d collages - a try-before-buy service to see all the chosen 3d-models in one's own interior and check the styles, colors and proportions. - [Square Voxel](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/square-voxel/): {:en}3D Architettura interview with founder of Square Voxel about 3d, CG and architectural visualization{:} - [V-RAY 3.5 NOW IN BETA](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/v-ray-3-5-beta/): Chaos Group released a teaser of VRay 3.5 beta for 3ds Max. Some of the new features include ability to add VRayScene object node to import .vrscene files in 3ds Max, NVIDIA MDL support, V-Ray GPU enhancements, and reworked lens effects. - [NVIDIA Mental Ray for Maya](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/nvidia-mental-ray-maya/): NVIDIA mental ray is seamlessly integrated into Autodesk Maya® and delivers all the functionality Maya users have come to rely on. Artists can now experience interactive viewport rendering and easy-to-use global illumination with substantial GPU-acceleration. - [Anima2D on Unity Store](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/anima2d-unity/): Anima2D, a popular skeletal animation software, will be available to the entire Unity developer community for free starting in January 2017. - [V-Ray for Cinema 4D](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/v-ray-cinema4d/): V-Ray Cinema 4d 3.4 was released in December 2016. It is seamlessly integrated and optimized for both CPUs and GPUs, using whatever an artist picks to deliver high-quality imagery and animation quickly, even when working with complex 3D scenes. - [Oculus Touch](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/oculus-touch/): Oculus has released Touch controller that allows sculpting and painting in VR. Oculus Touch can be used together with Oculus Medium that is built specifically for virtual reality and lets to sculpt, model, paint, and create solid-feeling objects in a VR environment. - [PlantFactory](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/plantfactory/): PlantFactory is an innovative 3D vegetation modeling, animation, and rendering software developed for the CG, SFX, architecture and gaming communities. - [Gravity Sketch](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/3d-gravity-sketch/): Gravity Sketch, the first 3D creation tool designed for touch and gesture input, makes 3D design accessible for everybody left behind in the 2D world of pen and paper. - [Lumion 7 new features](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/lumion-7/): Lumion 7 easily transforms sterile walls and statues into realistic living surfaces with foliage, imperfections, and natural weathering. - [STEFAN LARSSON](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/stefan-larsson/): As you already know, the last days of October animago Awards has announced the winners of this year. Today we would like to introduce you Stefan Larsson from Japan. His CG animation "Spatial bodies" was chosen by animago expert jury as the best Architecture Film of 2016. - [RENDERPEOPLE: 3D MODELS AND FREE PLUG-IN](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/renderpeople-3d-models/): Renderpeople issued a new generation of scanned 3D people and a free plug-in for 3ds Max to resize and relink hundreds of textures in a 3d-scene. - [Substance Designer 5.5](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/substance-designer-5-5/): Substance Designer, a node-based non-destructive application for material authoring, in version 5.5 offers new tools and features. - [NVIDIA Iray Cinema 4D](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/iray-cinema-4d/): NVIDIA introduced the NVIDIA Iray Cinema 4D rendering plugin. It provides an intuitive way to create and design video effects and images for architecture, broadcast graphics, product design and others. Its unique interactive workflow made it notably easier for users to achieve the accurate photo realistic results. - [Tilt Brush by Google](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/tilt-brush-google/): Google has presented Tilt Brush that lets to paint 3d space with virtual reality. - [Tiko 3d printer](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/tiko-3d-printer/): Chinese company Tiko presented through Kickstarter campaign, according to their own words, the cheapest 3d printer on the market that would be available soon for purchase. - [Mock-up Editor](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/mockup-editor/): Mockup Editor is an intuitive and convenient online tool to create a hi-rez mockup of any graphical scene directly in the browser without other software - [V-Ray for Modo](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/v-ray-modo/): V-Ray for Modo seamlessly integrates production-proven rendering capabilities into MODO’s native workflow. Choose between multicore CPU and GPU-accelerated rendering for complete creative control and fast results. - [Adobe Creative Cloud](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/adobe-creative-cloud-new-tools/): Adobe presented new features coming to Adobe Creative Cloud tools for video editing, motion graphics/VFX, and audio. - [3D Holograms](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/3d-holograms-volume/): The Looking Glass Factory announced Volume "The world's first personal volumetric display" to creat 3d holograms. - [Phoenix FD 3.0 for 3ds Max](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/phoenix-fd-3dsmax/): Phoenix FD is an all-in one solution for fluid dynamics integrated seamlessly into 3ds Max and optimized to render with V-Ray. Simulate fire, smoke, liquids, ocean waves, splashes, spray, mist and more. - [Substance Painter 2.3](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/substance-painter-2-3/): Algorithmic released Substance Painter 2.3 version that brings a full Photoshop export path. Layers, masks and blending modes can now be transferred to Photoshop and each individual channel is exported in its own PSD. - [Thomas Deffet](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/thomas-deffet/): Thomas Deffet freelance 3d artist from Belgium interview and portfolio of CG projects on 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine - [ZBrushCore by Pixologic](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/zbrushcore/): Pixologic announced ZBrushCore, a streamlined version of ZBrush designed for all artists and enthusiasts of both traditional and digital art. - [Unreal Engine 4.13](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/unreal-engine-4-13/): Unreal Engine 4.13 has arrived! In this version you'll find numerous improvements across the board. - [Megascans Quixel in public beta](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/megascans-quixel/): Quixel announced the public beta release of Megascans, now the world’s largest online scan resource, containing thousands of standardized and physically based surface scans, vegetation scans and 3D scans - [MaxToMaya1.1](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/maxtomaya-v1-1/): MaxToMaya is a plugin to transfer 3DsMax current scene to Maya with 2 clicks, solving common problems between import/export problems automatically, to get the best results in the fastest way and with the less effort possible. - [Unigine 2.3](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/unigine-2-3/): Real-time 3d engine Unigine released version 2.3 introducing round Earth, photorealistic water and new depth of field. - [Marvelous Designer 6 closed beta](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/marvelous-designer-close-beta-test/): Marvelous Designer invites its users to participate in Close Beta Test, applying on its website till September 12 - [animago AWARD NOMINEES](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/animago-nominees/): End of August animago independent jury announced the final nominees for this year’s animago AWARD, choosing three best works in each of the 13 animago categories. In the meanwhile today 3D Architettura would like to introduce you the projects nominated in two architecture categories. - [ArionFX for Photoshop](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/arionfx-photoshop-upcast/): RandomControl demonstrated a new feature of the upcoming version of ArionFX for Photoshop: Upcast, that allows to define a minimum pixel brightness threshold above which an amplification factor will be applied. - [Clarisse 3.0 by Isotopix](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/clarisse-3-0/): Isotropix released Clarisse 3.0 - a new breed of high-end 2D/3D animation software which is the fusion of an animation package, a compositing software and a 3D rendering engine. - [RenderMan 21](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/renderman-21/): RenderMan is now more than just a renderer; it is a complete shading and lighting ecosystem, more powerful, accessible, and comprehensive than ever before. - [Portugal: best CG and ArchViz artists](https://www.3darchitettura.com/stories/portugal-cg-archviz-artists/): Let's see together new projects of the best CG and ArchViz artists from Portugal chosen by 3D Architettura editorial team. - [TERRAGEN 4 OPEN BETA](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/terragen-4-open-beta/): Terragen 4 open beta: the software to render beautifully realistic landscapes, skies or other natural environments, is in free open beta since the beginning of July. The beta version is completely free and unrestricted, with all Terragen 4 features available for you to test during the period of the beta. - [Brazil: best ArchViz and CG artists](https://www.3darchitettura.com/stories/brazil2016/): Brazil 2016 CG artists: In this overview we would like to show you some new projects created by the artists from Brazil and to remind you their interviews that were published on 3D Architettura. - [animago Award 2016 call for entries](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/animago-award-call-entries/): 20 years of extraordinary 3d animation, visual effects, visualization and digital art: All creatives around the globe are invited to submit their productions for the animago Award 2016. - [Grasshopper Archicad connection](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/grasshopper-archicad/): Following a 6-month public beta phase GRAPHISOFT has released its intelligent Grasshopper ARCHICAD Live Connection. - [Houdini 15.5 by Side FX](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/houdini/): SideFX released Houdini 15.5 with an improved workflow for modelers, more accurate crowd controls, a new VR lens camera for rendering to industry-standard formats and support for third party rendering in Houdini Indie. - [CAD mouse by 3Dconnexion](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/cad-mouse-3dconnexion/): 3Dconnexion has introduced the CAD mouse designed with CG professionals in mind. It has 7 buttons in total, including dedicated middle mouse button, 8200dpi / 1000Hz laser sensor, quickZoom, smart scroll wheel and gesture/radial menu button. - [LUXRENDER 1.6](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/luxrender/): Version 1.6 of open-source unbiased renderer LuxRender for Blender and 3dsMax was released recently. - [CORONA RENDERER 1.4](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/corona-3dsmax/): Recently Corona Renderer 1.4 for 3dsMax was released. - [REALFLOW FOR CINEMA 4D](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/realflow-cinema4d/): NextLimit announced the launch of RealFlow for Cinema 4D in June. Fluid simulation software will have a simplified workflow and compatibility with Cinema 4D native tools and modifiers. - [3DS MAX 2017 ANNOUNCED](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/3ds-max-2017/): The end of April Autodesk team introduced new features and upgrades implemented for the next release of 3ds Max 2017. - [VILLE KIURU](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/ville-kiuru/): Ville Kiuru, archviz artist from Finland, gave an interview to 3D Architettura about his approach to architectural visualization and showed his CG portfolio. - [RAILCLONE 2.6 RELEASE](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/railclone/): iToosoft has released RailClone 2.6 with brand new features and fixes to improve speed, increase usability. - [IRAY VR FOR VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/iray-vr/): NVIDIA demonstrated at its annual GPU Technology Conference a series of new products and technologies focused on deep learning, virtual reality and self-driving cars. Iray VR capabilities will allow to create environments that let users strap on a headset and peer around photorealistic virtual reality. - [MODO 10 SERIES RELEASE](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/modo-10-series/): The MODO 10 Series delivers valuable new feature sets in a series of three installments, - The Foundary developers have announced recently. - [OCTANERENDER 3 AND CLOUD LAUNCH](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/octanerender-3/): OTOY announces availability of OctaneRender 3 and OctaneRender Cloud and introduces development roadmap. - [STYX: IMPORT-EXPORT TOOL](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/styx-tool/): If you ever experienced difficulties with importing and exporting files between ZBrush, Maya and 3DS Max, you would be interested to know about Styx tool that makes faster importing-exporting files between the programs. - [LUCAS SILVA](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/lucas-silva/): Interview with 3d-artist Lucas Silva from Brazil published on 3D Architettura,digital architecture magazine, about renders and architectural visualizations - [VR-PANORAMAS WITH LUMION](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/lumion-vr/): Latest update of Lumion 6.3 now allows to demonstrate 3D models and 360 panoramas from Sketchup and Revit on Gear VR and Oculus Rift. - [AHMED TALLAL](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/ahmed-tallal/): 3D Architettura interviewed architect Ahmed Tallal from Egypt discussing his approach to ArchViz, 3d grapics and photorealistic visualizations, - [YURIY BOBAK](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/yuriy-bobak/): 3D Architettura interviewed CG artist Yuriy Bobak about achieving photorealism in architectural visualizations, using 3d software and plugins. - [PIXEL PLOW. RENDER FARM SAFETY](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/pixel-plow-render-farm-safety/): Founders of Pixel Plow render farm clear the issues of data protection, security and costs for rendering. - [MAXWELL RENDER. ADVANCING THE FUTURE](https://www.3darchitettura.com/stories/maxwell-render-juan-canada/): 3D Architettura invited Juan Cañada to speak about the past and the future of Maxwell Render and to unveil behind the scenes of this famous render engine. - [ROOMSCAN: AN APP FOR DRAWING FLOORPLANS](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/roomscan/): RoomScan is an app for iOS which draws floor plans in few minutes - just put your phone against the wall. - [JUAN CANESTRI|Phrog Studio](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/juan-canestri/): Juan Canestri, Phrog Studio, interview for 3D Architettura: rendering, CG, visualization. architecture - [Amazon released Lumberyard](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/amazon-lumberyard-release/): Lumberyard - free, cross platfom, 3d game engine by Amazon - [SAEED AMIRI](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/saeed-amiri/): 3D Architettura interview of Saeed Amiri, architect from Iran, about photorealism in architectural visualizations - [Furryball RT for Maya and Cinema 4d](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/furryball-rt-new-release/): New release of Furryball RT for Maya and Cinema 4d - [Cinema 4D plugins](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/cinema-4d-for-environment-art/): Cinema 4D and plugins for creating photorealistic landscapes and weather special effects. - [Ana Laura Franco & Gerardo Lujano - FQuattro](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/fquattro/): Ana Laura Franco & Gerardo Lujano, founders of FQuattro studio from Mexico sharing with 3D Architettura their experience in 3D and rendering. - [OLIVIER FARRUGIA](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/olivier-farrugia/): 3d Architettura interview with 3D visualization artist Olivier Farrugia - [BASEM MOHSEN](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/basem-mohsen/): Interview of a CG artist Bosem Mohsen from Egypt to 3D Architettura - [REALTIME ARCH VIZ WITH BENOIT DEREAU](https://www.3darchitettura.com/stories/benoit-dereau/): 3D Architettira exclusive interview of CG generalist and level designer Benoît Dereau about creating a realtime architectural walkthrough - [MARWAN SALIBA](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/marwan-saliba/): Interview of 3D artist Marwan Saliba for 3D Architettura about 3d rendering - [DIEGO REALES](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/diego-reales/): Interview of 3D artist Diego Reales for 3D Architettura about digital architecture - [UNIGINE 2.0](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/unigine-2-0/): On October 10, 2015 developers of the UNIGINE game engine announced the release of it's version 2.0 with major improvements. - [MAXWELL RENDER V3.2](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/maxwell-render-v3-2/): Key features and improvements in Maxwell Render version 3.2 - [ANDREI CHIRITOIU | Artroom Studio](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/andrei-chiritoiu/): 3D Architettura interviewed Andrei Chiritoiu from Artroom Studio (Romania) about his approach to architectural visualizations - [THARIK MOHAMMED](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/tharik-mohammed/): 3D Architettura speaking with Tharik Mohammed about obtaining photo-realism in architectural visualizations - [Thea Render 1.5](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/thea-for-3ds-max/): New features introduced in Thea Render v1.5 - [Real IES for photometric lights](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/photometric-light-real-ies/): Real IES is the professional solution in photometric light generation. With Real IES you can create your custom photometric file easily and if few seconds. - [SKATTER FOR SKETCHUP](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/skatter-for-sketchup-coming-soon/): Skatter is the new plugin for creating realistic vegetation in Sketchup soon available for commercial usage. - [Unreal Engine 4.9](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/unreal-4-9-updates/): New set of updates for Unreal 4.9 - [TWILIGHT RENDER 2.4](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/twilight-render-v2-4-for-sketch-up/): Twilight Render team recently announced the new release of their render engine where they have fixed some bugs from the previous versions and introduced some new features and improvements - [CORONA RENDERER: BEHIND THE SCENES](https://www.3darchitettura.com/stories/corona-renderer/): Exclusive interview with Corona Renderer founders and developers Ondřej Karlík, Adam Hotový and Jaroslav Křivánek - [Lumion 5.7](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/architectural-visualization-lumion/): Lumion released version 5.7 - [ARTEM TRISHIN](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/artem-trishin/): 3D Architettura interviewed Artem Trishin from Freedes Studio about rendering and 3d - [JORGE MORALES](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/jorge-morales/): Jorge Morales from Colombia interviewed on 3D Architettura about rendering and CG - [ALI IHSAN DEGIRMENCI](https://www.3darchitettura.com/interviews/ali-ihsan-degirmenci/): Interview of Ali Ihan Degirmenci to 3D Architettura.com - [Corona Renderer 1.1 for 3ds Max](https://www.3darchitettura.com/architectools/corona-renderer-1-1-for-3ds-max/): Corona Renderer team recently presented it's version 1.1 for 3ds Max. The news was announced on the company website together with the information about the reinforcements in the development team and opening of the new offices. --- # # Detailed Content ## Pages var block_tdi_7 = new tdBlock; block_tdi_7. id = "tdi_7"; block_tdi_7. atts = '{"category_id":"15","sort":"random_posts","block_type":"td_block_homepage_full_1","separator":"","post_ids":"","category_ids":"","tag_slug":"","autors_id":"","installed_post_types":"","open_in_new_window":"","show_modified_date":"","el_class":"","block_template_id":"","td_column_number":3,"header_color":"","ajax_pagination_infinite_stop":"","offset":"","limit":"5","td_ajax_preloading":"","td_ajax_filter_type":"","td_filter_default_txt":"","td_ajax_filter_ids":"","color_preset":"","ajax_pagination":"","ajax_pagination_next_prev_swipe":"","border_top":"","css":"","tdc_css":"","class":"tdi_7","tdc_css_class":"tdi_7","tdc_css_class_style":"tdi_7_rand_style"}'; block_tdi_7. td_column_number = "3"; block_tdi_7. block_type = "td_block_homepage_full_1"; block_tdi_7. post_count = "5"; block_tdi_7. found_posts = "172"; block_tdi_7. header_color = ""; block_tdi_7. ajax_pagination_infinite_stop = ""; block_tdi_7. max_num_pages = "35"; tdBlocksArray. push(block_tdi_7); Mexico Gabriel Núñez Salcedo 3. 12. 2013 3D ARCHITETTURA: Il Portale per la Visualizzazione Architettonica e il RenderingBenvenuti su 3D Architettura, la piattaforma di riferimento per la visualizzazione architettonica 3D, il rendering e la modellazione 3D. Offriamo un'ampia gamma di contenuti dedicati ai professionisti, studenti e appassionati del settore dell'architettura digitale. Su questo portale, troverai articoli, interviste esclusive, tutorial e approfondimenti su tecniche, strumenti e progetti innovativi nel campo della progettazione 3D. Esplora le ultime tendenze del rendering e della modellazione 3D, scopri i migliori software e metodologie per creare visualizzazioni fotorealistiche, animazioni, presentazioni immersive, e rimani aggiornato sulle novità che stanno plasmando il futuro 3D dell'architettura. Con la nostra raccolta di notizie e risorse, offriamo informazioni pratiche e ispirazioni per migliorare il tuo flusso di lavoro e portare i tuoi progetti al livello successivo. STAY CONNECTEDSUBSCRIBE TO OUR DIGEST Interviste con i professionisti dell'architettura in 3DLa visualizzazione architettonica 3D è uno strumento essenziale per la progettazione e la presentazione di ambienti e spazi. Attraverso interviste esclusive, diamo voce ai professionisti del settore: artisti 3D, designer e architetti raccontano le loro esperienze, condividendo consigli pratici e strategie di lavoro. Scopri le loro tecniche di rendering e modellazione 3D, le sfide affrontate nei progetti e le innovazioni che stanno trasformando il settore. Su 3D Architettura esploriamo le metodologie più avanzate per trasformare idee in rappresentazioni visive di grande impatto, dai modelli concettuali ai rendering finali. Dinis Ferreira CH visual Peiman Amin Powerkh Saeed Asgharpoor Strumenti, Tecnologie e Tendenze dal mondo della grafica 3DL’evoluzione della tecnologia ha reso sempre più accessibili gli strumenti per la modellazione e il rendering 3D, migliorando i flussi di lavoro e la qualità delle visualizzazioni. Sul nostro portale, esploriamo le migliori soluzioni per la creazione di rendering realistici, la gestione di materiali e luci, e le tecniche di post-produzione per ottenere risultati professionali. Rimani aggiornato sulle ultime innovazioni nel settore: dalle nuove tecniche di visualizzazione architettonica agli strumenti più avanzati per la progettazione digitale. 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From its origins in the aerospace industry to its integration with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, CATIA has become a key tool for 3D design, engineering, and innovation across multiple sectors. RealityScan... --- var block_tdi_60 = new tdBlock; block_tdi_60. id = "tdi_60"; block_tdi_60. atts = '{"category_id":"15","sort":"random_posts","block_type":"td_block_homepage_full_1","separator":"","post_ids":"","category_ids":"","tag_slug":"","autors_id":"","installed_post_types":"","open_in_new_window":"","show_modified_date":"","el_class":"","block_template_id":"","td_column_number":3,"header_color":"","ajax_pagination_infinite_stop":"","offset":"","limit":"5","td_ajax_preloading":"","td_ajax_filter_type":"","td_filter_default_txt":"","td_ajax_filter_ids":"","color_preset":"","ajax_pagination":"","ajax_pagination_next_prev_swipe":"","border_top":"","css":"","tdc_css":"","class":"tdi_60","tdc_css_class":"tdi_60","tdc_css_class_style":"tdi_60_rand_style"}'; block_tdi_60. td_column_number = "3"; block_tdi_60. block_type = "td_block_homepage_full_1"; block_tdi_60. post_count = "5"; block_tdi_60. found_posts = "172"; block_tdi_60. header_color = ""; block_tdi_60. ajax_pagination_infinite_stop = ""; block_tdi_60. max_num_pages = "35"; tdBlocksArray. push(block_tdi_60); Russia DENIS KRASIKOV 17. 09. 2014 The Portal for ArchViz and RenderingWelcome to 3D Architettura, the magazine about 3D architectural visualization, rendering, and modeling - rocking online since 2012. We offer a comprehensive range of content for professionals, students, and enthusiasts in the field of digital architecture. Whether you're an expert or just starting out, you will find articles, exclusive interviews, and in-depth insights into techniques, tools, and innovative projects in 3D design. Explore the latest trends in 3D rendering and modeling, In addition, you can discover the best software for creating photorealistic visualizations, animations, and immersive presentations. Our goal is to provide practical information and inspiration to enhance your workflow and elevate your projects to the next level. YOUR ULTIMATE SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT 3D ARCHITECTURAL VISUALIZATION AND RENDERING Interviews with professional 3D artists3D architectural visualization is an essential tool for designing and presenting environments and spaces. Through exclusive interviews, we give a voice to industry professionals: this way, 3D artists, designers, and architects can share their experiences, offering practical advice and work strategies. Discover their rendering and 3D modeling techniques, the challenges they face in projects, and the innovations transforming the industry. On 3D Architettura, we explore the most advanced methodologies for turning ideas into impactful visual representations, since we focus on everything from conceptual models to final renderings. var block_tdi_91 = new tdBlock; block_tdi_91. id = "tdi_91"; block_tdi_91. atts = '{"custom_url":"http:\/\/www. 3darchitettura. com\/category\/interviews\/","border_top":"no_border_top","category_id":"15","limit":"3","header_color":"#9fbf06","block_type":"td_block_13","separator":"","custom_title":"","title_tag":"","block_template_id":"","color_preset":"","mx3_tl":"","mx3_title_tag":"","m14_tl":"","m14_title_tag":"","m14_el":"","post_ids":"","category_ids":"","tag_slug":"","autors_id":"","installed_post_types":"","sort":"","offset":"","open_in_new_window":"","show_modified_date":"","video_popup":"","video_rec":"","video_rec_title":"","show_vid_t":"block","el_class":"","td_ajax_filter_type":"","td_ajax_filter_ids":"","td_filter_default_txt":"All","td_ajax_preloading":"","f_header_font_header":"","f_header_font_title":"Block header","f_header_font_settings":"","f_header_font_family":"","f_header_font_size":"","f_header_font_line_height":"","f_header_font_style":"","f_header_font_weight":"","f_header_font_transform":"","f_header_font_spacing":"","f_header_":"","f_ajax_font_title":"Ajax categories","f_ajax_font_settings":"","f_ajax_font_family":"","f_ajax_font_size":"","f_ajax_font_line_height":"","f_ajax_font_style":"","f_ajax_font_weight":"","f_ajax_font_transform":"","f_ajax_font_spacing":"","f_ajax_":"","f_more_font_title":"Load more button","f_more_font_settings":"","f_more_font_family":"","f_more_font_size":"","f_more_font_line_height":"","f_more_font_style":"","f_more_font_weight":"","f_more_font_transform":"","f_more_font_spacing":"","f_more_":"","mx3f_title_font_header":"","mx3f_title_font_title":"Article title","mx3f_title_font_settings":"","mx3f_title_font_family":"","mx3f_title_font_size":"","mx3f_title_font_line_height":"","mx3f_title_font_style":"","mx3f_title_font_weight":"","mx3f_title_font_transform":"","mx3f_title_font_spacing":"","mx3f_title_":"","mx3f_cat_font_title":"Article category tag","mx3f_cat_font_settings":"","mx3f_cat_font_family":"","mx3f_cat_font_size":"","mx3f_cat_font_line_height":"","mx3f_cat_font_style":"","mx3f_cat_font_weight":"","mx3f_cat_font_transform":"","mx3f_cat_font_spacing":"","mx3f_cat_":"","mx3f_meta_font_title":"Article meta info","mx3f_meta_font_settings":"","mx3f_meta_font_family":"","mx3f_meta_font_size":"","mx3f_meta_font_line_height":"","mx3f_meta_font_style":"","mx3f_meta_font_weight":"","mx3f_meta_font_transform":"","mx3f_meta_font_spacing":"","mx3f_meta_":"","m14f_title_font_header":"","m14f_title_font_title":"Article title","m14f_title_font_settings":"","m14f_title_font_family":"","m14f_title_font_size":"","m14f_title_font_line_height":"","m14f_title_font_style":"","m14f_title_font_weight":"","m14f_title_font_transform":"","m14f_title_font_spacing":"","m14f_title_":"","m14f_cat_font_title":"Article category tag","m14f_cat_font_settings":"","m14f_cat_font_family":"","m14f_cat_font_size":"","m14f_cat_font_line_height":"","m14f_cat_font_style":"","m14f_cat_font_weight":"","m14f_cat_font_transform":"","m14f_cat_font_spacing":"","m14f_cat_":"","m14f_meta_font_title":"Article meta info","m14f_meta_font_settings":"","m14f_meta_font_family":"","m14f_meta_font_size":"","m14f_meta_font_line_height":"","m14f_meta_font_style":"","m14f_meta_font_weight":"","m14f_meta_font_transform":"","m14f_meta_font_spacing":"","m14f_meta_":"","m14f_ex_font_title":"Article excerpt","m14f_ex_font_settings":"","m14f_ex_font_family":"","m14f_ex_font_size":"","m14f_ex_font_line_height":"","m14f_ex_font_style":"","m14f_ex_font_weight":"","m14f_ex_font_transform":"","m14f_ex_font_spacing":"","m14f_ex_":"","ajax_pagination":"","ajax_pagination_infinite_stop":"","css":"","tdc_css":"","td_column_number":2,"ajax_pagination_next_prev_swipe":"","class":"tdi_91","tdc_css_class":"tdi_91","tdc_css_class_style":"tdi_91_rand_style"}'; block_tdi_91. td_column_number = "2"; block_tdi_91. block_type = "td_block_13"; block_tdi_91. post_count = "3"; block_tdi_91. found_posts = "172"; block_tdi_91. header_color = "#9fbf06"; block_tdi_91. ajax_pagination_infinite_stop = ""; block_tdi_91. max_num_pages = "58"; tdBlocksArray. push(block_tdi_91); Dinis Ferreira Portugal What fascinates me most about Archviz is the possibility of giving color and shape to someone else's story, dream and thought, of course with the touch of my identity, but being able to create a visual for someone's story is always incredible. CH visual Ukraine Our goal is to make our animated video films and images evoke feelings and tell stories about the objects from which they are created. Peiman Amin Iran Portfolio of selected projects by Peiman Amin, 3D visualization artist, Designer, Architect from Iran, and founder of Capps design studio. ARE YOU A 3D ARTIST? Do you want to share your experience in architectural visualization? Do you want to see your story published on 3D Architettura? We are always looking forward to meeting CG professionals from all around the world. Alumni Insights: Exploring the Journeys of Emerging CreativesAlumni Insights is the editorial series that shines a light on the next generation of 3D artists, designers, architects, and digital creatives. Through in-depth interviews, we explore the diverse paths taken by recent graduates... --- BE A PART OF 3D ARCHITETTURA COMMUNITY During the last years 3D Architettura has become an international community that unites 3D visualization artists, architects and designers. We share interesting stories of success, inspiring renders and practical information about everything connected to architectural visualizations, both offline and real-time. Join us and introduce your project to our readers from all around the world. Do you want to share your experience? If you are a 3D artist and you want to share your story and to demonstrate your CG projects, please fill in the form below. If you work with a team, you can write your story together with your colleagues, we would just like to ask you to introduce each of you personally - we would like to know real people behind interesting projects. Name: Email: Country: Job: Website/portfolio: Facebook/social media: Pinterest account: Short introduction Please tell about yourself and your professional experience (at least 200 characters): Characters:0 Cover image Please upload one render that will be a cover for your story (landscape layout, png or jpg format, max 1 Mb) Project 1 Please write a title, year and short description (at least 100 characters) Characters:0 Project 1- Software used Project 1 - Render (png, gif or jpg format, max 1 Mb) Project 2 Please write a title, year and short description (at least 100 characters) Characters:0 Project 2- Software used Project 2 - Render (png, gif or jpg format, max 1 Mb) Project 3 Please write a title, year and short description (at least 100 characters) Characters:0 Project 3- Software used Project 3 - Render (png, gif or jpg format, max 1 Mb) Project 4 Please write a title, year and short description (at least 100 characters) Characters:0 Project 4- Software used Project 4 - Render (png, gif or jpg format, max 1 Mb) Project 5 Please write a title, year and short description (at least 100 characters) Characters:0 Project 5- Software used Project 5 - Render (png, gif or jpg format, max 1 Mb) I confirm that these images are done by me and I own the copyright and the possibility to share them GDPR Agreement I consent to having this website store my submitted information so that they can respond to my inquiry Do you want to tell about your services? Our readers are always curious to learn about new tools available on the market, that make the work of a 3d artist or an architect easier and faster. Are you developing a 3d software, a plugin or other digital utility or instrument? Do you provide some services to designers and visualizers? Are there any news that you think we need to write about? Then send us your press release or other information about your project. Your Name (required) Your Email (required) Your website (required) Your Message (required) Are you a robot? GDPR Agreement I consent to having this website store my submitted information so that they can respond to my inquiry 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine will use... --- --- ## Posts Marvelous Designer 13 introduces powerful tools for designing and simulating digital clothing, with updates that enhance workflow, realism, and performance. Ideal for virtual fashion, animation, and game development, it builds on previous versions with smarter simulation and improved UI. Marvelous Designer 13 introduces powerful tools for designing and simulating digital clothing, with updates that enhance workflow, realism, and performance. Ideal for virtual fashion, animation, and game development, it builds on previous versions with smarter simulation and improved UI. A Benchmark for Virtual Clothing Marvelous Designer, developed by CLO Virtual Fashion, has long been a standard for creating highly realistic digital garments. Its system, based on real-world patternmaking and accurate physical simulations, allows users to design, sew, and animate clothing virtually as if it were real, offering an intuitive yet incredibly powerful workflow. With Marvelous Designer 13, the user experience is further refined, introducing new tools designed to speed up the design process, improve cloth simulation, and enhance integration with external 3D pipelines. Key Features Marvelous Designer uses a workflow closely inspired by traditional tailoring. Instead of directly modeling a garment in 3D like many other software, it starts with creating 2D patterns, just like a tailor would draw on paper or fabric. These 2D patterns represent individual parts of the garment, for example, a sleeve, front panel, or back panel, and are drawn precisely with the desired measurements and shapes in mind. Once the patterns are complete, they are virtually “sewn” together and simulated in 3D, creating a realistic garment that fits and behaves like real fabric. This process gives users detailed control over the fit (how the garment drapes on the body), the structure (how the pieces connect), and the fabric behavior (how the cloth folds, stretches, or moves). In essence, Marvelous Designer faithfully replicates the real-world fashion workflow by combining precise 2D technical drawing with 3D physical simulation to produce highly realistic results. Advanced Physics Simulation Simulation is at the heart of Marvelous Designer. Version 13 improves the stability and speed of the physics engine, allowing light, heavy, stretchy, or stiff fabrics to behave more realistically, even when interacting with animated bodies. Live Sync with 3D Software One of the most appreciated new features in Marvelous Designer 13 is the improved auto-sync system with software like Blender, Maya, ZBrush, and Unreal Engine. This allows real-time updates of modifications without the need for constant manual exporting and importing. Smart Fabric and Stitch Library The latest version also expands the library of pre-set fabrics, textures, and stitching styles, streamlining the concepting and prototyping process. Users can now assign physical and visual properties with just a few clicks in a more intuitive way. Interface and User Experience The UI has been streamlined and is now more readable. Panels are better organized and customizable, designed to suit both beginners and professionals. Simulation previews are smoother and more responsive, thanks to improved support for modern GPUs. Integration with Professional Pipelines Marvelous Designer 13 seamlessly integrates into professional workflows, with support for formats like Alembic (an open-source format for exchanging complex 3D data), FBX (Filmbox), OBJ (Wavefront Object), and now USD (Universal Scene Description). This makes it ideal for animation studios, VFX (Visual Effects) production, and video game developers looking to bring digital... --- Gravity Sketch is a modern 3D modeling software, developed since 2014 for an immersive and intuitive design workflow. This powerful tool enables users to create three-dimensional models directly in virtual reality (VR) or on a desktop, thereby overcoming the limitations of traditional CAD tools. Gravity Sketch is a modern 3D modeling software, created to bring design into an immersive and intuitive space. Its natural interface and the ability to manipulate full-scale shapes using hands or VR controllers make it ideal for designers, artists, and engineers who want to move from concept to 3D model quickly and creatively. Founded in 2014 by Jack King, a British entrepreneur and designer, this powerful tool enables users to create three-dimensional models directly in virtual reality (VR) or on a desktop, thereby overcoming the limitations of traditional Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools. Key Features Freehand and intuitive modeling: Enables users to draw, sculpt, and shape 3D forms using natural movements, without the rigidity of complex commands. 1:1 scale design: Objects can be created in real-world dimensions, supporting accurate spatial perception. Cross-platform support: Available on PC and in VR (compatible with Meta/Oculus, HTC Vive, and other VR headsets). Real-time collaboration: Multiple users can work simultaneously on the same project from different, even distant, locations. Versatile export options: Models can be exported in standard formats like OBJ, FBX, and STL for further processing in software such as Blender, Maya, Rhino, or CAD. Applications of Gravity Sketch in 3D and Design Fields Gravity Sketch is used in numerous creative and industrial sectors, thanks to its combination of artistic freedom and technical precision. Concept Art and Industrial Design Used to ideate shapes and silhouettes freely, without the constraints of traditional CAD tools, it allows 2D sketches to evolve into immersive 3D prototypes, facilitating the transition from idea to model. Widely used by product, automotive, tech accessory, and furniture designers. Automotive and Transport Design Brands like Ford, Nissan, and Volvo have officially adopted Gravity Sketch in their design pipelines to speed up prototyping and concept presentation. For instance, Ford has published case studies in which designers used Gravity Sketch in VR to explore forms and proportions at full scale, thereby reducing revision times. Architecture and Interior Design In the field of architecture and interior design, studios such as Gensler and Zaha Hadid Architects use Gravity Sketch to explore organic forms and spatial configurations in immersive environments. Gensler has adopted it in collaborative design workshops, experimenting with virtual reality workflows that support simultaneous teamwork. Character and Environment Design for Games Studios like Ubisoft use Gravity Sketch during the concept phase for characters and environments. In the early creative phases of AAA game development, it helps rapidly create blocking shapes and early-stage models that can later be exported to ZBrush or Maya. Gravity Sketch continues to grow as an essential tool for anyone working in 3D design, offering a unique combination of creative freedom, technical accuracy, and immersive collaboration. Thanks to this revolutionary approach, the design process becomes faster, more engaging, and open to new forms of innovation. article by: F Beranger --- Have a look at the evolution and current capabilities of CATIA, one of the most longeve CAD solutions developed by Dassault Systèmes. From its origins in the aerospace industry to its integration with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, CATIA has become a key tool for 3D design, engineering, and innovation across multiple sectors. Have a look at the evolution and current capabilities of CATIA, one of the most longeve CAD solutions developed by Dassault Systèmes. From its origins in the aerospace industry to its integration with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, CATIA has become a key tool for 3D design, engineering, and innovation across multiple sectors. CATIA was born in France at the end of the 1970s. Originally developed as an internal tool for designing aircraft produced by Dassault Aviation. At that time, the aerospace industry required more advanced solutions than traditional 2D CAD software; it required tools capable of managing highly complex 3D surfaces with precision and integration capabilities. In 1981, Dassault Systèmes was founded with the sole purpose of developing and marketing CATIA as an independent product. Almost immediately the company started a collaboration with IBM, which handled global distribution of the software, helping CATIA spread across various industrial sectors. By the 1980s and 1990s, CATIA had established itself as a standard in the aerospace and automotive industries and was adopted by companies like Boeing, which used it to design the Boeing 777, the first airplane entirely designed digitally. Meanwhile, the software evolved rapidly and subsequent updates and releases added tools for solid modeling, advanced surfaces, assemblies, and mechanical simulations. A major breakthrough came with the launch of CATIA V5 at the end of the 1990s, which introduced a modern interface, advanced parametric modeling, and improved compatibility with other formats. Integration with other DCC happened also around that time when the 3D CGI became a more and more requred aspect of production, not only in engineering but in design, architecture, vfx and video games. In the 2010s, Dassault Systèmes launched the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, a cloud-based collaborative environment that integrates CAD (Computer-Aided Design), CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering), CAM (Computer-Aided Manufacturing), data management, and project management. CATIA became one of the main pillars of this ecosystem, adding new features for real-time collaboration and integration into the company digital workflows. Today, CATIA is one of the most powerful and complete CAD solutions worldwide, used not only in heavy industries but also in important sectors such as biomedical. CATIA allows working on complex 3D models by integrating various aspects of the development cycle, including mechanical design, surfaces, architecture, and systems engineering. Thanks to its powerful parametric modeling tools, it allows the creation of dynamic components that can be easily modified via parameters, formulas, and logical rules. CATIA includes the Generative Shape Design module, which allows users to model highly complex surfaces with exceptional precision, a crucial feature for industries such as automotive, aerospace, and industrial design. Recent versions are fully integrated with the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, as said before, a cloud-based environment that enables centralized, real-time data management and remote access from anywhere. These updates have brought significant improvements to both CATIA V6 and the overall 3DEXPERIENCE ecosystem, particularly in terms of user experience and project management. The user interface has been streamlined to make CATIA more accessible, even for newcomers, thanks to context-sensitive tools, quick-access commands, and guided... --- With a background that stretches from Sofia to Scotland and Milan to Dubai, Mirella Dimitrova is a creative mind constantly in motion, shaping experiences where music, space, and storytelling meet. ALUMNI INSIGHTS: Mirella Dimitrova — From Event Design to Immersive Worlds With a background that stretches from Sofia to Scotland and Milan to Dubai, Mirella Dimitrova is a creative mind constantly in motion, shaping experiences where music, space, and storytelling meet. Her work blends event design and artist management with a strong visual sensibility, drawing from a passion for immersive environments and multisensory narratives. While her journey into 3D computer graphics began recently, it quickly became a valuable tool to explore and prototype ideas, helping her give form and depth to creative concepts that exist beyond the flatness of a sketch or moodboard. For Mirella, 3D is not just about visuals, but about envisioning experiences before they come to life. In this interview, she opens up about her international path, her creative approach, and how the language of 3D is quietly expanding beyond architecture into the realm of music, entertainment, and emotion. Mirella Dimitrova Event & Exhibition Designer Creative Events & Marketing Executive Linkedin Please introduce yourself and share a bit about your study background with our readers. My name is Mirella Dimitrova, a Bulgarian exploring opportunity around the world. I am an Event and Exhibition Designer currently based in Dubai, working in Creative Events and Marketing for a Tomorrowland-inspired hospitality establishment. My role blends creative strategy, event coordination, artist management and marketing, with a strong focus on nightlife and DJ events. What was your educational path, and how did it guide you toward your current career? After graduating from a French-language high school in my hometown, Sofia, I moved to Scotland, UK, to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Media and Communication. During that time, I worked in event logistics and coordination, which further pushed me to look for a Master’s that focused more on events, but with a strong emphasis on the creative side of the field. This is how I ended up in Milan, Italy, where I embarked on a Master’s in Event & Exhibition Design. Throughout my student years, I would occasionally take on volunteering or temporary jobs at festivals, which helped me shape my interest in exploring the organisation and creative development of music and art events. Fast forward to the end of my Master’s program, I had to find an internship, and I decided to reach out to a company in Dubai that I was really interested in. To my pleasant surprise, I was offered the opportunity to do my internship with them, and after graduating, I am now a full-time employee. My role focuses on DJ event coordination, artist management, creative strategy and marketing. How did your knowledge of 3D computer graphics influence your studies and how does it impact your work today—whether in design, interiors, or other fields? My first encounter with 3D computer graphics was during my Master’s course, and it immediately caught my interest. Although my knowledge is still limited, I’ve been teaching myself through tutorials in my free time, trying to explore different techniques and tools. I love the idea... --- Sam Donyagard's architectural journey began not in a classroom, but on real-world construction sites at just seventeen. Guided by early hands-on experience and a deep familial connection to architecture, Sam’s career evolved from executive leadership to a profound, emotionally driven approach to design. From Construction Sites to Sensory Spaces: The Transformative Path of Sam Donyagard In this edition of Alumni Insights, we meet Sam Donyagard, whose architectural journey began not in a classroom, but on real-world construction sites at just seventeen. Guided by early hands-on experience and a deep familial connection to architecture, Sam’s career evolved from executive leadership to a profound, emotionally driven approach to design. His story is one of continuous transformation, marked by a shift from structural precision to sensorial storytelling. Influenced by Italian craftsmanship and the evocative power of interiors, Sam now views architecture not merely as the creation of buildings, but as an act of peace; a way to bring people together through spaces that inspire, comfort, and connect. With a reflective voice and a keen eye for both composition and collaboration, Sam shares his challenges in mastering 3D visualization, his admiration for simplicity in design, and his belief in the future of collective creativity. His vision is both grounded and ambitious, culminating in a dream that transcends architecture: a global system of connection. Sam Donyagard Arch. Sam Donyagard Instagram DONYAGARD GROUP I was 17 when I took my first steps into the world of architecture, working at my father’s architectural firm. My father, a PhD graduate from Florence University, placed me in the role of assistant to the executive director and on a construction site. It was an intense beginning, but as time passed, I grew into the role, eventually finding myself in the position of executive director. During those years, I was also studying for my bachelor's degree, balancing education with real-world experience. My passion for architecture led me to shift my focus, using my early executive experience to accelerate my understanding of design and its fundamental principles. After a decade in the field, I ventured into the world of interior design. This transition brought new colors to my architectural journey, especially when I connected with Italian furniture companies. Their craftsmanship and attention to detail fascinated me, and I began integrating their work into my projects. It was through this exposure to Italian design that I discovered a new dimension of architecture, one that went beyond the structure itself and into the emotions it evoked. Designing a space was no longer just about its function or aesthetics, it was about how it made people feel. This realization led me to explore international collaborations, attend exhibitions like Salone del Mobile, and immerse myself in the world of interior design. With each new project, I saw architecture not just as a physical form but as a sensory experience, one that could tell a story and create lasting impressions. In my mid-30s, something shifted. I realized that my mission extended beyond designing buildings, it was about fostering an emotional connection between my work and the people who lived in and experienced these spaces. Architecture, at its core, is an act of peace. It is the opposite of destruction. It creates places where people gather, share experiences, and learn to... --- The RealityScan 1.6 update introduces advanced features to enhance 3D scanning using your smartphone. This update offers two new scanning modes: the classic Augmented Reality mode and the new Camera Control mode, providing more flexibility and precision. Additional improvements include a Processing Options Panel for mesh resolution and texture quality adjustments, making it easier to achieve high-quality 3D models. Ideal for professionals and hobbyists, RealityScan 1.6 optimizes the process of creating detailed 3D models on the go, with improved real-time interaction and manual controls. RealityScan 1. 6 update brings significant improvements that enhance the reliability and quality of 3D scans directly from your smartphone. The new features include the introduction of advanced modes that optimize the acquisition and processing of models. With new customization options and enhanced real-time interaction, this update makes RealityScan even more powerful and suitable for both professionals and creatives. RealityScan allows you to turn a series of photographs into 3D models usable in various contexts, from augmented reality to 3D design. The app is designed to be accessible to everyone, even those with no experience in complex modeling software, thanks to its simple interface and advanced automatic scanning technologies. Users take photos of objects or scenes they want to scan, and RealityScan combines the images to create a detailed 3D model. Mainly used to create 3D models in various fields like game developers, product designers, architects or anyone needing to acquire 3D models from physical objects to integrate them into digital projects. Update 1. 6 update has made the app even more powerful, introducing new modes and options that allow for higher-quality scans with more control using two different capturing modes: the classical Augmented Reality and the new camera Control mode. Not to be confused with its big brother RealityCapture, RealityScan prioritizes ease of use and portability, making it ideal for quick captures on the go, while RealityCapture delivers high-end, professional photogrammetry solutions with extensive control over processing and results. Both RealityScan and RealityCapture, initially developed by Capturing Reality and now under Epic Games, serve different purposes and different levels of expertise. RealityScan is a mobile app designed to make photogrammetry accessible to a wider audience. It allows users to create 3D models from photos taken directly with a smartphone or tablet, offering a simple and guided workflow. A real-time point cloud helps visualize coverage during the scanning process, ensuring a more complete dataset. Once the capture is finished, the model can be processed in the cloud and uploaded to Sketchfab for easy sharing and visualization. RealityCapture, on the other hand, is a professional-grade desktop software offering advanced photogrammetry tools. It supports a wide range of input sources, including high-resolution images, laser scans, and drone footage, allowing for the reconstruction of highly detailed and accurate 3D models. Unlike RealityScan, processing is done locally, leveraging the power of a workstation’s GPU to generate models faster and with greater precision. The software also provides extensive tools for editing, texturing, and optimizing 3D assets for various applications, from game development to architecture and visual effects. This version 1. 6 of RealityScan is designed for anyone who wants to quickly obtain high-quality 3D models using only a smartphone. It is particularly useful for professionals and hobbyists working in 3D modeling, augmented reality, and design, but also for anyone wishing to explore 3D scanning for personal or creative projects. RealityScan is developed by Epic Games, a leading name in the gaming and immersive technology sectors. Known for the Unreal Engine graphics engine and Twinmotion, Epic... --- Version 10.1 of Substance 3D Painter, released near the end of 2024, is a major update that brings several improvements designed to make the texturing experience smoother and more powerful. With new features, enhanced support for the USD format, and significant performance upgrades, this version aims to meet the needs of 3D artists, game designers, and VFX professionals. Notably, the addition of new filter options and an update to core dependencies ensure a greater flexibility and speed during the creative workflow. Version 10. 1 of Substance 3D Painter, released near the end of 2024, is a major update that brings several improvements designed to make the texturing experience smoother and more powerful. With new features, enhanced support for the USD format, and significant performance upgrades, this version aims to meet the needs of 3D artists, game designers, and VFX professionals. Notably, the addition of new filter options and an update to core dependencies ensure a greater flexibility and speed during the creative workflow. Substance 3D Painter 10. 1 mainly focuses on introducing new tools and, as expected, optimizing existing features. Some of the most major additions include new filters, such as the Embroidery Decal filter, which allows users to add textile-like details to 3D surfaces, and the FXAA filter, which reduces aliasing and improves texture quality, especially on sharp edges. Additionally, the Fill Area Color/Mask Filter enables users to quickly fill closed areas or outlines, making the texturing process easier, particularly in complex scenarios. Other new filters include the High Pass Filter, useful for generating grayscale textures for advanced effects like detail enhancement or blurring, and the Pixelate Filter, which simulates a lower resolution to create stylized visual effects. The introduction of the Posterize Filter allows for color reduction in an image, making it ideal for achieving high-contrast, stylized shapes. For sure all these filters will sound familiar if you already used Photoshop. A highly anticipated tool in this update is the Threshold Filter, which lets users create binary masks quickly, perfect for handling sharp black-and-white transitions. Additionally, the Smoothstep Filter provides an alternative method for refining grayscale information by applying an exponential curve for smoother gradients. These new tools, along with performance improvements, are designed to optimize the workflow when creating 3D textures, catering to the needs of artists and developers in various fields such as game design, VFX, and virtual reality. The new filters provide quick solutions for achieving high-quality effects without relying on external tools, while updates to project management and faster loading times help users work more efficiently, especially on complex projects. In fact Substance 3D Painter is aimed at professionals and content creators working with 3D object texturing. It’s ideal for 3D artists, game designers, VFX developers, and anyone in digital simulation fields who need detailed control over materials and textures. Additionally, with improved USD format support and better import/export options, this update is perfect for those working in multidisciplinary teams with this (not so new anymore) interexchange file format. Adobe continues to support Substance 3D Painter, making it one of the leading tools for professional 3D texturing. Since Adobe acquired Allegorithmic, the original creators of Substance, the software has continued to evolve, improving integration with other Adobe applications and responding to the needs of industry professionals. As professionals we see also a bit of the first appearance of Quixel painter inside this tool. Version 10. 1 is the result of a series of software updates that enhance both functionality and core dependencies. The adoption of... --- Twinmotion 2025.1 Preview 2 brings enhanced rendering tools, refining real-time visualization with optimized Lumen and Path Tracing systems. Developed by Epic Games, this latest update improves lighting, reflections, and overall performance, making Twinmotion even more powerful for architecture, urban design, and automotive rendering. Twinmotion 2025. 1 Preview 2 brings enhanced rendering tools, refining real-time visualization with optimized Lumen and Path Tracing systems. Developed by Epic Games, this latest update improves lighting, reflections, and overall performance, making Twinmotion even more powerful for architecture, urban design, and automotive rendering. One of the key aspects of this new version is the enhancement of the Lumen and Path Tracing rendering systems. Lighting and reflections have been further optimized, delivering a more detailed and realistic visual output matching the speed of Lumen to the accurate quality of the Path Tracing modo. Users can now enjoy improved image quality, with more lifelike materials and greater control over visual settings such as an enhanced bloom and starbust effects, a new slot for Ambitn Occlusion in the material editor and full support to translucent materials such as thin fabrics. The overall performance of the software has been refined for a smoother experience, even on older machines. Additionally, the asset import process and scene management have been optimized, reducing loading times and improving responsiveness while navigating within the project. A positive note goes to the new Spacing and Area tools that help the user to quick populate and scatter assets within an area. Epic Games has introduced significant improvements to customization tools and asset management. As mentioned earlier, the new Spacing and Area tools are excellent additions for enriching scenes with props. Additionally, the Smart Foliage system further expands the possibilities of Twinmotion’s impressive virtual vegetation—one of the core features that makes the software so appealing. With version 2025. 1 Preview 2, users can take advantage of enhanced options for organizing and modifying their models, providing more intuitive and faster access to essential resources. The asset library has been expanded with new materials, textures, and models, allowing for the creation of more complete scenes without relying on external tools. Furthermore, tighter integration with Unreal Engine ensures a smoother workflow for users working with both software, improving compatibility and offering more efficient export options. Twinmotion is designed to meet the needs of designers, architects, game developers, and engineers while also serving as a valuable educational tool. It delivers realistic real-time visuals, making it an excellent choice for presenting complex projects in a clear and engaging way. In the 2025. 1 Preview 2 update, a new system allows users to assign layer IDs to assets and export them as passes, similar to how it works in KeyShot or 3ds Max’s Render Elements. Finally, a new animation sequencing tool has been introduced, providing full control over camera paths for more dynamic and customizable presentations. The integration of software like Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, and 3ds Max makes it particularly useful for complex workflows. Notably, ad-hoc plugins for these DCCs have been deprecated in favor of a continued and advanced expansion of Datasmith. Thanks to its intuitive interface, even less experienced users can achieve high-quality results without facing a steep learning curve. The investment of resources and time over the years must have been substantial to provide... --- Blender users can now seamlessly import .max files thanks to the Autodesk MAX Importer plugin. This tool eliminates the need for external conversions, preserving geometry, materials, and textures while streamlining workflows for 3D artists, designers, and game developers. Discover how this importer enhances interoperability between Blender and 3ds Max. Interoperability between 3D modeling software has always been a challenge for artists, designers, and game developers. With the Autodesk MAX Importer for Blender, users can now import . max files directly into Blender without external conversions, streamlining their workflow. The necessity of transferring assets from one platform to another is crucial for workflow optimization and sometimes it brings compatibility issues, data loss and broken assets. One of the tallest mountains for 3d modelers is transitioning a model from Autodesk 3ds Max to Blender since the latter does not natively support the . max format. This is a common situation with proprietor file formats such as the . max and only a few middleware such as Unity can access the content, by using a smart workaround. The recently released Autodesk MAX Importer is an add-on for Blender that allows users to import directly . max files without external conversions. This plugin was developed to solve any compatibility problem between 3ds Max and Blender, without the use of external formats like . fbx or . obj, which may fail to preserve some details of the models, especially materials and textures. This plugin improves interoperability between 3ds Max and Blender, allowing to import models with all of the original information like: geometry, materials, textures, and lights (plus rig, and skinning coming soon). MAX Importer is very useful for rendering workflows from engines like V-Ray and Corona, to Cycles or Eevee because it keeps the used texture path and material structure. Instead of manually setting up materials and textures after importing, Autodesk MAX Importer keeps untouched the coordinates of advanced materials and textures, drastically reducing work times and preserving a seamless workflow. Autodesk MAX Importer is helpful for professionals in any field of computer graphics including architectural visualization, CGI, and game development. With the increasing audience who implemented Blender in their pipeline, this extension can facilitate cooperation with teams that use the outstanding 3dsMax in their production. In the current times of smart working, this extension may help remove technical barriers simplifying the transfer of the asset from one DCC to another. Asset stores are another important aspect to consider when talking about high-quality arch-viz, as many artists are purchasing assets online. The renowned Evermotion today includes both the . blend files together with the . max but other great stores such as 3DSky or Design Connected may offer only the . max for certain elements in their catalog. Finally, the Italian 3D Model Unity may have a plethora of formats, including the . max among them. This is another practical example of how an importer can extend the production. Autodesk MAX Importer for Blender was initially developed by a team of experts composed by Sebastian Schrand, Jens M. Plonka, and Philippe Lagadec. The after-release support and updates are entrusted to Sebastian Sille (NRGSille). As always, the Blender community is very supportive of the project, giving feedback and reporting bugs via the GitHub page. As said before, the plugin was made to compensate for... --- UNIGINE SDK 2.19.1 update introduces significant features and improvements for developers. This new update mark an important step for real time, simulation, virtual reality, industrial visualization and immersive training with a multithreaded DX12 render that uses at its full potential the CPU, significantly increasing FPS and improving the performance of all the supported platforms. UNIGINE SDK 2. 19. 1 update introduces significant features and improvements for developers. This new update mark an important step for real time, simulation, virtual reality, industrial visualization and immersive training. Version 2. 19, released in august 2024, introduced a multithreaded DX12 render that uses at its full potential the CPU, significantly increasing FPS and improving the performance of all the supported platforms. It translates to a more fluid and responsive experience, reducing in the meantime the consumption of RAM and VRAM memory up to 30%. The asynchronous loading of meshes and properties in separate threads allows for a significantly faster engine boot, with loading times reduced up to 1. 9 times. Between all the new features, the one that pops out is the optimization of the streaming system, which accelerates the archived files and new rendering features. Among these, dynamic probe multiple reflection support, more advanced color control for atmospheric elements and a material quality system that allows users to balance quality and performance according to their needs. The recent release of UNIGINE SDK 2. 19. 1 update, which took place on December 2024, focuses on upgrades and new functionalities. One of the main innovations is a significant update of the SSRTGI (Screen Space Ray-Traced Global Illumination), with an optimized redistribution of rays for a better visual quality and for correcting reflection and gamma errors. A very important addition is the support for NVIDIA Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) 3 and AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) 2. 2 in VR environments, with better performance and immersive projects. For those who use UNIGINE for advanced projections management, the plugin SpiderVision was improved with new functions like undo/redo and new advanced options for better widget configuration. There are new additions that will simplify users' work like Universal Scene Description (USD) file format support, a new widespread standard in 3d projects. Thanks to this functionality, the engine allows for greater interoperability with other platforms like Unity and Unreal Engine, the ideal for those who work with very complex pipelines. Since the beginning, UNIGINE has been made for professionals who work in different industries: from industrial simulation and training to virtual reality and video game development. With its flexibility and power, UNIGINE SDK is the ideal tool for professionals who want to excel in the creation of high-quality 3D interactive experiences. With version 2. 19. 1, UNIGINE SDK establishes itself as one of the most advanced solutions for 3D software development, support for technologies like NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR in VR, together with the integration of standard formats like USD, an updated Global Illumination system, the imGui integration and a lot of quality-of-life improvements for the developers, it demonstrates how this company looks forward to the needs of the constantly changing market. UNIGINE SDK is adopted more and more in areas such as augmented reality (AR), virtual formation and scientific simulations. Also, the engine is destined to play a much bigger role in the making of more fluid and realistic experiences, thanks... --- What fascinates me most about Archviz is the possibility of giving color and shape to someone else's story, dream and thought, of course with the touch of my identity, but being able to create a visual for someone's story is always incredible. Dinis Ferreira 3D Artist ArchViz Freelancer Portugal behance facebook instagram I started studying 3D around 2017, without any intention of working in the area, in 2019 I started working professionally for some local architects, I'm a Freelancer, I work mostly alone, I have my page "Be Tale" sometimes I end up having some collaborators but the vast majority of projects are produced by me alone, my workflow involves initially creating the entire story of the project, in discussion with the architect I begin to understand the project better and then create some images that convey the story he wants, after that The next step is that I start modeling, modeling always with high detail. What fascinates me most about Archviz is the possibility of giving color and shape to someone else's story, dream and thought, of course with the touch of my identity, but being able to create a visual for someone's story is always incredible. Architects: Sergio Conde Caldas Arquitetura Area: 4081 m² Year: 2022 Construction Company: Construtora Mozak City: Rio de Janeiro Country: BrazilArchitects: Foster + Partners Year: 2024 Interior Design: Gilles & Boissier City: Dubai Country: United Arab EmiratesArchitects: AProjetos Year: 2024 Country: Portugal "Roots of Portugal" is a visual tribute to the essence of traditional Portuguese architecture, capturing the nuances and charm of environments that evoke authenticity and a strong bond with history and the land. Architects: ATELIER XI Area: 316 m² Year: 2021 City: Jiaozuo Country: ChinaYear: 2023 Country: Portugal A café that also doubles as a bookstore, a place that connects the smell of coffee to the imagination. --- Geo Week 2022 is at the intersection of geospatial and the built world, bringing together AEC Next, SPAR 3D, and the International Lidar Mapping Forum. 3D Architettura is happy to see exhibitions happening again offline and to be a media partner of Geo Week 2022 in Denver. 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 Geo Week is the intersection of geospatial + the built world. The event brings together AEC Next Expo & Conference, SPAR 3D Expo & Conference, and the International Lidar Mapping Forum into a single powerhouse event. Co-located partner events include USIBD, ASPRS, MAPPS Annual Meeting. Industries covered include Architecture, Engineering & Construction; Asset & Facility Management; Disaster & Emergency Response; Earth Observation & Satellite Applications; Energy & Utilities, Infrastructure & Transportation; Land & Natural Resource Management, Mining & Aggregates, Surveying & Mapping, and Urban Planning/Smart Cities. The combined conference program and tradeshow floor will feature commercial applications of 3D technologies, innovations and case studies in the built environment, advanced airborne and terrestrial remote sensing solutions, smart products for a full project team, and much more! Professionals from a range of disciplines will network and gain insight into the increasing confluence of their worlds, providing even more opportunities to support the next generation of digital technology. It is presented by Geo Week News and organized by Diversified Communications, a global event producer that also organizes Commercial UAV Expo Americas, Commercial UAV Expo Europe (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), Digital Construction Week, and GEO Business Show (London, UK). Useful links: About GeoWeek 2022 advisory board Geoweek 2022 official website --- Our goal is to make our animated video films and images evoke feelings and tell stories about the objects from which they are created. CH visual 3d visualization studio Ukraine Website: www. chvisual. com Professional Visualization Studio «CH visual» is a team of creative people who help to present projects, even at the design stage, with realistic visualizations and video animation. We work with architects and developers in more than 20 countries and have gained strong trust, in particular, because of implementation the most creative ideas and solutions. Our goal is to make our animated video films and images evoke feelings and tell stories about the objects from which they are created. Our focus is on understanding these architectural objects and perceiving their future implications. --- Portfolio of selected projects by Peiman Amin, 3D visualization artist, Designer, Architect from Iran, and founder of Capps design studio. Peiman Amin 3D visualization artist, Designer, Architect Iran www. instagram. com/PeimanAmin I’m Peiman Amin (Peiman Aminzadeh), graduated in Architecture and founded Capps design studio. I’m an experienced expert on Autodesk 3Dsmax, Chaosgroup V-ray, Corona Renderer, Adobe Photoshop. --- We are a digital design consultancy that offers architectural rendering, BIM, computational design, structural detailing, and digital fabrication expertise. We work with project owners, architects, contractors, developers, and engineers to improve the way buildings are designed, built, and operated through the use of digital design tools. Powerkh Digital Design Consultancy Ukraine Website: www. powerkh. com We are a digital design consultancy that offers architectural rendering, BIM, computational design, structural detailing, and digital fabrication expertise. We work with project owners, architects, contractors, developers, and engineers to improve the way buildings are designed, built, and operated through the use of digital design tools. The memorial building creates a reminder of the impact of the 1989 Baltic Way, a peaceful demonstration that occurred when people across three Baltic countries joined hands to form a human chain stretching more than 600 kilometers. Baltic Way Memorial comprises exhibition space, souvenir shop, and cafe. Architecture: Aidan Doyle and Sarah Wan Visualization: Powerkh This library was not designed to be a bin for dusty books and card files; it was designed to be a center of creativity, research and collaboration... and to be free to the public. Architecture: CO-OP Architecture Visualization: Powerkh Riverbends by the cliff is a symbolic setting in the Chongqing area. As a living gallery, the project is a trial for and response to localized architecture. It explores the spatial interaction between nature and geographical traits in an urban context. Architecture: LWK + PARTNERS Visualization: Powerkh --- Organizers of Geo Week, the single powerhouse event that brings together AEC Next Technology Expo & Conference, International Lidar Mapping Forum, and SPAR 3D Expo & Conference, have announced an impressive list of influential leaders within the geospatial and built world industries who will be participating on the 2022 event’s Advisory Board. Organizers of Geo Week, the single powerhouse event that brings together AEC Next Technology Expo & Conference, International Lidar Mapping Forum, and SPAR 3D Expo & Conference, have announced an impressive list of influential leaders within the geospatial and built world industries who will be participating on the 2022 event’s Advisory Board. The Advisory Board is responsible for recommending conference topics and speakers, reviewing submitted abstracts, consulting on the program, and acting as a resource to develop different aspects of the event. The Geo Week Advisory Board is comprised of industry leaders who will help craft programming, recommend speakers, and deliver critical insights to geospatial and built world professionals at the launch of the highly anticipated event in 2022. Lee Corkhill, Group Director at Diversified Communications, organizer of the event Members of the 2022 Geo Week Advisory Board include Dr. Qassim Abdullah, Vice President & Chief Scientist, Woolpert, Inc. Kelly Cone, Vice President of Industry Strategy, ClearEdge3D Kevin Dowling, CEO, Kaarta Danielle Dy Buncio, Co-Founder & CEO, VIATechnik Martin Flood, Vice President, Special Projects, GeoCue Group Inc. Birgitta Foster, Program Lead, Asset Management, Sandia National Laboratories Thomas Haun, Chief Operating Officer, Turner Mining Group Kourosh Langari, BIM Manager, Caltrans Robert Mankowski, Senior Vice President, Digital Cities, Bentley Systems, Inc. Amar Nayegandhi, Senior Vice President, Dewberry Engineers, Inc. Cody Nowak, Founder, CUBE Scott Simmons, Chief Standards Officer, OGC Dr. Jason Stoker, Physical Scientist, USGS Dan Stonecipher, Senior Director of Innovation, PROCON, Inc. Dr. Stewart Walker, Managing Editor, LIDAR Magazine Geoff Zeiss, Principal, Between the Poles The Board represents a mix of key market vertical players, top vendors, and regulatory experts to address the most pressing issues facing the geospatial, 3D and built world environments today. Board members are at the top of their fields and they are ready to bring their connections and commitment to delivering the best conference and expo the geospatial and built markets have ever seen. Lee Corkhill, Group Director at Diversified Communications, organizer of the event The coming together of AEC Next Technology Expo & Conference, International Lidar Mapping Forum, and SPAR 3D Expo & Conference to form Geo Week reflects the increased integration between the built environment, advanced airborne/terrestrial technologies, and commercial 3D technologies. Geo Week is at the forefront of this integration, providing education, technology, and resources for professionals in industries including AEC, Asset & Facility Management, Disaster & Emergency Response, Earth Observation & Satellite Applications, Energy & Utilities, Infrastructure & Transportation, Land & Natural Resource Management, Mining & Aggregates, Surveying & Mapping, and Urban Planning/Smart Cities. The event will feature multiple tracks with content clearly identified as relevant to one or more of the audience groups feeding into Geo Week. The International Lidar Mapping Forum (ILMF) audience has historically been comprised of precision measurement professionals in surveying and mapping who use airborne and terrestrial lidar and related remote sensing technologies. The AEC Next audience has historically been comprised of professionals in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) that use technologies such as reality capture, automation,... --- Today, November 12th, is finally launching a book that we have awaited since 2018. "Virtual Cities" by game urbanist Konstantinos Dimopoulos offers an atlas and exploration of Video Game Cities. Today, November 12th, is finally launching a book that we have awaited since 2018. "Virtual Cities" by game urbanist Konstantinos Dimopoulos offers an atlas and exploration of Video Game Cities. This beautifully illustrated unofficial guide allows to explore 45 spectacularly imagined virtual cities, from Arkham City to Whiterun. Inspired by the atlases of old, and fueled by a deep love and appreciation for the fascinating cities of video gaming, Virtual Cities is the first book of its kind. It is a richly illustrated atlas and exploration of video game cities. An attempt to understand, re-imagine, and present the most important civic spaces of gaming. A celebration of the creativity, ingenuity and imagination poured into gaming's virtual cities, and also an invitation to appreciate them, dwell in them, and let their flows embrace you. Read our exclusive interview with Konstantinos Dimopoulos to learn more about the behind the scenes of the creation of Virtual Cities atlas. Konstantinos Dimopoulos Game Urbanist & Designer MSc on urban and regional planning PhD in urban planning and geography at the NTUA School of Architecture and Rural & Surveying Engineering www. game-cities. com In Virtual Cities I wanted to recreate that feeling of longing for strange lands that old atlas tended to conjure, albeit for the digital cityscapes of video gaming. I also wanted to flesh out the fractured spaces of game cities and re-imagine them in their entirety, while writing a book that could appeal both to professionals and a wider audience. The help of artist Maria Kallikaki and my wife Vivi Papanastasiou, an engineer with a mastery of GIS, was crucial in helping the atlas provide readers with a unified image of 45 exotic, mostly imaginary places. Virtual Cities: An Atlas & Exploration of Video Game Cities is an ambitious illustrated atlas that is the first detailed attempt to document and present the rich history of game cities. Virtual Cities offers a combination of original maps, ink drawings, detailed descriptions from in-world perspectives, as well as insightful commentary and analysis. Virtual Cities is a book meant for lovers of imaginary cartography and worlds, artists, game professionals, world builders, and, above all, everyone who is fascinated by the digital urban spaces crafted for video games. Virtual Cities covers 45 game cities spanning almost 40 years of digital history. Entries include Half-Life 2’s City 17, Yakuza’s Kamurocho, Fallout’s New Vegas, Silent Hill, Anor Londo from Dark Souls, and even pioneering classics such as the 8-bit Antescher and the 16-bit Lizard Breath. The book is 256 pages long, it's pretty large at 216 x 286 x 28mm, and is a hardback. The European/ Worldwide hardback edition of Virtual Cities will be published on the 12th of November by Unbound, and the US hardback edition on the 11th of November by Countryman Press. It will be available to buy on Amazon, the Book Depository, and Waterstone --- Are you ready to re-start after the lockdowns? Let's create a perfect summer with V-Ray 5, Maxwell Render 5.1, Marvelous Designer 9.5, new procedural Ivy Generator for 3ds Max and other software and plugins for CGI and arch-viz that we have collected in our digest of the recent releases. Are you ready to re-start after the lockdowns? Let's create a perfect summer with V-Ray 5, Maxwell Render 5. 1, Marvelous Designer 9. 5, new procedural Ivy Generator for 3ds Max and other software and plugins for CGI and arch-viz that we have collected in our digest of the recent releases. Marvelous Designer 9. 5 Remeshing To Retopology - to remesh selected pattern and generate retopology lines along the remeshed polygon. Partial Freeze - to freeze the mesh of the selected area in the pattern. The intensity of the freeze applied depends on the transparency of the brush. New Default Avatars and Avatar Tape - to attach avatar tapes to internal or external seam/pattern lines. Substance Painter 2020. 1 New Export Texture Window - to configure and export textures from a project. New Decal Layer Mode - It creates a new fill layer in Planar Projection mode which allows to position patterns and images more easily. New Python Scripting - to write and run Python scripts and modules with Substance Painter. Improved Mesh Export (with Tessellation) and Improved Automatic UV Unwrapping 5 new decal materials, new Vray shader, project templates, and export presets New Ivy plugin for 3ds Max Based on the discontinued Ivy Generator by Thomas Luft, the new plugin by Guillermo M. Leal LLaguno works as a plugin/script combo: the plugin does the actual ivy growing and generation of the meshes, the maxscript part is the user interface, the Materials and the Corona scatter creation. Instant Terra 1. 12 Snow and Advanced Snow nodes Multi-blend for blending terrains Colormap node Forest Pack 6. 3. 0 Full compatibility with 3ds Max 2021 as a part of 2020 development before a planned major update in the summer release. Lumberyard Beta 1. 24 Script Canvas quality of life improvements to working with node variables and math expressions. Visual Studio 2019 support. Asse Bundler, Management, and Processing PhysX physics systems updates V-Ray 5 Multiple lighting scenarios from a single render. By adding the new VRayLightMix render element, you can adjust lights interactively without rendering. The new Layer compositor lets you fine-tune and finish your images directly in the V-Ray Frame Buffer — without the need for a separate post-processing app. A library of over 500 render-ready materials including metals, glass, wood, and more. Materials Presets for aluminum, chrome, glass, and more. Materials Preview - New rendered material swatches show you exactly what your materials will look like. Maxwell Render 5. 1 New Substance Painter assistant - to create a Maxwell material from the textures generated by Substance Painter. Support for coated materials and for transparent materials in Maxwell GPU; new versions of Benchwell, benchmarking tool, for both CPU and GPU Blender 2. 83 OpenVDB files can now be imported and rendered with the new Volume object. Files may be generated by Blender’s fluid simulation cache or even other software. Powered by OpenXR, Blender now ships with the first milestone in VR support: scene inspection. Cycles now supports denoising inside the Blender viewport... --- I was born in 1986 in Iran, in the city of Maku. Since 2007, I started designing and I have been working professionally for more than 10 years in the design of architectural projects and training architecture. Saeed Asgharpoor Architect Iran Website dikofulls. website2. me Born in 1986, I was born in Iran and in the city of Maku. Since 2007, I started designing and I have been working professionally for more than 10 years in the design of architectural projects and training architecture. Kitchen design in the Poonak district of Tehran. 2017 Design of a house in Australia with thermo-wood sticks. 2019 Design of a Swimming pool in Kuwait with metal CNC sticks. 2019 Design of a entrance to the studio of Edalat in Iran, Urmia. 2017 --- As media partners of animago Award – an internationally renowned competition for 3D animation and still, visual effects, visualization and VR/AR/360° – we are happy to present you the winner of the Best Still category this year, character artist Yuriy Dulich from Ukraine. In our exclusive interview, we speak about behind the scenes of his winning project, Subarctic Great Horned Owl: look into the depths, and about his approach to CGI visualizations in general. As media partners of animago Award - an internationally renowned competition for 3D animation and still, visual effects, visualization and VR/AR/360° - we are happy to present you the winner of the Best Still category this year, character artist Yuriy Dulich from Ukraine. In our exclusive interview, we speak about behind the scenes of his winning project, Subarctic Great Horned Owl: look into the depths, and about his approach to CGI visualizations in general. Yuriy Dulich Character Artist | Groom TD Co-Founder at Biotic Factory Ukraine www. yuriydulich. com www. bioticfactory. xyz What's your professional background? How did you start working in CG? Everything is very simple and banal. In short, this is the story of a teenager who, at school, fell in love with science in general and astronomy in particular, who met with Photoshop at a technical college because he wanted to improve the quality of photographs (still on tape! ) of the night sky after astronomical observations. It’s also the story of a student of astrophysics who first learned 3DSMax, and then mastered Maya, because he wanted to visualize the obtained observation data and generally make presentations at scientific conferences more beautiful. And then there was a cruel disappointment in the bureaucracy of science, the stage of student freelance, leaving graduate school. So in 2008, I came to the archiviz studio as a junior 3D Artist, went through all the stages of the career ladder in advertising, managed to be a supervisor on several animation projects, and this year I created my own, so far, virtual studio. How did your interests and priorities change during your CGI career? If you were able to start anew, what would you change? And what do you consider your most important achievements? When I first became interested in CG, I tried to learn every specialization. I realized that sooner or later I would have to stop at one or a couple of things that will be a favorite part of CG. Therefore, as a freelancer, I started as a so-called CG Generalist, and in fact, I was able to do everything except good character animation, but at an average level. To do everything at a high level is quite difficult because to keep all the skills in good shape is almost impossible, given the rhythm and specificity of a project. And even when I was a technical supervisor on 2 animation projects, these skills came in handy. Closer to the equator of my career, I began to firmly understand that I am most pleased to work with characters. And in my free and personal time, I developed all the skills in this direction — I studied anatomy, sculpted various organic characters, looked at a lot of materials on organics and techniques, and also tried to sculpt from clay. I also tried to create a hardsurface characters, but as it turned out, this is not mine. Then, while working on a serial animation project, I had to revise the part of my... --- All recent updates for the professional software and tools you need for modeling, texturing, image-based lighting and rendering of your architectural visualization projects. As we have finally stepped up into the new decade, 3D Architettura editors decided to prepare a summary of the new updates for CGI software, tools and render engines released during the last months of 2019. All you need for modeling, texturing, image-based lighting and rendering of your architectural visualization projects. NUKE 12. 0 by Foundry https://youtu. be/z0IbWew-1bc Soft Selection for a customizable falloff to geometry vertex, face, or edge selection. GPU accelerated nodes like Edge Extend to erode or dilate a sample region, Inpaint node to create contextual paint strokes similar to Photoshop’s Healing Brush. Grid Warp Tracker to create match moves, track warps and morphs, and to warp across custom-defined grid shapes and use Smart Vectors to drive the grids. Cara VR Integration. MAXWELL RENDER 5 by Next Limit https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=OQ0tt_0ad1o&list=PLSXH7gXnX8GlcxgbAPO38g4veCN3DVZdW Fully rewritten MULTI-GPU engine. New Cloud Render service. Faster and optimized FIRE (Fast Interactive Render). GPU-ready materials with additive layers. Integrations to Rhino, SketchUp, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, Revit, ArchiCAD, Cinema 4D and the standalone Maxwell Studio to create, edit and render Maxwell scenes. V-Ray scenes import and automatic conversion. CORONA RENDERER 5 for 3dsMax and Cinema 4d by Chaos Czech https://youtu. be/JXCzH2nf2Ek Memory and render time savings right out of the box, without the need to change anything in the scene. New default displacement calculation method, which gives you much faster scene parsing and even more memory savings. Caustics render faster and use less memory, no changes needed to the scene. General Optimizations for memory and render time savings, including for geometry processing and more. The performance of the Corona Color Correct map has been improved. Corona Material Library updated (17 new basic Hair materials, 10 new Skin materials, and some smaller fixes). ZBRUSH 2020 by Pixologic https://youtu. be/Q3810-uuVjA Sculpt & Paint in Morph UV - ability to sculpt and PolyPaint on the UV unwrap of a model. XTractor Brushes - brushes to convert detail from the model into a new alpha or texture for future reuse. HistoryRecall - undo of a portion of sculpting. Move Infinite Depth. Texture Adjust by Color & PolyPaint Adjust by Color. 3D print straight from ZBrush with new mesh analysis features: Wall Thickness, Real-Time Draft Analysis, and Surface Area calculations. 3DS MAX 2020 by Autodesk ATF Importer Update to support all newer versions of SketchUp files Chamfer and Modeling improvements Time-saving and quality improvements with the existing viewport. Improvements for Arnold 5. 4. 0. 1 Core, the MAXtoA plugin, and Arnold GPU beta https://youtu. be/WgWQzOpIw9c SUBSTANCE DESIGNER Winter 2019 by Adobe https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=OkuHPZIe1wU OpenColorIO-based color management system for consistent and high-fidelity color imaging across applications and devices: customize color spaces for any bitmap resources, displays, and exported bitmaps. Ray-tracing-based Curvature baker. Improved Ambient Occlusion bakers: enable the Ground Plane option, which simulates the occlusion coming from the ground. The new Atlas tool for absolute control over scanned atlases. BRIDGE 2019. 5 by Quixel https://youtu. be/5B-KYCnKnM8 New Unreal Engine integration, with full support for UE 4.... --- Architectural Visualization projects of Samir Al Qeisi, Consultant Architect, Urban Designer & Lecturer at University of Nizwa. Samir Al Qeisi Lecturer, Consultant Architect & Urban Designer - University of Nizwa - Iraq Website samiralqeisi. pb. online Consultant Architect, Urban Designer & Lecturer (B. Sc. Arch. Eng. , M. Sc. Urb. Design, D. E. A. CAD-M, Ph. D. Candidate). Faculty member – Department of Architecture and Interior Design – University of Nizwa, – Sultanate of Oman. Principal Architect – (Bunyan Cabinet for Engineering Consultancy) – University of Nizwa, – Sultanate of Oman. Newroz Mall - 24 000 sqm of commercial facilities in the heart of Zakho city center. Iraq 2014-2015. Twin houses - 400 sqm total site area, Mosul - Iraq, 2012 Creating an intimate shared outdoor space belonging to both twin houses. 300 sqm row houses residential project, Baghdad Iraq, 2011. The residential project will offer four types of individual houses with areas of 200, 250, 300, and 360 sqm 400 sqm individual house, Tripoly - Libya, 2015. Integrating interior spaces with exterior space to creat a convivial living environment. Seven floors residential over commercial building, Zakho, Iraq 2014-2015 Maximum utilization of available area. --- The winners of the animago AWARD, the international competition for 3D animation, still, visual effects and game, have been announced. The winners of the animago AWARD, the international competition for 3D animation, still, visual effects and game, have been announced. 500 guests watched the award ceremony in the Alte Kongresshalle in Munich, November 2nd, where the event celebrates its 23rd anniversary. More than 1,100 submissions from 62 countries across the globe were submitted this year and the winners were chosen by the jury. Sous la glace Milan Baulard, Ismaïl Berrahma, Flore Dupont, Laurie Estampes, Quentin Nory, Hugo Potin - École des Nouvelles Images - France METRO Exodus: Artyom’s Nightmare Tomek Suwalski - Platige Image - Poland The Ostrich Politic Mohammad Houhou - GOBELINS, l’école de l’image - France Hurlevent Frédéric Doazan France Christmas Doesn’t Need Much. Only Love Glassworks Amsterdam The Netherlands The Pig on the Hill Jamy Wheless, John Helms - Lightstream Animation Studios - USA - Crater Studio - Serbia Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Rodeo FX Canada Shadow of the Tomb Raider Eidos Montréal Crystal Dynamics Square Enix Canada/USA The Beauty Pascal Schelbli - Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg - Germany Subarctic Great Horned Owl: look into the depths Yuriy Dulich Ukraine The award is part of the animago CONFERENCE (November 2nd-5th 2019), attended by top-class speakers and leading experts of the industry who talk about current trends and developments, grant insights and reveal their latest tools and tricks. --- The animago jury had some tough decisions to make this year, nominating the best 30 projects in 10 categories out of 1137 entries. Meet animago Award 2019 Nominees (and give your vote for the Best Still nomination till September 20). The animago jury had some tough decisions to make this year, nominating the best 30 projects in 10 categories out of 1137 entries. 557 participants from 62 countries submitted 393 stills and 744 moving image projects – a significant increase compared to the previous year, in which a total of nearly 900 projects were submitted. Günter Hagedorn, Jury Chairman and animago AWARD Management, freestyle computer Bela Beier, Editor in Chief, Digital Production Melanie Beisswenger, Animator, Director and Educator, Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart Alexander Bouquet, Chief Production Officer, Jung von Matt Thomas Gronert, Head of Department Digital Film Design, Mediadesign Hochschule München Tobias Hager, Chief Marketing Officer, Digital Production Robert Hranitzky, Creative Director, Freelancer Dominik Markota, Head of CGI, Sunday Digital Isabell Mayrhofer, Film Communication Manager Agon Ushaku, Head of CAD Management, Unexpected GmbH Turbopéra Fabien Meyran, Antoine Marchand, Paul-Eugène Dannaud, Benoît de Geyer d’Orth - Eddy - France Sous la glace Milan Baulard, Ismaïl Berrahma, Flore Dupont, Laurie Estampes, Quentin Nory, Hugo Potin - École des Nouvelles Images - France 400 MPH Paul-Eugène Dannaud, Julia Chaix, Lorraine Desserre, Alice Lefort, Natacha Pianeti, Quentin Tireloque - Supinfocom Rubika- France Cyberpunk 2077 Goodbye Kansas Studios Sweden Outriders: Director’s Cut Sava Zivkovic - Axis Animation - United Kingdom METRO Exodus: Artyom’s Nightmare Tomek Suwalski - Platige Image - Poland PROJECKT Rémi Carles, Victor Jarnoux - New3dge- France Trois Francs Six Sous Clémence Ottevaere, Florence Blain, Louise Leblond, Varoon Indalkar, Morgane Ladjel, Hugo Valdelièvre-Rattier - Supinfocom Rubika - France The Ostrich Politic Mohammad Houhou - GOBELINS, l’école de l’image - France Germany Trade & Invest – Germany works Parasol Island Serviceplan Reputation Germany Hurlevent Frédéric Doazan France GUNEE Homme Thomas Gugel, Eugen Laitenberger - Three Seconds - Germany Christmas Doesn’t Need Much. Only Love Glassworks Amsterdam The Netherlands Howard’s Story Guilherme Marcondes - Vetor Zero / Lobo - Brazil Almarai: Obesity Juan Pablo Brockhaus - Sehsucht - Germany Spring Andy Goralczyk - Blender Animation Studio - The Netherlands o28 Otalia Caussé, Geoffroy Collin, Louise Grardel, Antoine Marchand, Robin Merle, Fabien Meyra - Supinfocom Rubika - France The Pig on the Hill Jamy Wheless, John Helms - Lightstream Animation Studios - USA - Crater Studio - Serbia Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Rodeo FX Canada Game of Thrones – Season 8 ScanlineVFX Germany Sicario: Day of the Soldado Rodeo FX Canada Shadow of the Tomb Raider Eidos Montréal Crystal Dynamics Square Enix Canada/USA Ghost Recon Breakpoint Ubisoft Germany Utopia Syndrome Andrew Averkin Ukraine Ian, una historia que nos movilizará Abel Goldfarb - Mundoloco Animation Studios - - Fundación IAN - Spain The Beauty Pascal Schelbli - Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg - Germany Bavure Donato Sansone - Autour de Minuit - France Vote for the Best Still of animago 2019 until Friday, September 20 and win a ticket for animago Award ceremony. Link for voting Subarctic Great Horned Owl: look into the depths Yuriy Dulich Ukraine Garden of Damocles Csaba Bánáti Norway Frog – Surface Flavio Albino, Flavio Teixeira, Rafael Dioli - Platinum FMD - Brazil The... --- Chaos Czech (formerly Render Legion) has presented two important releases this June - Corona Renderer 4 for 3ds Max and Corona Renderer 4 for Cinema 4d. Chaos Czech (formerly Render Legion) has presented two important releases this June - Corona Renderer 4 for 3ds Max and Corona Renderer 4 for Cinema 4d. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=drpURGcsIR4 Among the features presented in this release, the users of both 3d software can find: Photorealistic Caustics, both reflective and refractive, with simple set up. Depth of field focus point on a selected scene object. Fisheye mode for the Corona Camera. Intel AI Denoiser. Multiple Suns and Environments for LightMix. Moreover, all the previous users of the Corona Renderer demo version can benefit an extra 2 weeks trial period on this update. Read more about Corona Renderer for 3ds Max and Corona Renderer for Cinema 4D. --- I was studying 3ds Max, V-Ray, AutoCAD, Revit, Lumion since 2009, both using video tutorials and during my education as an architect. From the beginning of my studies, I started learning software for architecture and ever since I put a significant effort to achieve progress in this field. Amir Lashgari Architect & 3D artist Iran Website fb/amir. lashgari I was studying 3ds Max, V-Ray, AutoCAD, Revit, Lumion since 2009, both using video tutorials and during my education as an architect. From the beginning of my studies, I started learning software for architecture and ever since I put a significant effort to achieve progress in this field. I create this rendering of a workroom in 2018. In this project I focused on a high-quality texture and turned it into a simple exterior and interior light with minor adjustments. I created this lobby in 2013. This project was performed in Tehran, Iran, for Bam Jamshidieh, which designed the models in this work and, to achieve photorealism in rendering. In 2017, this project was my Master's Thesis dissertation titled "Designing the Music Center of Tehran" with the goal to revive Iranian music. In 2018 I created this rendering to demonstrate the integration of inner and outer space and a balance between the exterior and interior lighting. --- The 23rd edition of animago Award 2019 is coming up and submission for 3D animation projects, visual effects, design and the like is open now! The 23rd edition of animago Award 2019 is coming up and submission for 3D animation projects, visual effects, design and videogames is open now! Submissions are possible until June, 30th 2019 and are completely free of charge. Submitted projects are reviewed and evaluated by an independent jury comprising renowned experts from the industry. In the new category "Best In-Game-Graphics" graphics are evaluated as they appear in the actual game – not in pre-rendered sequences. Special attention is paid to character design, animation, game flow and the realism of movement. In the "Best Still" category, the winner out of three nominees will be determined by an online public vote. The final winner of the “Best Still” category will be determined by an online public vote. The ten categories of animago Award 2019: Best In-Game Graphics Best Visual Effects Best Game Cinematic Best Short Film Best Advertising Production Best Character Best Young Production (€3000 prize money sponsored by Digital Production) Jury’s Prize Best Motion Design Best Still (determined by public voting) Submit your CG project for animago Award 2019 here, read full submission guidelines here. As a media partner of animago Award, 3D Architettura will closely follow the competition and eventually, as always, we will publish the interview with one of the winners of this year. Read our interview with Stefan Larsson, winner of the best Architecture Film category on animago Award 2016 with the project “Spatial bodies”. Read our interview with Marek Denko, winner of animago Award 2017 in Best Still category with his project “Her Eventual Hesitation”. Read our interview with ValentinStudio, winners of Best Architecture Visualization Prize on animago Award 2017. Read our interview with Alexander Beim, winner of the Best Still category on animago Award 2018 with his project, "Albert Einstein". --- PlaySys Software Engineering has released Real HDR 1.5 with a Skylight Module for creating photorealistic skies and clouds for CGI. PlaySys Software Engineering has released Real HDR 1. 5 with a Skylight Module for creating photorealistic skies and clouds for CGI. Real HDR, a software for creating HDR files for rendering, that appeared on the market last summer, has now presented its latest update with more features for photorealistic CGI. The Skylight module that has been in preview for several months, is now officially released and the users can benefit its complete functionality. Along with separate setting panels for Sunlight, Atmosphere (aerial perspective, air quality, light scattering) and Clouds (two types: flat and voxel - with parameters to regulate brightness, density, scattering, and level of detail), the shadow softening and the dynamic range have been significantly improved to be proportional with the sun, atmosphere and clouds total evaluation. All these features now allow to create custom HDRI for different seasonal and weather scenarios and export the . exr files in 2K and 4K (8K export is available as an experimental option and requires at least 16 Gb of RAM). The Photobooth module (for creating photo studio lighting scenarios mainly for product design and rendering) has experienced several improvements in Real HDR 1. 5 as well. It now allows to create gradient backgrounds, has an option for GPU softening of the stencils shapes for SpriteLights and DarkMarks and introduced some improvements in light representation in 3d preview. For more information about Real HDR 1. 5 you can refer to release notes and user manual. --- Next Limit, developers of Maxwell Render, have recently released their new software, RoomBox, for creating 3D visualizations directly from AutoCAD 2d plans. Next Limit, developers of Maxwell Render, have recently released their new software, RoomBox, for creating 3D visualizations directly from AutoCAD 2d plans. The software allows the import of blueprints made in AutoCAD or Revit, further creation of a 3D scene with lighting scenarios, a library of objects, textures, and materials and - finally - rendering the visualization, including panoramas in 360 degrees. Among the main features that users of RoomBox can benefit from their monthly or yearly subscription plan, there are: Multilight function will allow you to change the lighting of the project once finished without having to launch new renders in real time. Render in Cloud with a major speed advantage over traditional render. Maxwell Render engine, integrated into RoomBox, with all necessary configurations for photorealistic rendering. Internal library with thousands of 3D objects for decoration and construction in unlimited combinations of furniture and interior design styles. Cloud storage and the possibility to share projects and objects with your work team and work on projects together. More information about RoomBox: main features overview, tutorials from the developers, subscriptions. --- Developers of Unigine, a real-time 3D visualization platform for simulation and training, digital twins, BIM and VR, have recently released Unigine 2.8 with improved asynchronous data streaming, cached shadows optimization work, various shadow improvements, better FPS stabilization functionality, improved vegetation, better subsurface scattering, interleaved lights rendering, and multiple other rendering improvements. Developers of Unigine, a real-time 3D visualization platform for simulation and training, digital twins, BIM and VR, have recently released Unigine 2. 8 with improved asynchronous data streaming, cached shadows optimization work, various shadow improvements, better FPS stabilization functionality, improved vegetation, better subsurface scattering, interleaved lights rendering, and multiple other rendering improvements. Among key features of this release one may find: Optimized work with shadows — the Cached Shadows to replace dynamic shadows and use baked ones for everything static, thus reducing load and significantly improving performance. Photorealistic vegetation for true-to-life outdoor environments delivering a highly immersive experience. Occluded reflections clipping, additive blending for environment probes and multi-scattered specular reflections on rough surfaces for visual improvements and more flexibility in reflections control. For more detailed information about Unigine 2. 8 you can refer to the official release notes and to development blog --- Allegorithmic released Substance Painter Spring 2019 that is "more officially" - Substance Painter 2019.1 with a lot of new tools and features. Allegorithmic released Substance Painter Spring 2019 that is "more officially" - Substance Painter 2019. 1 with a lot of new tools and features. Displacement and Tessellation in both the viewport and Iray Compare Mask Effect that allows comparing the content of the current layer with the one from the layer stack underneath, similar to the Blend-if function in Photoshop Procedural brush strokes based on Substance parameters (any Substance file can be used as a material or alpha when painting and becomes aware of each stamp being drawn) A choice between a Spherical and Planar projection for a layer and a new placement gizmo that makes it easy to move the decal around an asset Layer Stack and Other UX Improvements For more details of this release, you can refer to: Allegorithmic Blog and detailed release notes of the software. --- Foundry has recently released Mari 4.5 with a transformative Materials System that allows artists to create high-volume assets faster and more cost-effectively. Foundry has recently released Mari 4. 5 with a transformative Materials System that allows artists to create high-volume assets faster and more cost-effectively. This new workflow enables artists to rapidly block out the look of an asset using material presets, and achieve the same result with just a few drag-and-drop actions. In addition, Mari 4. 5 allows artists to quickly import and use thousands of Physically Based Rendering texture sets with the Material Ingest Tool. This creates the presets, sets up the controls, and loads everything into Mari so it’s ready to use, allowing artists to continually grow their material library. Sharing isolated material set-ups across teams is also easier and reduces the amount of repetitive set-up required, as everything needed to replicate the material gets compressed, along with source images, into a single file. Other additions brought by Mari 4. 5 are simple layering (artists are able to control the material properties, visibility of each component, and global material visibility, from a single area of the interface for their entire project), material grouping (a group with multi-channel layer behaviors that allows artists to apply adjustments to material streams independently of the rest of the layers in the channel), a new Arnold shader provided by Autodesk and an updated node graph UX that supports multiple output ports for additional arbitrary data streams, unlocking more complex workflows. More information about Mari 4. 5 you can find here and full release notes here --- I encountered Architectural Visualization during my Architectural studies. Since then, I pursued my career as a CGI Artist and an architect. Full of hope and eager to grow my skills, I founded Renderus with my wife, Sanya. Here we forge our CGI style and strive to create unique architectural visualizations. Marko Stojkovic Lead 3D artist at Renderus Serbia Website renderus. com fb/renderusvisual Pinterest/sirnorthwood I encountered Architectural Visualization during my Architectural studies. Since then, I pursued my career as a CGI Artist and an architect. Full of hope and eager to grow my skills, I founded Renderus with my wife, Sanya. Here we forge our CGI style and strive to create unique architectural visualizations. Since then, we are both involved in every segment of our process. Sanya uses her unique skill-set to improve our workflow, which is instrumental in our work development. As our manager, she controls the quality and keeps things neat and clean. Our basic workflow comprises Modeling, Rendering, and Post-production. Finishing our renderings in Photoshop is the most significant part of our process. Here we put most of our effort to finish the images by refining the light, composition, or materials. These days, we observe rapid technology development in our industry. New technology techniques are great helpers and provide tremendous opportunities. But here dwells a dangerous beast which can devour our artistic aesthetics from our work. A field where I’m further interested in is studying the traditional art techniques from the old masters. I’m thinking about this as a proper path for our arch-viz development as this may be a good well from where we can fetch our inspiration. Pervolia beach villas are small family houses, next to the Mediterranean seashore, at Cyprus. Every house has a private backyard although they all share a common garden area. We did a render that shows houses from the sea. We wanted to show how houses act on the daylight, so we set up the symmetrical composition with a path in the middle that separates the garden. Next, we placed the sea waves and the beach in the foreground, following the garden and the houses in the middle ground. Placing the coconut palms on the garden, we intersect the houses and the beach area. The scene was lit by using default V-Ray sun and a sky sphere. To simulate the environment lighting, we used a standard sphere with V-Ray light material. We placed in V-Ray light material slot an HDRI image. As for the sea and the beach, we did in the 3D scene only a basic model so we could have a reference. We did heavy post-production in Photoshop to enrich the image atmosphere. Using the photo elements, we made the sea and the beach following the base generated from the 3D model. As for the people, we consider that they are the most important feature of the image. We placed a family on the beach having various summer activities, also a family in the garden and some individuals in the front of the houses. This is one of our favorite projects, as while we were working on it, we imagined ourselves enjoying this beautiful place. We present a rendering of a beautiful house called Poluostrov. The building is in the suburbs of Moscow, surrounded by a lush landscape. The... --- PlaySys has presented 1.4 release of Real HDR - standalone utility for creating custom HDR images for CGI, VFX and rendering - with new 3D preview and 3D light placement mode and usability and customization improvements. PlaySys has presented 1. 4 release of Real HDR - standalone utility for creating custom HDR images for CGI, VFX and rendering. This new update represents a huge step forward for Real HDR’s core and the PhotoBooth module. Real HDR 1. 4 introduces a new rendering mode with new shaders for SpriteLights and DarkMarks and a massive overall optimization on various aspects of PhotoBooth module, including new 3d preview mode and new Click&Go feature allowing to position lights on a 3D proxy sphere. New features are focused on the usability (. RHD file validator and new keyboard shortcuts), customization (new Options menu with a "run in background" possibility, support for Retina/HiDPI display), consistency (Click&Go and the 3D Preview), and user requests (fast Export+ in lower resolution for testing the created HDR image in a rendering software, Kelvin temperature, optional 4K export). More information on the developer's website here --- Developers of Unigine - real-time 3d rendering engine - have released Unigine 2.7.3 update with improved texture and geometry import, sky rendering and environment probes, better placement tools, rendering improvements ad VR optimizations. Developers of Unigine - real-time 3d rendering engine - have released Unigine 2. 7. 3 update. UnigineEditor Update with improved texture and geometry import, better placement tools, improved surface management Rendering Improvements including improved refraction for glass, vertex color animation for vegetation, adaptive automatic white balance correction, screen-space dirt effect. Updated weather creating, global wind system affecting clouds and trees, support for ephemeris system for immersive virtual world creation. An experimental version of the road tool allows creating roads simply by setting up and adjusting control points via the UnigineEditor. Properties system upgrade: support for arrays and complex data structures Improved sky rendering, environment probes, VR optimizations and other features that you can see on the developers' website here and here. --- Autodesk Mudbox 2019 update - Preserve Volume, Dynamic Tesselation, Combine Meshes, Separate Selection and other new options. Autodesk has released a 2019 update of Mudbox, their 3D digital painting and sculpting software. Here are some of the new features presented in Mudbox 2019: Preserve Volume option has been added to the Advanced properties from the Smooth tool and is useful when working with dynamic tessellation to prevent the Smooth tool from reducing the triangulated mesh volume too quickly. Dynamic Tessellation now supports UVs, Selection Sets, Joint Weights, and Falloff Type. Combine Meshes option in the Mesh menu allows merging multiple meshes into a single object that contains all of the faces. Separate Selection has been added to the Mesh menu and permits to separate compound objects into multiple objects within Mudbox. Stamp Offset has been added to all relevant sculpting tool properties to let fine-tuning the depth of a stamp imprint on a model's surface. The full list of features you can find in Autodesk help here --- It is officially announced that Adobe has acquired Allegorithmic, makers of Substance Painter and other tools for 3D textures and material creation in game and video post-production. It is officially announced that Adobe has acquired Allegorithmic, makers of Substance painter and other tools for 3D textures and material creation in game and video post-production (source - press release). Adobe has promised to integrate more 3D and other immersive tools into Creative Cloud in the nearest future and to support video game creators, VFX artists working in film and television, designers and marketers in delivering innovative experiences. Allegorithmic that was an independent development company for the 17 years, has promised no changes in licensing for current users and new subscription plans available in the future. You can find more information on here and here --- Autodesk has released Maya 2019 update with performance improvements, Cashed Playback for faster animations, Viewport 2.0 and other features based on user requests. Autodesk has released Maya 2019 with a list of updated based mainly - as the dev team stated in their blog - on users' feedback. In this release one can find: Faster animation with Cached Playback feature. This background process is promised to drastically increase the speed of animation playback directly in the viewport. https://youtu. be/TpNBLQTUQ8w Cached Playback is turned on by default and put into “Evaluation Mode”, nevertheless the settings can be optimized manually depending on GPU, memory size and personal preferences. New UI working environment thanks to Arnold updates in Viewport 2. 0. https://youtu. be/cnl6XTKJ0rU The Arnold standard surface shader has been improved in Maya 2019 so that what you see in the viewport is a lot closer to the final result you’re going to get from an Arnold render. Illumination and reflections are also real-time in Viewport 2. 0. Performance improvements that include faster loading of scenes that have MetaData, faster loading and interaction for scenes with hidden objects, faster material and texture load time, faster selection performance improvement in Viewport 2. 0, faster pre-select highlighting on dense meshes, faster snapping performance in Viewport 2. 0. Moreover, there are other improvements in rigging, in animation data, new rigged and animated characters included in the software and some other staff that you can check in the release notes here. --- Allegorithmic has released Substance Painter 2018.3 with viewport upgrades, new UI helpers, an enhanced symmetry tool, proper 2D view export and a boost in performance. Allegorithmic has released Substance Painter 2018. 3 with viewport upgrades, new UI helpers, an enhanced symmetry tool, proper 2D view export and a boost in performance. Sparse Virtual Textures in the real-time viewport allow managing a large number of textures. This technology permits streaming in and out textures that are only necessary from a given point of view in order to maintain a specific footprint on the GPU memory. It improves performances on projects with a large number of Texture Sets (or UDIMs). The symmetry axis can be moved freely with a 3D manipulator or through the new symmetry panel. Several other improvements include the display of the symmetry plane as an intersection with the mesh or a preview of your brush’s symmetrical clone. A new color swatch in the layer’s contextual menu allows the addition of color accents to folders and layers. Moreover, it is possible to activate or deactivate multiple layers at once by clicking and dragging vertically. The new anisotropic shader allows displaying nicely shaded hair, satin or brushed metals with the help of the Anisotropy Level and Anisotropy Angle channels. You can check other shaders, 2d viewport export, dithering, Texturing. XYZ, Baked Lighting filter and some other features in the Allegorithmic blog here. --- Artlantis 2019 - software for rendering architectural visualizations - was released recently. Artlantis 2019 - software for rendering architectural visualizations - was released recently. Among the new features, one can benefit: insertion of 3D models within an imported fixed view for visualizing the landscape components of building permits https://vimeo. com/304405909 new shaders for 3D grass and a new tool for placing 3D vegetation in defined zones https://vimeo. com/302789879 automatic exposure slider to control the exposure of your rendering intuitively enriched media catalog including realistic 3D grass, a wide variety of characters and vehicles Twinlinker tool as a separate addon to create and share unlimited virtual visits online More information in the Artlantis blog and website release notes. --- Luxion has released KeyShot 8.1, a free update for 8.0 users - following the release of KeyShot 8.0 in October. Luxion has released KeyShot 8. 1, a free update for 8. 0 users - following the release of KeyShot 8. 0 in October. Among the new features of KeyShot 8. 1 one can find: In-app Problem Reporting. Presented automatically when a crash dump is detected or accessed via Main menu > Help. 16-bit PSD Format for Still Images, Animation Frames, and Configurator output. In-view indicator button to Execute Geometry Nodes when change is detected. In-view indicator button to Generate Full-Resolution HDRI when change is detected. Invert Selection command in right-click context menu of Real-time View and Scene Tree. More information in the blog and release notes. --- Render Legion has presented Corona Renderer for Archicad that is now officially available for Windows users as public alpha (Alpha 2). Render Legion has presented Corona Renderer for Archicad that is now officially available for Windows users as public alpha (Alpha 2). In the current version one can test the following features: Interactive Rendering for setting up materials, lighting and scene composition The Corona VFB for a wide range of post-processing effects without needing to use external software, with tone mapping, bloom, glare, and vignetting. Denoising for significantly reducing render times Corona Materials and Textures with a custom texture editor Support for native ARCHICAD geometry, lights, and materials You can download it here and check more info in Corona Renderer blog --- As media partners of animago Award - an internationally renowned competition for 3D animation and still, visual effects, visualization and VR/AR/360° - we are happy to present you the winner of the Best Still category this year, CG artist Alexander Beim from Germany. In our exclusive interview, we speak about behind the scenes of his winning project, Albert Einstein, and about his approach to computer visualizations and animations in general. As media partners of animago Award - an internationally renowned competition for 3D animation and still, visual effects, visualization and VR/AR/360° - we are happy to present you the winner of the Best Still category this year, CG artist Alexander Beim from Germany. In our exclusive interview, we speak about behind the scenes of his winning project, Albert Einstein, and about his approach to computer visualizations and animations in general. Alexander Beim CEO of LotusArt Germany lotusart. de ArtStation What's your professional background? How did you start working in CG? Since I was a child, I was an artist. I was drawing every day. As life went further, at the age of 12, I began to study painting at the art school. I enjoyed painting, also thanks to my teacher, who could inspire and promote my interest in art via the world of mystery and fantasy. After finishing the art school, I tried out different activities. I was engaged in poetry and studying music. Although I enjoyed all those activities, I couldn’t stop painting. No matter where I was or what I did I always found an opportunity to paint. Sometime later I began to work with a computer. I was really fascinated with it and decided to take a computer school. During the school, we studied all forms and directions of multimedia. Then I realized that 3D was exactly what I needed. After graduating I continued specializing my knowledge in 3D. I spent many hours a day working on the PC, to learn to create pictures not with crayon or brush but with a computer and stylus. Now I believe I have reached my goal. What's your usual workflow working on a CG project? Do you work alone? If not, how do you plan and structure the work inside the team? I am very flexible and often have to change my workflow. I am CEO at LotusArt and often work as freelancer generalist. That means, that mostly I work alone but on larger projects with a team of professional 3D artists. My professional experience is already 18 years and during this time I was able to expand my service. I carry out projects from technical visualization, architectural visualization, character concept, design, rigging to complete animations. Of course, such a wide range needs a lot of time for self-education. When I look at the time division in my life, I spend a half for self-education and another half for work and project management. In your portfolio, there are different projects, from photorealistic arch viz and product renderings to cartoon-style animations and characters, which is your favorite genre and style? Yes, that's true. I get very different requests. I love everything but if I need to choose my absolute favorite, then it is photorealistic characters. From the idea to the final character animation. I also like to create 3D cartoons for children. You won this year in Best Still category of animago Awards. Can you please tell more about this project?... --- ACT-3D has released Lumion 9, real-time rendering software for arch-viz. The developers promise "photorealistic environments faster than ever before" with the photorealistic sky, rain, grass and improved UX features. ACT-3D has released Lumion 9, real-time rendering software for arch-viz. The developers promise "photorealistic environments faster than ever before" with the photorealistic sky, rain, and grass: 39 Real Skies and their pre-configured Sky Light settings Customizable 3D Grass materials Atmospheric Rain and Snow 122 highly realistic new materials in Lumion 9 Pro 634 new HD objects, including furniture, people and vehicles, with a total of 5259 objects in the content library And also: LiveSync for Rhino 6, updated OpenStreetMap, automatic file recovery, save groups, intuitive object placement with hotkeys and some other UX features. More information on Lumion website --- The winners of the animago AWARD – an internationally renowned competition for 3D animation and still, visual effects, visualization and VR/AR/360° – were awarded their trophies on October 25th in Munich. The show was attended by 500 guests and took place for the third time at the Gasteig Centre. A total of 856 projects from 51 different countries were submitted to the 2018 animago competition this year. An independent animago jury consisting of experts in the fields of film, post-production, industrial visualization as well as science and education was responsible for selecting 36 nominated projects. Following that, the prize-winning productions in a total of ten categories - animation and still, visual effects, visualization and VR/AR/360° - were defined. And finally, the winners of the animago AWARD 2018 were awarded their trophies on October 25th evening in Munich. Best Feature Film Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivführer Rat Pack Filmproduktion, Malao Film, Studio Babelsberg, Warner Bros. Germany Best VR/AR/360° Huxley Exit Adventures, Sven Haeberlein Germany Best Young Production The Stained Club Mélanie Lopez, Simon Boucly, Marie Ciesielski, Alice Jaunet, Chan Stéphie Peang, Béatrice Viguier, Supinfocom Rubika France Best Still Albert Einstein LotusArt, Alexander Beim Germany Best Visual Effects Die VFX-Welten von Jim Knopf Chimney, Mackevision Medien Design, RISE | Visual Effects Studios, Scanline VFX, Trixter, für Rat Pack, Warner Bros. , Studio Babelsberg, Malao Film Germany Best Game Cinematic The Walking Dead – Grant Goodbye Kansas, for Starbreeze Studios, Overkill Software, Sweden Best Short Film Tweet-Tweet CGF, Zhanna Bekmambetova, Russia Best Advertising Production EnBW – Guter Stoff Sehnsucht, Jung von Matt, for EnBW Germany Best Character The Box Bugbrain Institute for Animation, Dušan Kastelic, Mateja Starič Slovenia Best Visualization Martin Luther – A most precise and nuanced look into the life of the man legend and visionary Tumblehead Animation Studio, Magnus Igland Møller Denmark Best Motion Design The Division 2 – Der Untergang von Washington D. C. Antibody, Patrick Clair for Ubisoft Germany Jury’s Prize La Noria NightWheel Pictures, Carlos Baena Spain Learn more about animago Awards on the website here Read our feature about Behind the Scenes of animago Awards here See the Winners of animago Awards 2017 here --- Developers of Quixel Megascans have released Quixel Bridge 2018.4 that allows browsing, batch download and batch export assets to 3d and rendering software. Developers of Quixel Megascans have released Quixel Bridge 2018. 4 that allows browsing, batch download and batch export Megascans assets to Unreal Engine 4, Unity, Marmoset Toolbag 3, 3ds Max and Maya. This is a standalone application for Megascans Library that is included in Megascans subscription. Among the new features of Quixel Bridge one can find: new Maya, Unity, Unreal, Arnold, V-Ray, and Redshift integrations Compact Bridge mode faster assets download multi-select feature asset share ... and others About the release on Quixel blog: megascans. se/blog About Megascans Bridge: megascans. se/apps/bridge --- Luxion released KeyShot 8 with new updates focused on materials and volume, lighting and optics, advanced geometry, image and output, and collaboration. Luxion released KeyShot 8 on October 2nd. The release is focused on updates in the following directions: materials and volume, lighting and optics, advanced geometry, image and output, and collaboration. What's new in KeyShot 8 Real-time image adjustments with tone-mapping, shadows, highlights and color Cutaway applied as a material to any geometry. The Cutaway material allows to add and define the Cutaway Caps as a shaded color, the same material as the object being cut or a custom material. Particle and volumetric scattering for smoke and fog using Scattering Medium, a new Material Type in KeyShot 8. Material Graph to control geometry with displacement, bubbles (for spherical cavities) and 3-dimensional flakes KeyShot Viewer for interactive presentations More info in Keyshot blog, release notes and the press release. --- Real IES 3, software to create photometric lights, is released with some new features added, a slight redesign of UI and general usability improvements. PlaySys Software Engineering has released Real IES 3 - a new major update of standalone software-agnostic utility for generating photometric . ies files for 3D rendering and CGI. We have asked the developer of this software, Luca Deriu, to present this release and tell us more about the new features and what to expect in the future. Luca Deriu R&D Engineer PlaySys Let's start with the core: what's new in Real IES 3? Real IES 3 has so many new features that will take some time to list. Although, for this release, I was focused mainly on portability, usability, and reliability. I mean literal portability of the software from one machine to another. This can happen thanks to my new licensing system - used also in other software such as Real HDR and Render Academy Classroom beta. In the previous releases of Real IES, the software was generating a unique code based on the machine serials and user ID. The customer had then to send the code to Real IES php program that would generate an activation key to be used in pair. It was fine but it was the classical private and public activation key system while now we have an online encrypted auth code. What changes for the users is that there are no longer dependencies on the machine where Real IES has been activated and the license can be moved once per server's calendar day. About usability, the main change has been made on the user interface. Now the user has powerful tools reachable with less than a click (yes, I mean, even on mouse-over). Real IES 3 has more consistency in the layout and colors so even if, after all, the software is quite simple, the UI is able to simplify the full experience of creating photometric light profiles. To achieve this redesign I collected a lot of useful data from our customers and from my students. Having more than 20 hours of CGI classes per week and supportive customers from all around the world, helped me to test Real IES on other people experiences and not just mine. Reliability is about the math behind the scene. I had to rewrite the code since I had the idea of new features. The previous code, in fact, required some cleanup and extensions to compute new useful values and get rid of excessive interpolations. Some formulae have also been rewritten with new solvers and the data management is now more direct to the goal. This made the asymmetrical lights and the light rays possible. The file input/output system had to be expanded having now more angle data and fewer interpolations between them. The main feature you will find for this are the LightGraph and the non-symmetrical light support. Can the users of Real IES 2 benefit this new update? Sure thing, even the users of Real IES 1! Everybody who trusted in me, buying Real IES since the first days deserves my gratitude and has already received one... --- Autodesk has recently released 3dsMax 2019.2 update with Arnold 5.2, fluids loader, alembic UV exporter and other cool stuff. Autodesk has recently released 3dsMax 2019. 2 update that looks really impressive and full of cool features. First of all: Fluid Loader allows to load cached fluid simulations, adjust the transform of the sim, offset the playback, assign materials and render the sim. This together with Arnold rendering fluid data channels and more control over the meshes and complex simulations, can provide impressive results. Then, Alembic UV export that is not only compatible with Maya by default, but also provides instances support that makes smaller files and faster export speed. And finally, Arnold 5. 2 with several usability and performance enhancements, plus significant new features to improve workflows. More information in Autodesk blogs and release notes. --- The nominees for the 2018 animago AWARDS are in! An independent jury of experts sifted through nearly 900 submissions from 61 countries to find the final 36 nominees for the animago’s twelve categories. Same procedure as every year – and on 14th August, the moment had come: the animago jury gathered to choose the “best of the best” from out of a wealth of projects submitted for consideration for the 2018 animago AWARD. But first, let's introduce the animago AWARD Jury 2018: Arne Palluck (animago), animago Head of Jury Günter Hagedorn, Tobias Hager (animago), Tim Rau (3DEXCITE), Sarah Neuner (LIGA 01), Jürgen Enninger (Kompetenzteam Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaft München), Melanie Beisswenger (Freelance-Artist), Thomas Gronert (Mediadesign Hochschule München), Sophia Di Latte (animago), Alexander Bouquet (Jung von Matt), Elisa Krenz (Freelance-Artist), Karin Lang (Detail Business Information), Tom Sporer (TomSporer 3D Productions), Matthias Zabiegly (Aixsponza). The Box Dušan Kastelic, Mateja Starič - Bugbrain Institute for Animation SloveniaHybrids Florian Brauch, Matthieu Pujol, Kim Tailhades, Yohan Thireau, Romain Thirion - MoPA France The green bird Pierre Perveyrie, Maximilien Bougeois, Marine Goalard, Irina Nguyen-Duc, Quentin Dubois - MoPA FranceBeyond Good & Evil 2 E3 2018 Trailer Unit Image for Ubisoft Montpellier FranceHearth and Home Jeramiah Johnson, Taka Yasuda, David Satchwell, Jake Patton - Blizzard Entertainment USAOverkill’s The Walking Dead – Grant Goodbye Kansas Studios for Starbreeze Studios & Overkill Software SwedenWild Love Paul Autric, Quentin Camus, Maryka Laudet, Léa Georges, Zoé Sottiaux, Corentin Yvergniaux - Ecole des Nouvelles Images FranceThe Stained Club Mélanie Lopez, Simon Boucly, Marie Ciesielski, Alice Jaunet, Chan Stéphie Peang, Béatrice Viguier - Supinfocom Rubika FranceHors Piste Léo Brunel, Loris Cavalier, Camille Jalabert, Oscar Mallet - Ecole des Nouvelles Images FranceYou Are Wanted / Season 2 Opener Andy Bittner - Delirium Entertainment - for PANTALEON Films GermanyThe Unconquered Juice, Michał Misiński for Instytut Pamięci Narodowej PolandThe Division 2 – Fall of Washington D. C Antibody, Patrick Clair for Ubisoft GermanyEnBW – Guter Stoff Sehsucht for Jung von Matt for EnBW Germany2018 FIFA World Cup Drone Film – Budweiser Director: Jake Scott - VFX: Blacksmith - for Budweiser USAASN Bank – Day Fly Vincent Lammers - Ambassadors VFX - for ASN Bank The NetherlandsPeta – Best friend Mackevision for Peta GermanyMartin Luther – A most precise and nuanced look into the life of the man legend and visionary Magnus Igland Møller - Tumblehead Animation Studio DenmarkPlastic Ocean Laurent Leccia, Michael Hess - Fred & Farid - for Sea Shepherd USABabylon Berlin VFX von RISE | Visual Effects Studios for X-Filme GermanyGame of Thrones Season 7 VFX von Rodeo FX for HBO CanadaThe VFX Worlds from Jim Button VFX by Trixter, RISE | Visual Effects Studios, Scanline VFX, Mackevision Medien Design, Chimney for Rat Pack, Warner Bros. and Malao Film GermanyTweet-Tweet Zhanna Bekmambetova - CGF RussiaMecanic Julia Baurens, Sofia Bernardo, Naïti Escot, Nicolas Jacomet, Ariane Lissajoux, Antoine Verney-Carron - ESMA FranceThe Bolt Connection Nicolas Lebas, Claire Cartier, Mathilde Dourdy, Thibault Grunenberger, Maurine Lecerf, Shih-Hui Pan - Supinfocom Rubika FranceMayday – Final Chapter Grass Jelly Studio - for Mayday, B’in Music TaiwanMiazmat Klaudiusz Wesolowski - Platige Image PolandLa Noria Carlos Baena - NightWheel Pictures SpainHuxley Sven Haeberlein - Exit Adventures GermanyConscious Existence Marc Zimmermann - Felix Fahle, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GermanyLEGO... --- Developers released a 1.11 update of SiNi Software plugins for 3ds Max. All plugins are now available in 3ds Max 2019. This release features bug fixes for all plugins plus the addition of new features and update. Developers released a 1. 11 update of SiNi Software plugins for 3ds Max. All plugins are now available in 3ds Max 2019. This release features bug fixes for all plugins plus the addition of new features and update. New features include: - Supports Autodesk 3ds Max 2015-2019. - Support for V-Ray Next. - Supports multiple HDRI lighting rigs for Illumi HDRI wizard. - New features to Sculpt and Scribe plugins. - 40% speed increase to the parametric plugin SiClone. For more info on individual plugins check the release notes here --- "I started 20 years ago doing 3d environments for educational software. Then move to an engineering company making mostly very technic images to help construction. Finally, in 2007, I opened my own company, Zorg." Sandra Vasques Architecture Visualizer Macau Website www. zorg3d. com I started 20 years ago doing 3d environments for educational software. Then I moved to an engineering company making mostly very technic images to help construction. Finally, in 2007, I opened my own company, Zorg. --- Game urbanist Konstantinos Dimopoulos from Athens, Greece, is working on an ambitious project - Virtual Cities: An Atlas & Exploration of Video Game Cities - a 200 pages book rich with maps, illustrations and analysis of cities in video games. We invited Konstantinos to speak about virtual cities, real architecture, art, science and current trends of the digital world. Game urbanist Konstantinos Dimopoulos from Athens, Greece, is working on an ambitious project - Virtual Cities: An Atlas & Exploration of Video Game Cities - a 200 pages book rich with maps, illustrations and analysis of cities in video games. We invited Konstantinos to speak about virtual cities, real architecture, art, science and current trends of the digital world. Konstantinos Dimopoulos Game Urbanist & Designer MSc on urban and regional planning PhD in urban planning and geography at the NTUA School of Architecture and Rural & Surveying Engineering www. game-cities. com Video games allow us to construct and visit believable imaginary cities, provide us with glimpses of ancient urbanism, and let us immerse ourselves in the wildest utopias and darkest dystopias of our possible futures. They are an unprecedented canvas for experimenting with the urban environment, and an utterly unique medium for experiencing cities both imagined and real in truly immersive ways. How come that you started working with video games? I was always fascinated by video games and had been dabbling in video game journalism, and the occasional small project since the early 2000s. Eventually and while still mainly working on actual cities and existing geographies, I started writing semi-professionally for sites like Indiegames. com, and Rock Paper Shotgun, worked on a couple freeware games, and only after the financial crisis hit the Greek academia did I take the plunge and decided to co-found short lived indie studio Kyttaro Games. In 2014 I decided to start merging my interests and knowledge and combine urbanism with game and level design, and that’s what I’ve been doing since. Quite often architects and engineers are looking at video games top-down. Do you think that this attitude can be changed? In your opinion, what "real-life" architects can learn from virtual cities? I cannot argue that my experience is universal, but I must admit that many of the engineers, geographers, planners, and architects I know do generally find games and their virtual spaces interesting. Sure, people do occasionally still consider gaming as something aimed predominantly at children, but as the medium matures these pre-conceptions are quickly and widely challenged. Nowadays discussing my work on video games with fellow planners and geographers only seems to deeply intrigue them. Just like theater, cinema, and art in general if you will, engaging with and appreciating games isn’t about earning specific lessons. There are obviously clever and imaginative ideas there for engineers of all sorts to get inspired by, but if I suggested people should look into game cities and video games in general, that would be as part of a wider engagement with contemporary culture. As an experiment with a new expressive medium. Can we nowadays speak about "virtual urbanism" as a new separate discipline? I suppose we could, though it would have to be a subset of imaginary urbanism and world-building, and probably wouldn’t be the most populated discipline around. I do though believe it is a very interesting, still unexplored cross-section of art and science,... --- Render Legion released Corona Renderer 2 for 3ds Max focused on heterogeneous media and the first steps in V-Ray compatibility. "We’ve focused on heterogeneous media; the first steps in V-Ray compatibility; around 110 new materials in the Material Library; the Corona Official Toolbar; overall reduction in memory requirements; a LOT of bug fixes; and stability & workflow improvements! " - this way the release was introduced by the developers of Render Legion. Support for heterogeneous media shading: Corona Renderer now supports Phoenix FD, FumeFX, OpenVDB, and 3ds Max texture maps. This includes full support for multi-bounce GI inside the volumes and motion blur to render smoke, fire and liquids. CoronaVolumeGrid (OpenVDB support): CoronaVolumeGrid object allows to set Absorption, Scattering and Emission properties for the VolumeGrid. These properties can be driven by the density, velocity, temperature, and other extra data contained within the OpenVDB file. https://youtu. be/6DUCIRghK3U CoronaVolume material to render actual volumes inside objects, rather than just calculating the result at the surface of the object. It can work with native 3ds Max noise maps, in Object or World XYZ mode, which calculate noise in 3D space. https://youtu. be/RbOKWhlxkQM Support for VRayLight and VRayMtl to render V-Ray assets without V-Ray installed https://youtu. be/1VFjOzz4mUo Corona Camera with advanced Bokeh controls for Center Bias, Vignetting and Anisotropy https://youtu. be/l6j-uvYLS0c 110 new materials in the Material Library And this is just a small part of the new features and improvements, the full description of which you can find in the Corona Renderer Blog here Download the Corona Renderer you can following the link here --- Developers of Real IES, a standalone tool for generating photometric lights, recently released their new software - Real HDR, that allows creating 32-bit HDR files to use in various rendering software for custom lighting scenarios. Developers of Real IES, a standalone tool for generating photometric lights, recently released their new software - Real HDR, that allows creating 32-bit HDR files to use in various rendering software for custom lighting scenarios. This standalone utility for CGI artists has the same intuitive approach and minimalistic user interface that we have encountered in Real IES. One can add numerous light sources just with a single mouse click, adjust their position, intensity, dimensions and colors (working in RGB, HSV or HEX), add dark masks and other shapes for more artistic scene and finally export 32bit EXR file to use it in any rendering software that supports HDR lighting environments. Learn more and download the software on Real HDR website. https://youtu. be/jOMIfgq2fS8 HDR lights in 3DS Max and V-Ray https://youtu. be/EuiC_VHWIBU HDR lights in 3DS Max and Corona Renderer --- It's already June, so it's time for an overview of the new 3ds Max: 3ds Max 2019 released in Marchand 3ds Max 2019.1 Update released last week. Let's see what Autodesk has prepared for us this year. It's already June, so it's time for an overview of the new 3ds Max: 3ds Max 2019 released in March and 3ds Max 2019. 1 Update released last week. Let's see what Autodesk has prepared for us this year. https://youtu. be/eORPFkwFlKQ 3ds Max 2019 supports Open Shading Language (OSL) maps, with over 100 included shaders, from simple math nodes all the way to full procedurally created textures. OSL shader text can be edited directly in the material editor and previewed in the viewport and ActiveShade. Shaders can be embedded into a scene or referenced externally. 2019. 1 Update offers also some OSL performance improvements: --> Improved rendering performance for complex OSL shaders, especially with Scanline Renderer. --> Improved viewport representation of OSL shaders, with native support for over 80 of the included OSL shaders. -->Possibility to view user-created procedural OSL shaders in the viewport. --> Improved OSL Editor, including font customization. 3ds Max 2019 introduces Booleans operations for splines: You can now create parametric Boolean operations on two or more open and closed shapes. This includes dynamic Chamfer/Fillets for smooth transitions at corners. Renderable spline-based geometry can also be capped with a new quad capping mode, which can be flat or spherical. VR scene editing mode within 3ds Max interactive: edit layouts of scenes from directly within a VR headset using the VR controllers, with updates being pushed back live to 3ds Max, use this editor to arrange scenes, cameras, and assess camera previews in VR. Updates from Arnold 5. 1 --> Adaptive sampling to tune images, reducing render times without jeopardizing final image quality. --> The OptiX Denoiser based on NVIDIA AI technology to be applied on the beauty pass without needing to create extra AOVs. --> The Noice Denoiser to be run as a standalone tool or from a dedicated UI, exposed as a new tab in the rendering options. More information in the Autodesk blogs here and here and release notes. --- Luxion has released KeyShot Viewer a free, stand-alone, touch-enabled, desktop application for Mac and Windows for sharing, interactive viewing and presentation of KeyShot scenes. KeyShot Viewer uses the same CPU-powered ray-tracing render engine as KeyShot to produce amazing photo-realistic visuals in real-time. Luxion has released KeyShot Viewer a free, stand-alone, touch-enabled, desktop application for Mac and Windows for sharing, interactive viewing and presentation of KeyShot scenes. The app uses the same CPU-powered ray-tracing render engine as KeyShot to produce amazing photo-realistic visuals in real-time. Main features of Keyshot Viewer include Real-time Render Quality: Rotate the model or select options to see the scene update instantly, trusting KeyShot’s real-time render capabilities to provide the highest quality experience possible. Mouse/Touch Interaction: Explore using a mouse or with your finger on a touch-enabled device. Use traditional mouse and finger gestures or the fly-out toolbar for tumble, pan, and dolly interaction. Image/Metadata Output: Tap to save a screenshot to your computer. The image output includes XMP metadata with active variation and camera information you can reference for edits in KeyShot. Full 360° View Control: KeyShot Viewer allows you to explore your product concepts, configuration and production visuals in full 360 degrees, from far and near, without the need to render a single image. Security Control: Control file access and prevent misuse of intellectual property with password protection and watermark overlay, enabled when using KeyShot Pro to save a KSP for KeyShot Viewer. You can learn more about Keyshot Viewer here and you can download the app here --- Autodesk digital drawing software, Sketchbook, became free for Windows, Mac and Tablet from May 1st. This free individual version of Sketchbook will function cross-platform with Autodesk ID after a week's trial period, while Sketchbook Pro version will be, as previously, available for enterprises with multiple user licenses. Autodesk digital drawing software, Sketchbook, became free for Windows, Mac and Tablet from May 1st. This free individual version of Sketchbook will function cross-platform with Autodesk ID after a week's trial period, while Sketchbook Pro version will be, as previously, available for enterprises with multiple user licenses. Among Sketchbook features you can find: Non-intrusive UI that stays incognito until you need a pencil, pen, marker, or paintbrush. Powerful drawing engine that can handle a 100 mpx canvas while maintaining the zoomed-in feeling of traditional drawing. A photo-camera scanner that allows importing your line art with a transparent background, ready for inking and coloring. Multiple sketching tools like pencils, inks, markers, and over 190 customizable brushes that can incorporate both textures and shapes, and of course the exclusive Copic® Color Library released last year. Photoshop compatible on all devices with layered PSDs that are fully preserved (import and export), including layer names, groups, and blending modes. Multiple file export formats: JPG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, and — of course — PSD. More information, FAQ and download links here --- We are happy to be a partner of animago Awards also this year and to announce that the project submissions for this prestigious CGI competition are now open. animago Awards 2018 call for entries is finally announced. We are happy to be a partner of animago Awards also this year and to inform you that the project submissions for this prestigious competition are now open. Once again creatives from all the world are invited to send their projects and to compete for animago trophies in a total of twelve categories representing all CGI disciplines: Best Young Production (This award comes with prize money contributed by DIGITAL PRODUCTION totaling €3,000. ) Best Still (The expert jury will select the three most compelling stills and the ultimate winner is then chosen via public voting) Best Visual Effects Best Short Film Best Character Best Game Cinematic Best Motion Design Best Advertising Production Best Visualization Jury‘s Prize NEW: Best VR/AR/360° NEW: Best Feature Film © Image animago AWARD 2017 We at 3D Architettura. Digital Architecture Magazine will closely follow this competition and will publish our exclusive interview with one of the winners. The animago Awards 2018 ceremony will take place on the evening of Thursday 25 October 2018 as the highlight of the animago AWARD & CONFERENCE (25 & 26 October 2018) at Munich’s Gasteig Centre. Submission deadline is 30 June 2018. You can check the submission guidelines here You can read our articles about previous editions of animago Awards and interviews with the winners of other years here. --- Chaos Group has opened the beta for new V-Ray for Unreal Engine that allows to bring V-Ray scenes from 3ds Max, Maya and SketchUp directly into the Unreal Editor and connects the best of real-time and ray tracing. Chaos Group has opened the beta for new V-Ray for Unreal Engine that allows to bring V-Ray scenes from 3ds Max, Maya and SketchUp directly into the Unreal Editor and connects the best of real-time and ray tracing. With V-Ray for Unreal you can use the workflow you already know: create the scene using V-Ray for 3ds Max, Maya or SketchUp and import it using V-Ray for Unreal. When you import your scene, V-Ray for Unreal automatically converts your materials and lights into real-time equivalents for UE workflows. At the same time, your original materials from V-Ray for 3ds Max, Maya and SketchUp remain connected to their real-time versions and are called up when you’re ready to render. When you render with V-Ray for Unreal, you get the exact same photorealistic quality that V-Ray is known for. V-Ray taps into the full combined power of your GPUs and CPUs for ultrafast ray tracing. Learn more and join beta here --- Unreal Studio - a complex real-time visualization solution created specifically to meet the needs of architects and product designers - is in free open beta until November 2018. Unreal Studio - a complex real-time visualization solution created specifically to meet the needs of architects and product designers - is in free open beta until November 2018. https://youtu. be/3jlvovOR3s0 Unreal Studio includes tools and services to accelerate the visualization enterprise workflow with Unreal Engine. Unreal Editor - a powerful real-time tool for creating photo-realistic scenes and immersive AR and VR experiences Datasmith - the workflow toolkit that simplifies importing CAD and 3ds Max data into Unreal Editor 100 Substance materials from Allegorithmic for faster results access to industry-specific templates that allow to quickly assemble a real-time experience ... and other invaluable assets, technical support, and a variety of learning solutions to help jump-start real-time workflows. https://youtu. be/RWZYitnw9To Check more info here Apply for beta here --- Technical artists from Unity Labs created a highly detailed photogrammetry guide for professional artists to produce high-quality, reusable digital assets from photos and video. Since their presentation on Siggraph 2017 Unity Labs team is working closely on the Photogrammetry for game development and has created in March 2018 step-by-step guide to show how to use layered materials in HD Pipeline. Unity 2018. 1 beta introduced a preview of Scriptable Render Pipeline. With Unity 2018. 1 there will be released two other pipelines: the Lightweight (LW) Render Pipeline and High-Definition (HD) Render Pipeline that provides a shader dedicated to photogrammetry material authoring name: LayeredLit. To illustrate the photogrammetry workflow and the use of the LayeredLit shader Unity team has created the Fontainebleau demo. https://youtu. be/g7c4UL8M920 To learn more about photogrammetry in Unity you can check the Unity blogs here or solutions here --- Skilled Architect and Interior Designer with over ten years of experience in architecture. My projects experience includes residential, commercial, mixed-use projects and Interior Design. Mohamed Faisal Al-Kazee Assistant Professor at University of Nizwa Syria Website fai9alkazey. portfoliobox. net facebook. com/mohammed. alkhazey Skilled Architect and Interior Designer with over ten years of experience in architecture. My projects experience includes residential, commercial, mixed-use projects and Interior Design. Currently, I am working as assistant professor in the department of architecture and interior design at the University of Nizwa. My main responsibility is to teach courses in relevant to my experience such as architectural design, Interior design, and final year projects. As a teacher, I am committed to implementing pioneer platforms and digital engineering in academic programs which motivate and enhance students work in a world which more competitive. --- Chaos Group presented the end of February V-Ray Cloud beta - new cloud rendering integrated directly in V-Ray that seamlessly unlocks the speed and virtually unlimited power of the cloud. Chaos Group presented the end of February V-Ray Cloud beta - new cloud rendering integrated directly in V-Ray that seamlessly unlocks the speed and virtually unlimited power of the cloud. With a single-click, you can render to the cloud as a natural extension of your creative process. It’s specifically designed for fast and simple setup, with just a few settings for resolution and image format. There’s no hardware to configure or virtual machines to set up. The V-Ray Cloud takes care of all of this automatically. Smart Sync — a smart synchronization feature that automatically resubmits only the updates you’ve made to your scene. Remote Control lets you change job settings and resubmit them without opening the scene — right from your phone. V-Ray Cloud is now open for a limited number of beta testers as a part of Chaos Group Early Access Program. You can apply to become e beta-tester here. You can read more info on V-Ray Cloud here. --- The full editions of ProBuilder and Polybrush, tools for seamless level design and texturing, recently became part of Unity and are now available to all subscription plans with no extra costs. The full editions of ProBuilder and Polybrush are now included as a part of Unity. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=CBa_opm3_GM&feature=youtu. be ProBuilder - a hybrid of 3D modeling and level design tools - recently became a part of Unity engine, allowing to quickly prototype structures, complex terrain features, vehicles and weapons, or to make custom collision geometry, trigger zones, or nav meshes. The tool is optimized for building simple geometry but capable of detailed editing and UV unwrapping as needed. Polybrush, that is currently still in beta, can be useful to blend textures and colors, to sculpt meshes directly in the Unity editor and to scatter objects in the world with highly customizable brushes. These tools are available to all Unity subscription plans through Assest store and - as ProBuilder - integrated in Unity 2018. 1 beta. For more info you can refer to Unity blogs. --- End of February Chaos Group presented V-Ray Next, Beta 2 for 3ds Max with GPU volume rendering, Nvidia denoising and many other cool new features. End of February Chaos Group presented V-Ray Next Beta 2 for 3ds Max. Among the new features of this major release one can benefit: GPU volume rendering for fog, smoke or fire Adaptive dome light removing the need for skylight portals Real-time denoising based on NVIDIA's AI-accelerated denoising technology Automatic scene analysis for correct exposure and white balance Updated V-Ray physical camera for the new auto exposure and white balance settings ... and many others. The detailed list of updates can be found on Chaos Group docs or on the product page. --- Unity engine developers announced their partnership with OTOY and presented OctaneRender for Unity Editor. Unity engine developers announced their partnership with OTOY and presented OctaneRender for Unity Editor. OctaneRender is the first and fastest path-traced, GPU-accelerated render engine and it brings photorealistic cinematic rendering directly into the Unity Editor: Speed: GPU-accelerated batch rendering Quality: unbiased and physically accurate Flexibility: plugin support for 25+ digital content creation tools Path-Tracing: path-traced rendering for high resolution VR and AR Dynamic Viewport: integrated into Timeline for real-time 3D editing OctaneRender Materials: custom materials available in-engine Compositing Toolset: separate renders into multiple layers and passes for compositing OctaneRender Imager: in-render color correction Post Processor: in-render 2D FX enhancements Integrated Stereo Rendering Options: panoramic, side-by-side, anaglyphic, over-under OctaneRender Recorder now allows to record animations or sequences made with Unity’s Timeline and export either as a movie file or as an ORBX format. Recorder makes composing films through Timeline, Cinemachine, and now Play mode, that much easier. One of the immediately noticeable features in OctaneRender for Unity is the PBR Viewport. It provides a window into your scene as viewed by a path-traced render engine. For pre-rendered sequences, OctaneRender steps up the quality of the scene immediately, even with standard Unity shaders. OctaneRender for Unity comes in three versions—a free tier and two subscription options, at $20 or $60 for packages that unlock more GPUs and OctaneRender plugins for leading 3D authoring tools. Read more on Unity blogs or on Unity website --- Robert McNeel & Associates have recently released Rhinoceros 6 for Windows. Robert McNeel & Associates have recently released Rhinoceros 6 for Windows. Since this version, Grasshopper is now a full-fledged part of Rhino and provides the solid foundation for many incredible third-party components ranging from environmental analysis to robotic control. Rhino's new display pipeline is faster, more stable, and uses features found on modern graphics hardware, like GPU computed shaders and memory optimizations. Rhino now has a realtime ray-traced viewport mode as well as realtime previews with SSAO, Decals, Image-based lighting, and screen- and world-based mapping. https://vimeo. com/188036193 Moreover, now it's easier to create and assign materials, with new simple materials and a material library packed full of ready-to-use, real-world scale textures. Rendering controls are better organized in the new Rendering panel. You are no longer restricted to rendering the active view. You can specify a specific viewport, a named view, or even a snapshot. UV Unwrapping now works on multiple objects, making it easier to set up texture maps... . and other adjustments and bug fixes. More info about new features and licensing on Rhino website --- Developers of Quixel Suite have announced the release of 2.3.2 update for the software. Developers of Quixel have announced the release of 2. 3. 2 update for the software. As it was stated on their facebook page, this new release of Quixel has the following changes: Compatibility with Photoshop 2018 Bug fixes and speed improvements Updated materials with three new Base Materials and 11 new Masking Patterns Improved DynaMask base presets Updated Arnold export preset All metal materials have been tweaked to nearly perfect accuracy For the full changelog, one can address the post here, for more info on Quixel 2 in general - the website here. --- Chaos Group recently released version 1.0.7 of V-Ray Benchmark, a free stand-alone application for testing hardware rendering speed. Chaos Group recently released version 1. 0. 7 of V-Ray Benchmark, a free stand-alone application for testing hardware rendering speed. Now it supports not just Windows but also Mac OS and Linux. Moreover, new command-line interface was introduced. It allows running tests without a GUI. This is helpful for benchmarking render farms and cloud rendering hardware. The benchmark includes two test scenes, one for GPUs and another for CPUs, depending on the processor type you’d like to measure. Then, simply launch the application and run the tests. After your tests are complete, you can see online how your hardware compares to others. It’s a good idea to note any special hardware modifications you’ve made like water cooling or overclocking. V-Ray Benchmark application does not require a V-Ray license to run and can be downloaded from the Chaos Group website here. Read more on Chaos Group --- Starting from 20 November 2017 NVIDIA will no longer offer new subscriptions to the Mental Ray plugins for Maya and 3ds Max, as well as Mental Ray Standalone. The release of Mental Ray is discontinued as of 20 November 2017. NVIDIA will no longer offer new subscriptions to the Mental Ray plugins for Maya and 3ds Max, as well as Mental Ray Standalone, - is stated on the developer's website. The support and software updates for current customers who have purchased the licenses will be continued for the remainder of their subscription terms. There will be maintenance releases with bug fixes throughout 2018, they will also add support for the upcoming NVIDIA Volta™ GPU generation. The official reason for this decision is the change of the priorities. NVIDIA will focus on bringing GPU accelerated ray tracing technology to other rendering products and it further invests in core rendering technology, like NVIDIA OptiX and real-time ray tracing platforms for next-generation GPU architectures; MDL, the open Material Definition Language; NVIDIA IndeX, the platform technology for visualization and computing of multi-valued volumetric and embedded geometry data; NVIDIA Iray for physically based rendering platforms focusing on the CAD, product and architectural design markets. More information on manufacturer's website here --- Our target is to achieve photorealistic 3D visualizations for individual clients, companies, large institutions and anyone interested in the 3D industry. ID STUDIO 3D Artist, Interior Designer Jordan Website: www. 2design3d. com pinterest. com/idstudio01 www. facebook. com/idstudio2 Our target is to achieve photorealistic 3D visualizations for individual clients, companies, large institutions and anyone interested in the 3D industry. We notice that a high demand for 3D visualizations that prove to be a faster method for project presentation. We begin with blueprints or sketches – to be sure that the design is the same as the client wants. As we start to study an idea we remain focused on details and go with multiple variants to present the high-quality work and final render. Our goal is to build relationships for a long time, so we strongly value our customers' interests. We collaborate with different professionals, such as architects, builders, landscape architects, special planners, developers, interior designers, engineers, furniture producers. --- Future presented Blender 2.8 with updated viewport, new Grease Pencil and other new functionalities. Future presented Blender 2. 8 with updated viewport, new Grease Pencil and other new functionalities. As it is stated in the design document, the goal of the updates is to provide artists a possibility to work faster and more efficient. Blender 2. 8 brings the minimum OpenGL version to 3. 3, with even newer features for compatible hardware. The main use of this technology is Blender’s new real-time render engine: Eevee. Eevee is a fully-featured PBR (physically based-rendering) engine for real-time visualization. With advanced features such as volumetrics, screen-space reflections, and refractions, soft shadows, post-processing effects such as ambient occlusion, depth of field, camera motion blur and bloom. The new Grease Pencil is no longer just a stroke, but a real Blender object with huge improvements to brushes and tools. It improves 2D drawing capabilities and creates a more friendly interface for the 2D artist, while keeping the advantages of having a full 3D suite underneath. About other features, such as layers and collections, workspaces, dependency graphs, asset management etc you can check on developers' website here and here. --- Sensopia announced magicplan 6.0. This floor plan creation app lets to create dimensioned floor plans without actively measuring or drawing. With its Augmented Reality technology you just have to capture the corners of a room to get your plan. Sensopia announced magicplan 6. 0. This floor plan creation app lets to create dimensioned floor plans without actively measuring or drawing. With its Augmented Reality technology you just have to capture the corners of a room to get your plan. This technology is built on Apple’s ARKit. The ARKit is the outstanding feature of iOS 11. It calculates the position of a device in real time. Therefore, magicplan user now can move freely while capturing their plans. Hidden corners or obstacles are no more an issue. https://youtu. be/_cUUgSzOgoo Afterwards, you easily can adjust your plan and add over 1000 objects like furnishing or plumbing. Via the created floor plan, magicplan allows estimating DIY or home improvement costs in a matter of minutes. magicplan automatically computes the required amount of materials like paint or flooring based on the plan dimensions. It is even possible to order the materials online from within the app. If it is too dark or your device is not compatible with Augmented Reality: capture the rooms with Dark Room Capture Mode. Floor plan features: Add over 1000 objects like furniture to your plan Add photo annotations with drag´n´drop View your plans in 3D Export plans in your favorite file formats Store plans on the magicplan Cloud to view and edit them on multiple devices The app is available both on Google Play and App Store, more info can be found at the developers' website --- MAXON has partnered with Turbosquid and released free Cineware for Illustrator plug-in that allows to add and edit 3D objects directly within Adobe Illustrator CC 2017, to apply labels to 3D packaging or incorporate 3D elements seamlessly into 2D artwork. MAXON has partnered with Turbosquid and released free Cineware for Illustrator plug-in that allows to add and edit 3D objects directly within Adobe Illustrator CC 2017, to apply labels to 3D packaging or incorporate 3D elements seamlessly into 2D artwork. What you can do with Cineware for Illustrator Rotate, position and show/hide individual 3D objects from any Cinema 4D scene, all within Adobe Illustrator Adjust the color, reflection, luminance, transparency and bump within Adobe Illustrator. You can even apply vector artwork to the surface of 3D models https://youtu. be/R2kjYT5d5wA Switch between pre-set cameras or use simple navigation tools to choose your preferred viewing angle Enable or disable lights and change their color to set a mood and emphasize shapes https://youtu. be/06P-qkEfb3Y More info: www. maxon. net/cineware_ai --- Adobe has launched Dimension CC that was in beta since last year by the name of Project Felix and allows to design directly in 3D and later export scenes as layers to Photoshop. Adobe has launched Dimension CC that was in beta since last year by the name of Project Felix and has gone through over 40 research studies, collecting over 700 hours of direct customer feedback. Dimension is a new software in the CC suite that allows to design directly in 3D and to create photo-realistic, high-fidelity images for product shots, branding concepts, packaging, or anything else that requires realistic lighting, shadows and textures that respect 3D contours, angles, and perspectives. How it works: Drag and drop a graphic onto a 3D model to see how your design concept will look in real life. With camera tools to move around the object, you can see how your graphics appear from every perspective. Drag and drop background images from Adobe Photoshop CC and 3D models from Adobe Stock — without leaving Dimension. Select the material and texture. Dimension automatically matches the lighting, perspective, shadows, and more for a picture-perfect shot. Export your scenes as layers to take your work further in Photoshop. More information about Adobe CC recent updates in Adobe Blogs and websiteAdobe has launched Dimension CC that was in beta since last year by the name of Project Felix and has gone through over 40 research studies, collecting over 700 hours of direct customer feedback. Dimension is a new software in the CC suite that allows to design directly in 3D and to create photo-realistic, high-fidelity images for product shots, branding concepts, packaging, or anything else that requires realistic lighting, shadows and textures that respect 3D contours, angles, and perspectives. How it works: Drag and drop a graphic onto a 3D model to see how your design concept will look in real life. With camera tools to move around the object, you can see how your graphics appear from every perspective. Drag and drop background images from Adobe Photoshop CC and 3D models from Adobe Stock — without leaving Dimension. Select the material and texture. 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I'm a professional architect and a founder of DOD3dstudio since 2015. I like the art that involves this whole arch-viz world and the way it impacts on others. Every project is different to me, every one of them has a special message to deliver and so is the way I face them. Juan Hiriart Architect Argentina Website: www. dod3dstudio. com facebook. com/DOD3dstudio I started working with CG in 2007, I've learned a lot from this work in ten years and still learning a lot every day. I'm a professional architect and a founder of DOD3dstudio since 2015. I like the art that involves this whole arch-viz world and the way it impacts on others. Every project is different to me, every one of them has a special message to deliver and so is the way I face them. --- Google has presented a new initiative to popularize VR and AR creation - Poly, a library of low-poly 3D objects and scenes optimized for apps. We have already written about Google initiatives to popularize VR and AR creation - first Tilt brush that allows drawing 3d objects in virtual reality, then Blocks, an app for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift for those who want to model directly in VR, and now a new project - Poly, a library of low-poly 3D objects and scenes optimized for AR/VR apps. Poly works as a 3D enthusiasts' community: one can find a model that he likes, can import it, "remix" it, performing as many changes as he wants and later share his creation. It’s fully integrated with Tilt Brush and Blocks to make changes, and it also allows direct OBJ file upload. Poly automatically credits and links to the original creation the remix is published. In addition to being a great place for developers to find assets, anyone can use Poly to view 3D objects in a mobile or desktop browser. Once you discover something you like, you can create a shareable GIF or view it in VR using Cardboard or Daydream View. More info in Google blog and website --- After becoming a part of Chaos Group, Corona Renderer team released version 1.7 of their rendering engine focused on speed boost and better materials and shading. After becoming a part of Chaos Group, Corona Renderer team released version 1. 7 of their rendering engine. Multiple new features can be presented in 2 main blocks: 1. Speed and Memory Optimization: integration of V-Ray’s DMC sampler adaptive direct light sampling faster adaptivity recomputation optimization of render elements 2. Materials and shaders: new Material Library - a collection of over 300 materials support for major hair and fur rendering tools special shaders for skin and hair new subsurface scattering mechanism More information on Corona Renderer website. --- Today we continue our animago Award 2017 series of articles by introducing you the winner in Best Still nomination - 3D visualization artist Marek Denko. We talk about his way in CGI and behind the scenes of creation and development of his latest awarded project, "Her Eventual Hesitation". Today we continue our animago Award 2017 series of articles by introducing you the winner in Best Still nomination - 3D visualization artist Marek Denko. We talk about his way in CGI and behind the scenes of creation and development of his latest awarded project, "Her Eventual Hesitation". Can you please introduce yourself: tell a little about your background, education, why did you decide to work in 3d, how have you started? So my name is Marek Denko, computer graphics artist, father of 3 and co-owner at noemotion. net studio. I was born in 1980 in former Czechoslovakia in the small town in the central part of Slovak republic. I always liked drawing and music. My first computer graphics attempts were on early Atari computer and later moved to first generation of PCs. I crossed my path with 3dstudio and 3dsmax later on and that was the time when I fell in love with 3d world and never let it go. I've finished Civil Engineering at the University of Technology but officially I never went to any art or cg/3d school. They just didn't exist yet. You work already for quite a long time in CG field - how did your interests and priorities change during this period? If you were able to start anew, what would you change? And what do you consider your most important achievements? It's quite hard question. I'm not really a person dwelling on my past too much thinking about what would I change. My priorities changed for sure... but nothing out of ordinary. Most important achievements, that I'm still around and having enough work to do :). "Her eventual hesitation" - What's the story behind this project? How did you get the idea? how long did it take to accomplish it? During summer 2016 I came across this beautiful Volkswagen Transporter parking on the front yard of the house where the English teacher of my daughter lives. It really hit my eyes. So I rang... After short chit-chat and explaining what I do, the teacher Jimmy and his wife were so kind to let me in and take some pictures. I started to work on it in the same week. I wasn’t sure where I was going from the beginning with this work but I focused on the car modeling so I got it right. There was a lot of work on details so that kept me busy. Later on, I placed it in hollow hills nature scenery and continued. As I went on I got bored by the emptiness of the scene and probably with the lack of space to put some nice details which I love to do so much. So I change the settings completely. I started to play around with the “leaving city/world” setting/story. I gave it a try for a day or two. Played with new fresh angles and lighting. It ended up with lighting set to an early rainy summer morning. My hero is waiting for the girl... --- This August Pico Interactive released an innovative all-in-one virtual reality headset, Pico Goblin. Initially, it was on sale on the USA and China markets and recently became available for the European users as well. We had an opportunity to test and to work with the Pico dev-kit and it's impressive. This August Pico Interactive released an innovative all-in-one virtual reality headset, Pico Goblin. Initially, it was on sale on the USA and China markets and recently became available for the European users as well. We, at 3D Architettura, had an opportunity to test and to work with the Pico dev-kit and, believe us, it's impressive. What's new (and cool) about Pico Goblin? All-in-one stand-alone wireless virtual reality system. Designed to be superior to phone-slotted solutions such as Gear VR and Google Daydream, the Pico Goblin does not need to connect to any external hardware to provide immersive VR experiences. For VR arch-viz it means a simple way to organize events and presentations without any need of extra-devices: no phones, no PCs, no cables, just a VR headset - and you are ready to demonstrate your virtual reality walkthrough. Rendering Power. Pico Goblin is powered by a Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 820 processor, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. Snapdragon VR SDK and utilizes two high-resolution VR displays for a 2. 5K picture. We all are already used (and spoiled) by certain visual quality standards that can be achieved with static renders and pre-rendered animation, from this point of view real-time rendering on portable devices is a compromise - textures, lights, polygons, everything is important for a decent framerate. Finally, with the powerful processor, we can create real-time visualizations comparable to offline rendering. Moving flexibility. The headset also features built-in three degrees of freedom (3DoF) head-tracking to enable a greater range of motion within the virtual environment. This one does not require any comments - why else do we need VR if not for immersion? Just can add that we are waiting for the release of Pico NEO with 6DoF (and that will be completely another story). And last (but not least) after a working day is over you can play. The device’s "grab-n-go" approach allows anyone to quickly experience VR without extensive setup and connections to expensive equipment. At launch, the Pico Goblin features more than 50 games including five unique to the all-in-one headset: among them explorative walking simulator Abyssus with stylish and colorful low-poly 3d graphics, Attack of the Bugs, Wands and Starship Disco. More information on Pico Interactive website --- Hello, my name is Jacinto Monteiro, I graduated as an architect, back in 2001, in Portugal, and started working in this profession for 6 years. In the peak of 2007/8 crisis, with my girlfriend pregnant of my only child, I decided to quit my architectural job and had a fresh start as a digital artist. High risk and drastic decision that changed my life completely, luckily for better. Jacinto Miguel Valente Monteiro Architect and Digital Artist Portugal Website: www. metrocubicodigital. com facebook. com/MetroCubicoDigital Hello, my name is Jacinto Monteiro, I graduated as an architect, back in 2001, in Portugal, and started working in this profession for 6 years. In the peak of 2007/8 crisis, with my girlfriend pregnant of my only child, I decided to quit my architectural job and had a fresh start as a digital artist. High risk and drastic decision that changed my life completely, luckily for better. Little did I know about 3D back then but slowly I started to get the hand of it. First started doing 3D for close friends and low-cost budget for local Portuguese architects. My first big 3D creation was FAUP work where I got a bit of worldwide recognition by finishing in second in 2011 Evermotion Competition. After that, I started to have a growing flow of international clients and by now Metro Cúbico as exported 90% of the produced images to over 30 different countries. We are now a small team of two guys working hard We are now a small team of two guys working hard every day. Sometimes the team grows when we partner with other CG teams or we sub-contract other artists to help us out. Our work is done mostly in 3DS Max, Corona Renderer and Photoshop. --- End of August Autodesk has presented 3ds Max 2018.2 release with procedural spline modeling and animation tools, batch processing for some background tasks, and some other improvements. End of August Autodesk has presented 3ds Max 2018. 2 release with procedural spline modeling and animation tools, batch processing for some background tasks, and some other improvements. New spline tools include Freehand, Spline Morph, Spline Overlap, Spline Mirror, Spline Relax, and Optimize Spline. One can draw splines freehand directly in the viewport, use a spline as a morpher on existing spline objects, or use the new spline tools to animate objects. 3ds Max in Batch mode allows you to perform MaxScript or Python automation in the background as a standalone process or in parallel with the desktop application. Cloud Rights for both 3ds Max and Maya customers give subscribers access to computing resources on the cloud. More info on: Autodesk blog --- This year’s animago AWARDS were handed out on September 07 in a total of eleven categories. And here are the winners... This year’s animago AWARDS were handed out on September 07 in a total of eleven categories. Roughly 1,000 digital artists from 58 countries submitted projects for consideration as part of this international competition focusing on the amazing work being done by artists working in 3D animation, stills, visual effects (VFX), design and visualization. The awards ceremony marked the highlight of the two-day animago AWARD & CONFERENCE held at Munich’s Gasteig Centre. The event is sponsored by the Bavarian State Ministry for Economics and Media, Energy and Technology and the City of Munich’s Team of Excellence for the Cultural & Creative Industries. --- Our names are Hugo Ferreira and Pedro Teixeira, we are an architect and product designer managing the Okdraw Studio in Portugal. We always knew each other since the young age, and when in 2012 we realized that we were both working in the 3D area but in different ways, we decided to merge our knowledge and work towards architectural and product visualization. Hugo Ferreira & Pedro Teixeira 3D Artists & Okdraw studio owners Portugal Website: www. okdraw. net facebook. com/okdrawstudio Our names are Hugo Ferreira and Pedro Teixeira, we are an architect and product designer managing the Okdraw Studio in Portugal. We always knew each other since the young age, and when in 2012 we realized that we were both working in the 3D area but in different ways, we decided to merge our knowledge and work towards architectural and product visualization. Due to our different backgrounds, we worked on each other's weak and strong points and stride through photorealism until nowadays. The client asked us to create some interior images of the project, although it was already constructed, our goal was to populate and complement the interior, according to the client guidelines. The interior vegetation and decoration needed to contribute to the humanization of the space without contrasting or losing purpose. Architecture: Dieter Dietz Architect Date: May 2017 Software: 3D Studio Max, Corona Renderer and Photoshop Architecture: Figueiredo+Pena Arquitectos Date: February 2017 Software: 3D Studio Max, Corona Renderer and Photoshop A slim terrain in Oporto City that connects three projects. Our goal was to recreate some commercial images for Real estate purposes. We tried to create a balance between an artistic image and a commercial one, never straying from the objective of the renders. Snow World was an architectural competition we did a year ago. Placed on Landgraaf, Netherlands, it was purposed by the client that we could re-create their beautiful design of the skying hall, as well as the hilltop design. Architecture: Rau Architects Date: May 2016 Software: 3D Studio Max, Corona Renderer and Photoshop Architecture: Filipe Moreira da Silva and Joana Restivo Architects Date: March 2017 Software: 3D Studio Max, Corona Renderer and Photoshop Serzedo is a special kind of place, the perfect one for vacations or just some quiet and non-stress living. We aimed at representing the surrounding vegetation, that created this perfect privacy and noise free "shell" on the house, while still maintaining some space for natural lighting. Pero Alenquer House, is a beautiful architecture project, so, our challenge, was to increase the character of simple materials like oak wood, concrete, and black brick. Architecture: Filipe Moreira da Silva, Joana Restivo and Inês Pimentel Architects Date: March 2017 Software: 3D Studio Max, Corona Renderer and Photoshop --- Act 3D has released Lumion 7.5 update in the beginning of July. Act 3D has released Lumion 7. 5 update in the beginning of July. The update includes: 52 new HD materials, like stone, marble, brick, and tiles non-square textures distortion-free import possibility live synchronization with Revit (since Lumion 7. 3) https://lumion3d. com/video/Lumion73_Clip_LiveSync_450_iphone. mp4 More info on Lumion blog --- The Foundry released Nuke 11.0 update full of new stuff. The Foundry released Nuke 11. 0 update full of new stuff. Live Groups: a new collaborative workflow The Frame Server background rendering capability in Nuke Studio is now available The LensDistortion node now includes the ability to reference multiple frames, support for fisheye and wide-angle lenses, improved data import from other lens estimation packages, and GPU-acceleration Nuke Studio now includes new GPU accelerated disk caching Nuke Studio Certified hardware More info on Foundry website --- Mid-summer release of Allegorithmic software Substance Painter 2017.2, what's new? Mid-summer release of Allegorithmic software Substance Painter 2017. 2, what's new? https://alg-releases. s3. amazonaws. com/video/Banner%20Showreel%20Substance%2020%20seconds. webm the concept of Anchor Points Unity plugin allowing you to see the results of your texturing process in real-time and some other features and bug fixes. This release is accessible for free to all Substance Painter 2 up to September 30th, 2017. More info on Alegorithmic website --- Pixar has released Renderman - their rendering software with many improvements, fixes, and various changes for better skin and soft materials, more photorealistic hair, improved shaders, and workflows. Pixar has released Renderman - their rendering software (with integrations to Maya, Houdini and Katana) with many improvements, fixes, and various changes for better skin and soft materials, more photorealistic hair, improved shaders and workflows. New features of Renderman 21. 5 include: Path traced (exponential and non-exponential) subsurface scattering Color remapping features to PxrHairColor Substantial improvements to Denoiser performance on the CPU Multiscatter now supports multiple samples More accurate behavior of xrSurface when thin shadows are enabled on glass-like surfaces Full release notes here and here --- Less than two weeks remain till the new edition of animago Award in the beginning of September. While we all are waiting to find out the names of the winners of this year, 3D Architettura decided to look a little bit backward and to speak with Günter Hagedorn, Jury Chairman and animago AWARD Management, about the long way that animago has made during the last 20 years and to learn about behind the scenes of this famous CGI competition. Less than two weeks remain till the new edition of animago Award in the beginning of September. While we all are waiting to find out the names of the winners of this year, 3D Architettura decided to look a little bit backward and to speak with Günter Hagedorn, Jury Chairman and animago AWARD Management, about the long way that animago has made during the last 20 years and to learn about behind the scenes of this famous CGI competition. Why did you decide to organize animago? How did you get the idea? The animago AWARD was born in 1996. The idea for the competition came about during a meeting attended by Heiko and Gabriele Knappe – the couple who would go on to found Digital Production Magazine – and representatives of the companies Kinetix, Intergraph and SGI. They had gathered together to brainstorm about how best to jump-start the burgeoning 3D scene and, at the same time, boost its reputation and give it a bit of shine. There had been other 3D events in place, but none of them in Germany – at least not at that scale. First animago editions: can you please share some memories of how it was? The animago celebrated its premiere – initially under the name “animago 3D AWARD” – as a competition for 3D computer graphics at Cebit in Hanover in 1997. The event was held at the tradeshow booth of Kinetix, today’s Autodesk, with Intergraph and SGI as two further partners and supporters. In the following years, the event moved to Stuttgart, Munich, Cologne, Potsdam (near Berlin) and now it’s in Munich again. Those early animago days were comparatively offline days. Wikipedia was only launched in 2001, YouTube six years after that. In other words, the crucial element of organizing the animago AWARD at the end of the 1990s was the format in which the submissions reached us: CDs, floppy discs and analog media like tapes. In fact, we received an average of 10 to 12 laundry baskets full of submissions each year. And, of course, all the project related information was also sent on paper rather than in digital form. All that improved massively during the last 20 years. Until today we have awarded 157 projects out of 22,930 submissions (not counting this year’s event) done by wonderful artists from all over the world. In fact, projects from 84 countries have participated so far. What has changed in animago during this 20 years? In the first years, projects were submitted in the categories of “home users”, “students” and “professionals” and divided up after that into stills, animation, and compositing. Three projects of all submissions were awarded the main animago trophy. In 2000, a conference program was added to the awards presentation, and that gathering has accompanied the animago ever since. In 2005, to integrate the 3D and games industry even further, the competition took on the new category of “Game Design”. In 2006, the highly popular “Readers Prize” (from Digital Production Magazine)... --- Autodesk has released Maya 2018 with major workflow improvements and new features. Autodesk has released Maya 2018 with major workflow improvements and new features. https://videos. autodesk. com/zencoder/content/dam/autodesk/www/products/autodesk-maya/fy18/overview/videos/maya-overview-video-1920x1080. mp4 New features include: Viewport 2. 0 as the primary viewport and hardware renderer in Maya A number of Viewport 2. 0 feature enhancements for modelers and animators as well as for shading and lighting New Script Editor features Additional MASH nodes The UV Editor interface with UV Toolkit with better tools and functionality A live link between Maya and Adobe After Effects to make real-time changes and view scenes simultaneously All product new features on Autodesk website --- End of July Crytek has presented a major update to CryEngine with over 623 improvements. End of July Crytek has presented a major update to CryEngine. As it is stated in the release notes: "With over 623 improvements, fixes and features this release includes all new Vulkan API support, and although it’s our first step on the road you can expect further support on this soon. Also included is the Entity Component System with unified standard entities across C++ and Schematyc. For Artists, we have a much-requested Substance integration for the reading of material archives and manipulation of texture inputs with in-editor graphing. Additionally, we have expanded the feature set of the terrain system to allow for better blending of terrain and objects within your level" For more information refer to the company website --- The Foundry released Modo 11.1 update with a lot of cool features The Foundry released Modo 11. 1 update with a lot of cool features: new client-server bridge to Unreal Engine 4: a bi-directional connection between both applications, allowing entire scenes, or selected elements of a scene, to be pushed and updated a number of upgrades for modeling tools updated UV workflows Preview Render and Preview Render Animation now allows limiting the maximum rendering time before the frame is saved to disk More information on The Foundry website --- Microsoft announced that after 32 years MS Paint is not discontinued and also has a younger brother - Paint 3D. We all got nostalgically sad with the news that after 32 years MS Paint was to be discontinued, and Microsoft announced in the blog that "The original art app isn’t going anywhere – except to the Windows Store for free! " Not a bad way to remind everybody that Paint is alive and working, right? Jokes apart, Microsoft developers used this opportunity for introducing Paint 3D as well. Paint 3D is a Windows 10 new app for creativity with 3D capabilities and some features of MS Paint like photo editing, line and curve tools, and 2D creations. Main features include: Pre-made 3D models and objects Personalization of 3D objects with different brushes Transformation of any drawing into 3D with the 3D doodle tool: sketch a drawing with the 3D doodle tool and watch it instantly turn into 3D Set the scene with lighting and materials More information on Microsoft blogs --- For every new project, we try to understand the clients’ needs and to offer him a feedback of solutions and artistic guidelines adapted to the project. Valentin Ayrault Valentinstudio Founder CG Artist France Website: valentinstudio. com facebook/valentinstudio3D instagram/valentinstudio3d Why have you decided to work in 3d-field? When have you started? I started creating computer generated imagery when I was 14 years old and I at the age I was self-educating myself. There was no Internet at the time, so I discovered numerous features thanks to different works I read, or simply by trying out myself the software. At the age of 17, I did a one-year training course using Lightwave, a software I used for 7 years, but eventually, I returned back using 3dsmax. What is your usual workflow? Which plugins and software you use? Do you make all the project yourself or delegate some parts of it? For every new project, we try to understand the clients’ needs and to offer him a feedback of solutions and artistic guidelines adapted to the project. Our workflow is rather simple, we use 3dsmax + Corona and some plugins such as Forest Pack or Rail clone. For the compositing, we use Black Magic Fusion. What you consider most important in creating photo-realistic lighting and materials? Any advice for the students just starting to learn 3D? I would say that the most important thing in a photorealistic rendering is the physical approach of the perspective. The image format, as well as the focal length and other adjustments, are indispensable in order to obtain a photo render. Do you have any personal know-how for creating photo-realistic vegetation and plants? There are many solutions nowadays... Personally, I recommend the GrowFX plugin. It enables us to produce realistic plants and above all to animate them. Even so, it’s a shame that the development of the ONYX TREE plugin was canceled... I really loved the results we used to get with it. What are your plans for the future? What forecasts can you make about the future of 3d-world in general? We have a lot of projects in progress and especially one particular project which we can’t wait to share with everyone – a film for a mountain resort, entirely produced with Corona Renderer. Concerning the future of 3D in the field of architecture, the market is being divided in different technologies. With the arrival of real time, tools, as well as production processes, are multiplying. I am more than certain that this situation is temporary and that in the near future, we will have a real time Raytracing. --- Google has released a new app that allows 3d modeling directly in VR. Google has released a new app that allows 3d modeling directly in VR. Blocks, available for free for HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, is called intuitive and pretty simple even for creating complex shapes (all in trendy colorful low-poly style). It has six tools: shape, stroke, paint, modify, grab, erase, and can be used together with Google Tilt Brush that was released last year. Projects can be exported not only as a standard *obj files but also as *gif to share online. By its functionality, the app can be compared to Oculus own software for VR-modelling - Oculus Medium More info on Google Blocks --- I started working with CG in the 1980's when the TV station I worked at upgraded to a digital Grass Valley video switcher and Chryon Chroma-key system, we used POV-RAY and Caligari True Space. Clayton A. Hollister Senior Design Consultant USA Website: www. sinenomine. net I started working with CG in the 1980's when the TV station I worked at upgraded to a digital Grass Valley video switcher and Chryon Chroma-key system, we used POV-RAY and Caligari True Space. I worked for another company in the 1990's and supervised a group of 4 artist using 3D Studio max V3/4 providing arch viz renderings for a furniture manufacturer's customers. I currently work alone using 3DS Max 2017 on my laptop to provide arch-viz renderings and animated walk through videos for NOC (Network Operations Center) projects at the customer site. We do a lot of these projects for IBM customers globally. I typically have a one or two day time frame to get the first rough concept done and then work with the customer for a week or two refining the model, layout, lighting, colors etc. I don't typically have time to enhance the images using other tools although I am familiar with most of them. I find 3DS Max to be the best tool for getting my initial concept work together. I am very interested in finding ways to make a room look futuristic or high tech while retaining a realistic and build-able space with some classic architectural touches. Syd Mead is one of my favorite artist for inspiration. 3DS Max 2015 A friend called and asked if I could do this as a pro-bono project. He was designing the A/V system for his customer in New York City. The customer wanted to use an existing space for a media monitoring center. I used 3DS Max 2015 taking an hour on my home desktop computer to get a first concept that we refined with a total of 8 hours in the project. I spent time at the end adjusting the lights, changing details and making changes to see what the room would look like with a single door VS a double door. I create models of furniture and other room fittings like exit signs as a re-usable asset. I built this in Auto Desk Viz as an articulated model with doors that open to reveal the computers in the base and a glow effect on the light bar on top. Autodesk VIZ 3DS Max 2015 This was a rendering created on my laptop to show a futuristic control room to a prospective customer in the middle east in 2015. This was a large model with several of these rooms around a tower on multiple levels. A central elevator and floor cutouts allowed a view for people on tours for marketing purposes. The overhead lights shown as blue could be adjusted to any color desired to fit the mood of the situation. I love it when a customer has not picked a room as it removes the restrictions of fitting into a space. I created this concept on my laptop for a large command center with over 200 seats in the room. The overall building model... --- Russian developers from Triumph LLC recently released an updated version of Blend4Web, an open source framework for creating interactive online 3D experiences. Russian developers from Triumph LLC recently released an updated version of Blend4Web, an open source framework for creating interactive online 3D experiences. Among new features users can find: Augmented reality support. The Blend4Web AR feature leverages the JavaScript port of the popular ARToolKit) Blender object-level transform constraints. For now, four constraints are supported including Copy Location, Copy Rotation, Copy Transforms and Track To. New logic node. Set Camera Limits has been implemented to set camera movement restrictions on the fly. New environment lighting algorithm for Cycles. Materials containing Glossy BSDF and Diffuse BSDF nodes now automatically enable environment lighting, which takes into account the roughness parameter. More info can be found on developer's website. --- An independent jury of experts announced the final 33 nominees for the animago’s eleven categories. The nominees for the 2017 animago AWARDS are in! An independent jury of experts announced the final 33 nominees for the animago’s eleven categories. You can check the full list of nominees and see their projects on animago website. Today we want to introduce you nominated projects in the category, that we are following the most - Best Architectural Visualization. Moreover, remember that you also can take part in animago this summer and voice your opinion as a jury. Public voting to choose the winner in the Best Still category is open until August 6th 2017. The 2017 animago AWARDS will be handed out on 7th September 2017 during the animago CONFERENCE (7-8th September 2017) at Munich Gasteig Cultural Centre. The animago AWARD is an international competition aimed at creatives from all around the world who are invited to submit their work in the realms of 3D ANIMATION & STILL, VISUAL EFFECTS, VISUALIZATION and DESIGN. --- For me the creation of a project or a render is not just a work with a computer and drawings. The most important for me is to bring satisfaction and happiness to my customers, because the art is a symbiosis of thinking and creating with love. Luciano Santo Architect and scenographer Guarulhos, Brazil Website: lucianosantoarquitetura facebook/luciano. santo. 9 pinterest/lucianosanto9 For me the creation of a project or a render is not just a work with a computer and drawings. The most important for me is to bring satisfaction and happiness to my customers, because the art is a symbiosis of thinking and creating with love. --- Unity Technologies has demonstrated a preview of long awaited Unity 2017 at Unite Europe 2017 in Amsterdam. UPD: Unity 2017. 1 was released on July 10, 2017 Unity Technologies has demonstrated a preview of long awaited Unity 2017 at Unite Europe 2017 in Amsterdam. Among the features presented at the conference were: Timeline, a visual tool for creating cinematic content, cut scenes and gameplay sequences Cinemachine cinematic cameras both for gameplay and for cinematic sequences Stronger Live-ops Analytics with Remote Setting & Standard Events Progressive lightmapper Particle system Deferred rendering on iOS/Metal VR platforms (VR Works) Video Player (PS4) ... and others. More information on Unity Blog Full info about the Unity 2017 release --- Chaos Group has recently presented a new release V-Ray for 3DS Max 2018. Chaos Group has recently presented a new release V-Ray for 3DS Max 2018. The latest version of V-Ray 3. 6 among its key features has a hybrid rendering mode: V-Ray GPU CUDA now renders on CPUs as well as GPUs, to take full advantage of all available hardware. Other features include: Nvidia vlink that supports shared GPU memory across NVLink compatible graphics cards Full light select render elements with support for GI, reflections and refractions for accurate light mixing in post-production Cryptomatte support to create ID mattes with transparency, depth of field, and motion blur. https://vimeo. com/136954966 Read more on Chaos Group website --- Pixologic released an updated version of digital sculpting software ZBrush Pixologic updated digital sculpting software ZBrush. Among new features of ZBrush 4R8 its users can find: Live Boolean to sculpt on models with immediate preview of the boolean results Vector Displacement Meshes that allow undercutting when drawing on a model's surface Gizmo 3D transformation tool to manipulate sculpts with precise control Lazy Mouse 2. 0 to draw with smooth, precisely controlled strokes 3D Text & Vector Shape Creator to create individual words or small phrases in 3D ... and many others, including the Patch 1 for improved stability. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=0-g4MtBjKP0 More info at developer's website --- Autodesk has introduced virtual reality engine 3ds Max Interactive in 3ds Max 2018.1 Update Autodesk has introduced virtual reality engine 3ds Max Interactive in 3ds Max 2018. 1 Update available since last week. According to Autodesk developers, 3ds Max Interactive is planned to extend the power of 3ds Max to create immersive and interactive virtual and augmented reality projects, since they believe that Unity and Unreal are not optimized for architectural visualization workflows. 3ds Max Interactive is based on Autodesk Stingray engine. The update promises to its users: you see what you get approach geometry optimizations for VR 3d scene data synchronization between Max and the real-time environment 3ds Max Interactive viewport camera to preview 3D scene -changes and testing of VR project without recompiling Learn more details in Autodesk blog. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ZpIYbKkx3vcruno-landry-talks-vr-in-3ds-max" target="_blank">Autodesk blog. --- Next Limit has presented Maxwell Render 4.1 with a lot of new features and a new addition to Maxwell’s catalog of ies files included in the installation; provided by Real IES. Next Limit has presented Maxwell Render 4. 1 with a lot of new features, such us: powerful denoiser preserving texture and geometry details X-Rite AxF Materials https://vimeo. com/219518743 new Lights panel to play with the intensity of the lights in the scene as if you were using Multilight sliders https://vimeo. com/220465382/fc035f9ddb useful assets in the Library panel to drag and drop lights in scene without having to waste time setting them up https://vimeo. com/219518194 new addition to Maxwell’s catalog of ies files included in the installation; provided by Real IES Revit integration and Rhino for Mac support More information can be found on the developers' website --- Next Limit has released in May RealFlow 10.1 with workflow enhancements, brand new materials for our Dyverso Multi-physics solver, improved stability and various bug fixes. Next Limit has released in May RealFlow 10. 1 with workflow enhancements, brand new materials for our Dyverso Multi-physics solver, improved stability and various bug fixes. https://vimeo. com/215180299 Main features: DYVERSO multiphysics particles solver to simulate different types of materials and interactions between them Viscous materials: Mud, syrup, chocolate, honey and other fluids simulation Viscoelastic materials: Slime, foam, sponges New parameters for Alembic objects for tweaking their animation speed, offset and mode Fluid masking to exclude parts of a fluid volume from a simulation Particle Skinner Daemaon to transfer particle motion and animation to geometry objects ... and many other The full list of new features can be found here --- End of April Corona Renderer 1.6 for Autodesk 3ds Max was released. End of April Corona Renderer 1. 6 for Autodesk 3ds Max was released. Among new features the renderer users can benefit: Significant speed boost Lower memory usage Reworked distributed rendering Corona Image Editor UI upgrade for LightMix A free set of IES profiles provided by Real-IES New photographic LUTs ... and many others. Check full list of updates here --- Autodesk Research announce a release of Meshmixer 3.2 - a free software for Windows and Mac OS for working with triangle meshes. Autodesk Research announce a release of Meshmixer 3. 2 - a free software for Windows and Mac OS for working with triangle meshes. Do you need to clean up a 3D scan, do some 3D printing, or design an object that fits something else? Meshmixer will manage the clean up, fix or transform your model, and prepare it for 3D printing. Main Meshmixer features include: Drag-and-Drop Mesh Mixing 3D Sculpting and Surface Stamping Robust Convert-to-Solid for 3D printing Mesh Smoothing and Free-Form Deformations Hole Filling, Bridging, Boundary Zippering, and Auto-Repair Plane Cuts, Mirroring, and Booleans Extrusions, Offset Surfaces, and Project-to-Target-Surface Interior Tubes & Channels Precise 3D Positioning with Pivots Automatic Alignment of Surfaces More info and download --- Cebas Visual Technology Inc. announced the release of thinkingParticles version 6 Subscription Drop 5 with new workflow and production tools. Cebas Visual Technology Inc. announced the release of thinkingParticles version 6 Subscription Drop 5 with new workflow and production tools. What's new for thinkingParticles VolumeBreaker that gives the flexibility to set fragment particles into different breakage cluster and then have more natural or more specific patterns ShapeNoise operator that provides the power to add deformation to any particle shape's area and edges FlowEmitter that helps to achieve constant flow of fluid in animation ParticleLight that allows to control the light in more than one way. With ParticleLight you can turn any particle into a real Omni light type along with proper shadow casting HydroFiled that makes Fluid and Ridgid body collisions look better with better buoyancay and interaction. More information about this release on Cebas Visual Technology --- Autodesk has released 3dsMax 2018 from the mid-april with modeling, animation, rendering and workflow updates Autodesk has released 3dsMax 2018 from the mid-april with modeling, animation, rendering and workflow updates: Motion Paths allow to manipulate animations directly in the viewport and get direct feedback when making adjustments in the scene. Arnold 5 for 3ds Max is now integrated into 3ds Max and has substituted Mental Ray (read more about Arnold Renderer in 3dsMax here) Smart asset packaging allows to create, share, and update portable assets that are flexible, connected, and react to changes in design data Customizable workspaces permit work with a more responsive, modern, and customizable user experience. More information on Area Autodesk --- Substance Source hit 1000 materials on by adding 150 scan-based materials to their Textile Collection. Substance Source hit 1000 materials on the 13th of April by adding their Textile Collection. The collection is a selection of more than 150 scan-based materials dedicated to textile universes such as clothing, sportswear, interior decoration, and upholstery. A combination of scans and procedural techniques allowed to create materials as detailed and realistic as real fabrics. All Substance Source materials include the following features: Multiple resolutions up to 4K Collection color presets Tweakable materials in any rendering engine More information on Allegorithmic --- Sony presents Xperia Touch - a portable projector power by Android that transforms a wall or table into an interactive touch-screen. Sony presents Xperia Touch - a portable projector power by Android that transforms a wall or table into an interactive touch-screen. The company is positioning new product available on sale this spring with the retail price around 1600$ as a consumer device that can be used for gaming, education, online video streaming and communication. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=RDM3rn2wQvw Main features: Infrared Touch Xperia Touch combines infrared light array with 60fps camera capture to turn a flat surface in your home into a 23-inch touchscreen. Presence sensing Xperia Touch automatically turns on when it senses your approach. Use it as a message board by the front door to keep everyone informed. Or set it up as a wall clock that appears when you’re in the room. More information: www. sonymobile. com --- With the release of 3ds Max 2018® software scheduled on April 12, 2017, Autodesk will no longer include NVIDIA’s Mental Ray as part of 3ds Max. Instead the company offers access to the Arnold renderer developed by Solid Angle that was purchased by Autodesk in 2016. With the release of 3ds Max 2018 scheduled on April 12, 2017, Autodesk will no longer include NVIDIA’s Mental Ray as part of 3ds Max. Instead the company offers access to the Arnold renderer developed by Solid Angle that was purchased by Autodesk in 2016. Arnold plug-in (MAXtoA) will be included with the 3ds Max 2018 software download, and available on the Solid Angle site. If you who wish to use Mental Ray with 3ds Max 2018, you can acquire it directly from NVIDIA that also allows free use of Mental Ray for foreground processing while working within 3ds Max. These changes will affect only users who download and install 3ds Max 2018. Those who are currently using Mental Ray with older versions of 3ds Max are unaffected by these changes as they have perpetual licenses. 3ds Max users will be able to use Arnold out-of-the-box. However, it can only be used for foreground (in-product) processing. Customers will need to purchase additional Arnold licenses if they wish to scale their rendering capability using either background processing, a render farm, or the cloud. Learn more about these changes on Autodesk website Learn more about Arnold renderer on Solid Angle --- V-Ray 3.5 is now compatible with NUKE 10.5 and adds powerful new features. V-Ray 3. 5 is now compatible with NUKE 10. 5 and adds powerful new features: V-Ray Volume Grid Import and render volume simulations from applications like Houdini. Supports OpenVDB, Field3D and Phoenix FD files. Deep Rendering Improved deep rendering capabilities with support for deep volumes. Save disk space by generating deep data directly inside NUKE. V-Ray Denoiser Automatically reduce noise for cleaner renders. Denoise individual render elements, apply noise masks and denoise final deep composites. Triplanar Texture Apply seamless textures on complex objects without UVs. V-Ray Falloff Texture Control shading effects in relation to an object’s surface angle to the camera. Use NUKE Curves for even more control. More info on Chaos Group website --- animago Award invites creative professionals and young talents from all over the world to submit their work in the fields of 3D ANIMATION & STILLS, VISUAL EFFECTS and VISUALIZATION. Participation is free and projects can be sent in until 31 May 2017. animago Award invites creative professionals and young talents from all over the world to submit their work in the fields of 3D ANIMATION & STILLS, VISUAL EFFECTS and VISUALIZATION. This year's competition features eleven categories covering all disciplines relating to CGI. Participation is free and projects can be sent in until 31 May 2017. The 11 categories of animago AWARD 2017 are as follow: Best Visual Effects Best Short Film Best Character Best Game Cinematic Best Motion Design Best Advertising Production Best Visualization Best Young Production Best Still (public voting for the winner out of three nominees) Jury´s Prize Architecture Prize, presented by DETAIL In the time period since the award was launched, an independent jury of experts drawn from the fields of film, development and post-production have evaluated more than 22,000 works sent in by digital artists originating in over 80 different nations. Check the nominees of animago Award 2016 Read the interview with Stefan Larsson, the winner in the best Architecture Film category. More info on submission guidelines can be found here --- Till 26 February 2017 students and young professionals in design, architecture and engineering can register for 14th Techtextil Contest ‘Textile Structures for New Building 2017’ and win € 8,000. Till 26 February 2017 students and young professionals in design, architecture and engineering can register for 14th Techtextil Contest ‘Textile Structures for New Building 2017’ and win € 8,000. This competition is designed to identify innovative thinking and innovative solutions to problems, featuring construction projects capable of concrete realisation which use textiles or textile reinforced materials. The assignment is to create solutions in the following areas of textile building: Structural engineering – from construction using textile-reinforced concrete or plastics to construction using membranes for permanent and temporary, adaptable and mobile buildings Interior construction – including such developments as the use of polymer fibre-optic cables for light transmission, textile air-channel systems for draught-free air conditioning in rooms, movable sound-insulation walls in production facilities, etc. Product design for architecture An additional focal theme has also been included: 'Suitability for re-use and recycling' Civil and industrial engineering Winner benefits will include presenting your project to about 42,000 visitors from 102 countries in the special contest area at Techtextil 2017 in Frankfurt; attending Techtextil 2017 in Frankfurt including overnight accommodation; an invitation to the award ceremony during Techtextil 2017; winning one of the cash prizes from the total pay-out of € 8,000 Learn more and register: techtextil-student. com --- Ultimate Unwrap 3D - UV mapping tool for unfolding and unwrapping 3D models - has released its version 3.50.22. Ultimate Unwrap 3D - UV mapping tool for unfolding and unwrapping 3D models - has released its version 3. 50. 22. It includes an easy-to-use UV coordinate editor, a standard set of UV mapping projections such as planar, box, cylindrical, and spherical, as well as advanced UV mapping projections such as face UV mapping, camera UV mapping, and unwrap UV faces for those difficult to map areas on a model. Ultimate Unwrap 3D supports over 100 file formats, including FBX, DAE, ASE, DXF, LWO, OBJ, and DirectX, is compatible with 3ds Max, Maya, SoftImage, Cinema 4D, Lightwave, Modo, Sketchup and other 3d software. Full list of features can be found on the developers' website. --- If you have ever faced the problem of purchased 3D-models mismatching the designs of your project, than probably you would be interested in the solution offered by CGPort. The team of the designers and 3d-artists came up with an idea of a try-before-buy service and created a virtual space where one can create a collage and see all the chosen 3d-models in one's own interior and check the styles, colors and proportions. If you have ever faced the problem of purchased 3D-models mismatching the designs of your project, than probably you would be interested in the solution offered by CGPort. The team of the designers and 3d-artists came up with an idea of a try-before-buy service and created a virtual space where one can create a collage and see all the chosen 3d-models in one's own interior and check the styles, colors and proportions. The collage idea works pretty simple: Upload a photo of an unfurnished room or a draft of a 3d-render Put inside it all the desired models, both paid and free without any quantity limitations. Each model is rendered in 12 views that one can change directly in a collage to match with the background image perspective Save your collage to share it your clients or colleagues Purchase the models that, in your opinion, fit your design the best way The project offers different plans from a free (where one can download just free model and save just one collage) to a monthly subscription that gives an access to all available 3d-model and allows to work on 5 collages simultaneously. For future releases developers promise to allow to change the color of the models, to improve the user experience in collages and to allow to download in a high resolution, to update the 3d model data base and to offer ready 3d interior scenes. More information and subscription details: cgport. com --- Our workflow is really straight forward: after our first meeting with the client we create a storyboard in order to have the necessary feedback, we do this roughly 3 times until everyone is satisfied with the camera angle, materials, the mood and - the most important thing - with the feeling we want to depict. One of the most important things is to look at the details in the real world and work on it. More you work on the details, more the scene will be realistic. How have you decided to work in 3d-field? Where did you study? We decided to work in this field roughly 8 years ago. After finishing architecture school we found out the imperative potential 3d has on creating architecture, how to manage the ideas through the design process and finally the value each image has in the real state market. Our fist experience with 3d was during college and from there on we have probably done every single tutorial that exists online. Fernando Tirado & Alejandro Samaniego Country: Ecuador Age: 32 Job: Arch Visualizers, founders of Square Voxel Website: www. squarevoxel. com facebook/squarevoxel pinterest/squarevoxel What is your usual workflow? Our workflow is really straight forward: after our first meeting with the client we create a storyboard in order to have the necessary feedback, we do this roughly 3 times until everyone is satisfied with the camera angle, materials, the mood and - the most important thing - with the feeling we want to depict. Everything is done at the office with 3ds Max, Photoshop, Corona, Vray and plug-ins such as Forest pro, rail clone, etc. What advice can you give to students just starting their way in CG who want to create photo-realistic lighting and materials? Observation, understanding how the real world works, how a material is build up, maybe that's the best advice we can give them, try to recreate what you see as close as possible. Do you have any personal know-how for creating photo-realistic vegetation and plants? We usually start of with a common library and then improve upon it, tweaking materials and geometry as we see fit. What are your plans for the future? What forecasts can you make about the future of 3d-world in general? There is no limit as to what 3d could achieve: from 3d organs to genetic engineering, its probably already happening. As for us we just want to keep improving and moving forward in this exciting field. --- Some of the new features of VRay 3.5 for 3ds Max include ability to add VRayScene object node to import .vrscene files in 3ds Max, NVIDIA MDL support, V-Ray GPU enhancements, and reworked lens effects. Chaos Group released a teaser of VRay 3. 5 for 3ds Max that is officially in beta now. Some of the new features include ability to add VRayScene object node to import . vrscene files in 3ds Max, NVIDIA MDL support, V-Ray GPU enhancements, and reworked lens effects. More info in the VRay roadmap: https://www. chaosgroup. com/vray/3ds-max/roadmap https://www. youtube. com/watch? time_continue=7&v=N2XB6iZcy_8 Update: What's new in V-Ray 3. 5 - all features --- NVIDIA mental ray is seamlessly integrated into Autodesk Maya® and delivers all the functionality Maya users have come to rely on. Artists can now experience interactive viewport rendering and easy-to-use global illumination with substantial GPU-acceleration. NVIDIA mental ray for Maya is a plug-in rendering solution, seamlessly integrated into Autodesk Maya®. The industry standard renderer one has counted upon for years is now available directly from those creating it. Maya artists now receive interactive viewport rendering and easy-to-use global illumination with substantial GPU-acceleration, in addition to all previous functionality and compatibility. Main features: Intuitive global illumination engine (GI-Next) requiring minimal setup or tuning 2-4X faster than earlier GI methods of similar quality and up to 10-20x faster with a single GPU Ideal for interactive lighting workflows within the Maya viewport Fast and easy to use Image Based Lighting and procedural environments like Sun&Sky Light Important Sampling enables a large number of lights without sacrificing performance Multiple Importance Sampling speeds up physically-based setups with MDL materials Much faster rendering of modern lighting setups with area lights and emissive materials More info: http://www. nvidia. com/object/nvidia-mental-ray-products. html --- Anima2D, a popular skeletal animation software, will be available to the entire Unity developer community for free starting in January 2017 Anima2D, a popular skeletal animation software, will be available to the entire Unity developer community for free starting in January 2017. Anima2D features: 2D Bones Sprite to mesh conversion SpriteMesh Editor Automatic weights Weight Editor Inverse Kinematics Save / Load Poses Atlas compatible Bake Animation to Bones Onion Skin Create Avatar Masks More info: Anima2d guide and in Unity blog --- V-RayforC4D 3.4 was released in December 2016. It is seamlessly integrated and optimized for both CPUs and GPUs, using whatever an artist picks to deliver high-quality imagery and animation quickly, even when working with complex 3D scenes. V-RayforC4D 3. 4 was released in December 2016. It is seamlessly integrated and optimized for both CPUs and GPUs, using whatever an artist picks to deliver high-quality imagery and animation quickly, even when working with complex 3D scenes. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=_Gp1XjWOGvA In V-Ray 3. 4 all parts of the engine have been greatly speed up. The new extremely optimized CPU rendering brings V-Ray to speeds never seen before rendering, providing a feature full and powerful production tool set for high-quality, high-resolution images and animations with V-Ray. V-Ray provides 100% physical correct ray tracing methods. In addition V-Ray 3. 4 now also offers blazing fast GPU render options for previews and final frame rendering. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=GBZjE1vNmBw V-RAYforC4D fully supports Maxon Hair via real 3d geometry using V-Ray’s memory efficient hair procedurals. The V-Ray Hair BRDF gives physical correct Hair shading. Effects like base color sampling, root tip color & transparency, are supported. Also included is V-RayFur and V-Ray FastFur. Full list of features available here: http://www. vrayforc4d. net/v-rayforc4d-3-4-released/ --- Oculus has released its Touch controller that allows sculpting and painting in VR. Oculus has released its Touch controller that allows sculpting and painting in VR. Thanks to Touch’s intuitive and ergonomic design, one can forget the controllers and feel like his physical and virtual hands are identical. Oculus Touch can be used together with Oculus Medium that is built specifically for virtual reality and lets to sculpt, model, paint, and create solid-feeling objects in a VR environment. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=GvIJYZ9lFgk And Oculus Quill, available in public beta, a tool that enables illustrative storytelling in VR. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=UPORHEhkNfY More info: https://www. oculus. com/blog/oculus-touch-launches-today/ --- PlantFactory is an innovative 3D vegetation modeling, animation, and rendering software developed for the CG, SFX, architecture and gaming communities. PlantFactory is an innovative 3D vegetation modeling, animation, and rendering software developed for the CG, SFX, architecture and gaming communities. https://youtu. be/NkbDnjMrxU8 Key new features in VUE 2016 include: Growth Simulation: Easily generate geometry using a biologically inspired growth simulation PlantFactory Variations: Easily and quickly add more realism to your scenes and improve your productivity at the same time! Fully customizable Level of Detail (LOD) https://youtu. be/Zi7BZSFngnk More info: www. plantfactory-tech. com --- Gravity Sketch, the first 3D creation tool designed for touch and gesture input, makes 3D design accessible for everybody left behind in the 2D world of pen and paper. Gravity Sketch, the first 3D creation tool designed for touch and gesture input, makes 3D design accessible for everybody left behind in the 2D world of pen and paper. Gravity Sketch works by “direct 3D generation” on a virtual plane, allowing to quickly bring your imagination to life. Everything happens in real-time, and the experience of seeing 3D content being generated under your finger is quite exciting. Once you’re done creating, you can order a 3D print straight from the app, delivered by Shapeways. The team is working on a version for Oculus Rift which will bring 3D creation to a new level of immersion. One of their earlier prototypes was conceived for Augmented Reality applications, and with the Microsoft Hololens announcement they hope AR will become an affordable reality in the coming years. With a product arc covering tablets, AR and VR, Gravity Sketch has the ambition to become the go-to tool for 3D creation. Gravity Sketch is available for free on the App Store for iPad & iPad Pro. More info: https://www. gravitysketch. com/ --- Lumion 7 easily transforms sterile walls and statues into realistic living surfaces with foliage, imperfections, and natural weathering. Lumion 7 easily transforms sterile walls and statues into realistic living surfaces with foliage, imperfections, and natural weathering. New features include: cover surfaces with ivy, easy weathering and aging of materials, apply transparency and translucency, new area lights and light strips, transform any model into realistic foliage, ability to place your model on the map with OpenStreetMap, 172 new trees and plants, 39 new character animations, 19 new vehicle models, new material editor, improved render engine. Full list of features here: https://lumion3d. com/what-s-new. html --- As you already know, the last days of October animago Awards has announced the winners of this year. Today we would like to introduce you Stefan Larsson from Japan. His CG animation "Spatial bodies" was chosen by animago expert jury as the best Architecture Film of 2016. As you already know, the last days of October animago Awards has announced the winners of this year. Today we would like to introduce you Stefan Larsson from Japan. His CG animation "Spatial bodies" was chosen by animago expert jury as the best Architecture Film of 2016. Stefan Larsson AUJIK www. aujik. com winner Film Architecture Prize Can you tell about your background and how you started to work with CG? What is AUJIK? I started AUJIK about 15 years ago when I was in the Art Academy in Umeå, Sweden. I took an MFA from there in 2015 and a couple of years later I moved to Japan and since then been living here. I prefer to define AUJIK as an art concept in which the core elements are AI (Artificial Intelligence), nature and consciousness. Initially I worked with sculpting and paintings to express these matters. At some point I started to make sketches in 3D software and suddenly discovered the possibilities with 3D animation and ray traced renderings using VRay. Besides the conceptual part of AUJIK, I've been interested in design and especially robotic and futuristic structures. I'd been thinking about heading in to more architecture orientated ideas for quite a while, but it wasn't until recently when I started filming with a drone that I started to execute them. Plasticity Unfolding, 2014. How did you get the idea of "Spatial bodies"? How long did it take to accomplish it? I got the idea some years ago when I was in Tokyo and watched the inferno of buildings sweeping through from the perspective of the Yamanote line (Tokyo's loop rail). It reminded me of a rampant forest and felt like an living organism that burst out of humans control. I started to think about how I could present this idea, and assumed it was necessary to film from a helicopter, which was beyond my league, so I put it on the shelf for a while. Then came the drone industry which made it possible to realize it. I made some test versions for two months, mainly to get an idea on how to motion track buildings and replace them by CGI, and how to blend it. Then it took about 3 months to make the final version. Spatial Bodies. AUJIK What was your workflow? What was your approach to combining video footages and 3d? Compare to my previous videos, the workflow became very important for this project. At first I didn't really know how to process it, but then it naturally feel to pieces. After I motion tracked the footage, I started to decided which buildings was most suitable for adding CG to. Then I made 3D models of them - more or less detailed, depending on the scale, distance etc - by using textures from the real buildings, and built balconies, windows, doors, rails etc. based on the textures. I had to use Google map to get a better idea of their structures and materials. Spatial Bodies.... --- Renderpeople issued a new generation of scanned 3D people and a free plug-in for 3ds Max to resize and relink hundreds of textures in a 3d-scene. Renderpeople issued a new generation of scanned 3D people. They are entirely rigged and include features like a ready to use control rig, retopologized geometry, sub-surface-scattering and hair planes. Posed People are static human 3D scans, which capture one specific natural pose and preferably can be used to enrich photorealistic 3D environments, which will be rendered as still images. They can be scaled, rotated and translated in place, but they will never move like human beings. In contrast the Rigged People are able of being moved in a natural way. So every single body part either can be adjusted to fit a desired pose or can be animated frame by frame to create stunning lifelike animations. Of course it is also possible to transfer motion capture data onto our Rigged People, which makes them the perfect choice for using them in 3D rendered videos of any kind or even games and VR applications. Besides that one can download a free Renderpeople Resizer plug-in for 3ds Max that helps to resize and relink hundreds of textures in a 3D scene within only a couple of seconds. More info: https://renderpeople. com/free-3d-model/ --- Substance Designer, a node-based non-destructive application for material authoring, in version 5.5 offers new tools and features. This version takes texture creation into the big leagues with MDL material authoring – opening up a whole new world of materials – plus Linux support, fbx camera import and support for VCA. It's now possible to create beautiful, multi-layered MDL materials with Substance Designer! NVIDIA's universal Material Definition Language has been supported since version 5. 3, but the authoring capabilities in 5. 5 make Substance Designer an industry first – a texture creation tool that can be used for authoring MDL materials. Even better, the MDL materials you create with Substance Designer will later be shareable with many 3D applications giving great material consistency across different software's renderers. Today this includes Iray (which is available as a plugin for Maya, 3DS Max and Cinema4D) and will later extend to V-Ray, Octane, Redshift and Adobe software. More info: https://www. allegorithmic. com/blog/substance-designer-55-here --- NVIDIA introduced the NVIDIA Iray Cinema 4D rendering plugin. NVIDIA introduced the NVIDIA Iray Cinema 4D rendering plugin. This plugin provides users with an intuitive way to create and design video effects and images for architecture, broadcast graphics, product design and others. Its unique interactive workflow made it notably easier for users to achieve the accurate photo realistic results. Main features: Physically based path-tracing rendering both for interactive and final frame Freedom to use all supported GPUs and CPUs in the machine, controlled by the user Sampling options for accurate caustics and complex lighting situations Physical camera model with lens effects like Depth of Field Final color processing and tuning through advanced Tone Mapping Matte shadow and reflection support for compositing flexibility More info: http://www. nvidia. com/object/iray-for-cinema-4d. html --- Google has presented Tilt Brush that lets to paint 3d space with virtual reality. Google has presented Tilt Brush that lets to paint 3d space with virtual reality. With the use of HTC Vive virtual reality headset and connection to Steam, Tilt Brush allows to paint life-size three-dimensional brush strokes, stars, light, and even fire. More info: https://www. tiltbrush. com/ --- Chinese company Tiko presented, according to their own words, the cheapest 3d printer on the market. Chinese company Tiko presented through Kickstarter campaign, according to their own words, the cheapest 3d printer on the market that would be available soon for purchase. The 3d printer has a wifi connection which allows to print from distance, via a smartphone or from a cloud source. Its unibody design - meaning it has a three sets of arms moving in unison to control the movement of the print head - allows to print at a resolution as fine as 50 microns. More info: https://forum. tiko3d. com/ --- Mockup Editor is an intuitive and convenient online tool to create a hi-rez mockup of any graphical scene directly in the browser without other software. Mockup Editor is an intuitive and convenient tool to create a hi-rez mockup of any graphical scene directly in the browser without other software. It offers a wide variety of elements, accessories, templates and solutions to conceive a space from a personal photograph, render, painting, poster or image to a custom-made template. The user has also a possibility to try different types of frames and hanging and standing shadows. More info and subscription plans: mockupeditor. com and mockupscenecreator. com --- V-Ray for MODO® seamlessly integrates production-proven rendering capabilities into MODO’s native workflow. V-Ray for Modo seamlessly integrates production-proven rendering capabilities into MODO’s native workflow. Choose between multicore CPU and GPU-accelerated rendering for complete creative control and fast results. Built to handle the toughest projects and biggest scenes, V-Ray for MODO is designed to fit into any production pipeline. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=xqB9KJsbIlU V-Ray for MODO is built upon the latest core technology that has made V-Ray an industry standard in visual effects, broadcast and architectural design projects for nearly 20 years. More info: https://www. thefoundry. co. uk/products/modo/add-ons/plugins/v-ray-for-modo/ and https://www. chaosgroup. com/vray/modo#features --- Adobe presented new features coming to Adobe Creative Cloud tools for video editing, motion graphics/VFX, and audio. Adobe presented new features coming to Adobe Creative Cloud tools for video editing, motion graphics/VFX, and audio. In the next release of Creative Cloud, you’ll find that sharing video projects across workgroups and workstations has never been easier with new Team Projects. Built on Adobe Anywhere technology, Team Projects is a hosted collaboration service that allows editors and motion graphics artists to work simultaneously in shared team projects within Adobe Premiere Pro CC, After Effects CC, and Adobe Prelude CC. It includes deep collaboration features like version control and smart conflict resolution. The data in Team Projects is securely hosted in the cloud and media files referenced by Team Projects can be locally stored source files, or lightweight proxies shared via Creative Cloud. With native media support for virtually every type of video from UHD to VR, Adobe Creative Cloud video tools let you move freely from application to application without interrupting the creative flow. Refined Lumetri Color tools in Premiere Pro now include an improved color picker when working with HSL secondaries, offering access to powerful color correction and Look design tools. The new 3D rendering engine in After Effects enables users to work more interactively with 3D content. The new fully integrated Cinerender technology from MAXON delivers improved 3D CPU rendering in After Effects, allowing artists to create editable 3D elements, including extruded text and shape layers, without leaving After Effects. Additional improvements in the Virtual Reality workflow in Premiere Pro. Users can work with stitched equi-rectangular video to show field-of-view so you can replicate viewing experiences while you edit your content. Added to this release, is the new auto-aware VR, which detects whether your media is monoscopic, stereoscopic over/under or stereoscopic left/right and automatically applies preferences for the correct viewing environment. Premiere Pro also exports correctly tagged VR files so that VR-capable video players, such as YouTube, can play the media. Performance improvements with real-time playback of source footage for VFX and motion graphics in a new After Effects video preview architecture lets users play raw footage in real-time, eliminating the need to cache before previewing footage. Faster and easier puppet creation and animation comes to Character Animator CC (beta) when working in the application and with other Creative Cloud apps with a faster round-trip functionality between Photoshop and Illustrator. Better Captions and subtitles in Premiere Pro can help enliven silent auto-play video previews on Facebook for higher engagement, target different languages or improve accessibility for hearing impaired viewers. New and improved audio effects in Premiere Pro provide higher quality sound processing and improved fidelity from Adobe Audition. New effects with hi-DPI awareness include, Analog Delay, Chorus/Flanger, DeHummer, Guitar Suite, Phaser, Single Band Compressor, Tube Modelled Compressor, Vocal Enhancer and Multi Band Compressor. More on Adobe: https://blogs. adobe. com/creativecloud/unveiling-connected-creativity-ibc-reveal-2016/ --- The Looking Glass Factory announced Volume "The world's first personal volumetric display". The Looking Glass Factory announced Volume "The world's first personal volumetric display". Volume is an attempt to achieve a virtual reality future with neither headgear nor glasses. It works by suspending millions of points of light in a physical 3D space with no moving parts. Volumetric display uses a technology called lightfolding, in which millions of pixels are channeled into a 3D volume, thereby creating a true 3D display. More info: https://www. lookingglassfactory. com/ --- Phoenix FD is an all-in one solution for fluid dynamics integrated seamlessly into 3ds Max and optimized to render with V-Ray. Phoenix FD is an all-in one solution for fluid dynamics integrated seamlessly into 3ds Max and optimized to render with V-Ray. Simulate fire, smoke, liquids, ocean waves, splashes, spray, mist and more. Main features: realistic liquid simulations with splashes and foam directly in 3ds Max any type of fire and smoke effects fine-tune simulations interactively in the viewport speed up or slow down simulation playback a wide range of emission sources including animated meshes, texture maps, particles and more highly-realistic and complex vorticity effects with full control over large-scale vortex strength and ultra fine details More info: https://www. chaosgroup. com/phoenix-fd/3ds-max --- Algorithmic released Substance Painter 2.3 with Photoshop export. Algorithmic released Substance Painter 2. 3 version that brings a full Photoshop export path. Layers, masks and blending modes can now be transferred to Photoshop and each individual channel is exported in its own PSD. Full Photoshop export means that all layers, folders, masks and blending modes can now be transferred to a Photoshop document with pixel perfect matching. Each individual channel is exported in its own PSD to maintain the color space and bit depth of the original Substance Painter project. Besides the Photoshop Export, this release brings with it several other highly requested features such as Custom Padding at export time, Custom Usage Mapping, an Improved Light Baking filter and a new clay shader. More on Algorithmic website: https://www. allegorithmic. com/blog/substance-painter-now-photoshop-export --- One of the most important thing is to look at the details in the real world and work on it. More you work on the details, more the scene will be realistic. One of the most important things is to look at the details in the real world and work on it. More you work on the details, more the scene will be realistic. Why have you decided to work in 3d-field? Passionned by 3D in video games in my childhood, I started to modify models from the game 'Half-life'. In 2003, I started to study Graphic design specialized in 3D in Belgium. I began to work in 3D architectural visualisation during my internship. And since that time, I never stop working on 3D architecture. In addition, I learned 3D by myself with lot of tutorials and dedication. Thomas Deffet Country: Belgium Age: 32 Job: Freelance 3D-artist Website: www. thomasdeffet. com behance What is your usual workflow? Usually I start with a specific idea and concept of the scene I want. I do a lot a research about it (references images, objects, etc). I'm always working with 3dsMax. I use VRay for rendering and Photoshop for post production. I will maybe try different render engines like Corona or Fstorm as I saw people with really good result with it. I like to use different plugins to help me to achieve specific things or doing a faster job such as "Floor generator", "Multiscatter", "Forestpack" or "Marvelous designer". I don't hesitate to learn new softwares or plugins in order to get the results that I want. Actually, I never delegate any work and did all by myself but who know maybe for the next projects. What your consider most important in creating photo-realistic lighting and materials? There is not one but many important things to consider when you create realistic visualization. One of the most important thing is to look at the details in the real world and work on it. More you work on the details, more the scene will be realistic. In most 3d scene, they don't work enough on the texture to add a realism to it. The light is also really important and it's the same that for the details you have to look at to understand how the light works. My main advice will be to wondering what is the difference between your work and the environment around you and work harder to eliminate these differences in order to get closer to the reality. Do you have any personal know-how for creating photo-realistic vegetation and plants? I work a lot with multiscatter and forestpack, this is powerful plugins for 3Dsmax. The only limit will be probably your Hardware :) It's really easy to do some small scene with different grass but if we want to create a huge forest is better to be patient and have a good computer. There is more and more resources like grass, plants and trees on internet to achieve great results with these plugins. The diversity of the grass and the plants models as well as a good material (vray2sided) should provide you with a good result. What are your plans for the future?... --- Pixologic announced ZBrushCore, a streamlined version of ZBrush designed for all artists and enthusiasts of both traditional and digital art. Pixologic announced ZBrushCore, a streamlined version of ZBrush designed for all artists and enthusiasts of both traditional and digital art. At its heart, ZBrushCore functions the same as ZBrush. Every skill and technique learned and applied in ZBrushCore will carry over seamlessly to ZBrush. Pixologic will officially unveil ZBrushCore for both Windows and Mac OS during the ZBrush Summit starting September 30th, 2016. Learn more on ZBrushCentral and Pixologic --- Unreal Engine 4.13 has arrived! In this version you'll find numerous improvements across the board. Unreal Engine 4. 13 has arrived! Many new rendering features have been added, such as mesh decals, Blueprint drawing to render targets, GPU morph targets, refraction improvements and high quality, optimized noise functions are now available to materials. Shadow map caching allows for more shadow-casting dynamic lights in a scene than ever before! Sequencer, our new non-linear cinematic editor, has been updated with a slew of new features for high-end cinematography. Live recording from gameplay has been significantly improved. Also, you can now transfer shots and animations back and forth from external applications. You can see these features in our SIGGRAPH Real-Time Live! 2016 demonstration. Alembic support allows you to import complex and interesting vertex animations. And the new Physical Animation Component lets your characters respond realistically to physical forces by driving their skeletal animation through motors. For mobile developers, dynamic shadows have been optimized, full-precision materials are supported, and custom post-processing is now possible. OpenGL ES 3. 1 can now be used on Android, and binary shader caching will improve your iteration times. VR games can now use capsule shadows, and stereo instancing has been optimized. Oh, and check out the new VR Template Project! It's a great example of how to use motion controllers to interact and navigate in your VR game. Want to build your levels while in VR? Unreal's VR Editor has been improved with support for mesh and foliage painting, a new transform gizmo, and VR color picking. Finally, you now can instantly play your game right from VR! You can turn on "Enable VR Editing" in the Experimental section of your Editor Preferences. More info: https://www. unrealengine. com/blog/unreal-engine-4-13-released --- Megascans is a massive online scan library of high-resolution, consistent PBR calibrated surface, vegetation and 3D scans, also including desktop applications for managing, mixing and exporting your downloaded scan data. It’s the product of 5 years of scanning and is a collaboration with top game and film studios worldwide. Quixel announced the public beta release of Megascans, now the world’s largest online scan resource, containing thousands of standardized and physically based surface scans, vegetation scans and 3D scans. Quixel simultaneously introduced a new line of standalone art tools, Megascans Studio and Bridge, for easily mixing and customizing surface scans, and quickly exporting scans to major engines and renderers. Megascans comprises highly standardized and customizable content, made to plug directly into pipelines ranging from films to games, advertisement to archviz, mobile to VR and more. The library is built around a philosophy of complete ecosystems from the very small to the very large, covering every specimen of a growing variety of biomes, and is rapidly expanding with hundreds of scans every week. The online library is available for subscription from $19/month for hobbyists, to $29/month for freelancers, with additional options for studios and indie teams, and the entire line of new scan-based desktop tools is included with the subscription at no additional cost. More information on: megascans. se --- MaxToMaya is a plugin to transfer 3DsMax current scene to Maya with 2 clicks, solving common problems between import/export problems automatically, to get the best results in the fastest way and with the less effort possible. MaxToMaya is a plugin to transfer 3DsMax current scene to Maya with 2 clicks, solving common problems between import/export problems automatically, to get the best results in the fastest way and with the less effort possible. Main features of MaxToMaya Transfer scene from 3DsMAX to Maya with 2 clicks V-Ray Support: transfer 3DsMax scene even if they have V-Ray materials or lights Automatic transfer from 3DsMax V-Ray to Vray For Maya similar materials, lights and settings Open models made for 3DsMax and send them to Maya Fast make Maya library from 3DsMax models Transfer 3DsMax skinned characters and use the powerfull Maya character animation tools! keeping skin/morphs/etc Learn more: http://www. maxtomaya. com/ --- Real-time 3d engine Unigine released version 2.3 introducing round Earth, photorealistic water and new depth of field. We have released Unigine 2. 3: finally fixed a lot of things that we did not have time for. The first of all, the Earth is round now (usually in the videogames the Earth is flat) and we introduced geo-coordinates. It means that you can create a virtual globe: make avia-training with an airplane going, lets say, from New York to Moscow. It's all real now. You can re-create the Trans-Siberian Railway - super cool, without cuts, with all the leaves on the trees moving like real. Denis Shergin, CEO of Unigine, in interview to Five o’clock (read full text in Russian) What you can find in Unigine 2. 3: Round Earth Now you can create round (ellipsoid) 3D Earth: objects can be placed in geo-coordinates (longitude / latitude / altitude) and visualized correctly even for high-altitude in-atmosphere flight. Updated Terrain Materials Terrain material system has been switched to metalness workflow. There's no limit on the number of layers and materials anymore. Experimental Landscape Tool Huge terrains are one of the UNIGINE's key features, so in order to streamline workflow and improve productivity of teams creating them we have completely rewritten the Landscape tool. We are working with the game development industry, so we need to understand how it all works from the inside. If you want to create a cool instrument, you need to make it like for yourself, otherwise it won't work. Denis Shergin, CEO of Unigine, in interview to Five o’clock (read full text in Russian) New Depth of Field Effect DoF effect has been completely reworked in order to achieve photorealistic effect, chromatic aberration support has been addedd and transitions between in-focus and out-of-focus parts of the image have been improved. Shoreline By using FieldShoreline, you can create nice swash zones, where waves smoothly fade out right next to the shore. It also adds an effect of wet sand and wet objects on the shore: stones, litter, etc. Underwater Improvements Underwater scenes are now somewhat more realistic with added caustics and improved underwater light shafts. Full list of changes and updates on developer's website. --- Marvelous Designer invites its users to participate in Close Beta Test, applying on its website till September 12 Marvelous Designer invites its users to participate in Close Beta Test, applying on its website till September 12 New Key Features of Marvelous Designer 6 Button & Buttonhole Add Buttons and Button Holes as desired on any location of the 3D Garment. Steam De-wrinkle and even out smaller areas of 3D Garments, just like you would with a garment steamer. Scene Time Warp Speed up or slow down the frames in the motion to warp the global time in the scene. Solidify Maintain the folds and wrinkles of any Pattern piece even with Simulation activated. To learn more and to apply: http://www. marvelousdesigner. com/community/forum/News/9420 --- End of August animago independent jury announced the final nominees for this year’s animago AWARD, choosing three best works in each of the 13 animago categories. In the meanwhile today 3D Architettura would like to introduce you the projects nominated in two architecture categories. End of August animago independent jury announced the final nominees for this year’s animago AWARD, choosing three best works in each of the 13 animago categories. This year, a total of 1,076 projects were submitted for consideration from 58 nations. The winners will be announced on the evening of 27 October at the awards ceremony held during the 2016 animago AWARD & CONFERENCE in Munich’s Cultural Center GASTEIG. We at 3D Architettura are happy to be a partner of animago this year when it celebrates its 20th anniversary and will keep you updated with all the new information. In the meanwhile today we would like to introduce you the projects nominated in two architecture categories. We never cease to be amazed at the quality of the submissions we receive, even after 20 years of doing this. Once again this year we were sent countless amazing works by students, professional CG artists and private artists. One thing we noticed is the mixing of different technologies, such as stop motion, 2D animation and 2D typography and 3D animation, which seems to have established itself as a new form of expression. We are also delighted about the high level of international participation, for example by artists from Puerto Rico and Libya. We’re very excited and wish all the nominees the best of luck! Günter Hagedorn co-founder head of the jury For the first time in its history, the animago has joined with DETAIL, an international magazine for architecture and engineering, to offer a special “Architecture Prize”. Two prizes are handed out in this category, each for the Best Film and Best Still. The animago’s jury of experts received support from the architectural experts Pedro Ferreira (architect, editor, graphic designer, concept designer), Frank Kaltenbach (architect and editor of DETAIL Magazin) and Philipp Schaerer (architect and image designer). Nominees in the category "Architecture Prize Still presented by DETAIL" Hamburger Office Lichtecht, Ronny Mähl, Matthias Arndt Germany Faculty of Engineering + Information Technology / Denton Corker Marshall Real Polygons, Marcin Jastrzebski Poland Arrival nookta, Bahadir Özbek, Marvin Philipp Germany Nominees in the category "Architecture Prize Film presented by DETAIL" White Apartment Florian Tappeser, Hochschule Darmstadt Germany Putzmeister bauma 2016 SCHOKOLADE Filmproduktion Germany Spatial Bodies AUJIK, Stefan Larsson Japan --- RandomControl demonstrated a new feature of the upcoming version of ArionFX for Photoshop: Upcast, that allows to define a minimum pixel brightness threshold above which an amplification factor will be applied. RandomControl demonstrated a new feature of the upcoming version of ArionFX for Photoshop: Upcast. This feature allows to define a minimum pixel brightness threshold above which an amplification factor will be applied. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=8ni6hcEGAGQ The result is the ability to create much stronger bloom and glare that is localized to the brightest luminances in the image. This feature can also be used to turn an LDR image into an HDR input that can be used for bloom/glare. This new feature makes it possible to have strong and evident bloom and glare on images with a relatively low dynamic range. Learn more about ArionFX --- Isotropix released Clarisse 3.0 - a new breed of high-end 2D/3D animation software which is the fusion of an animation package, a compositing software and a 3D rendering engine. Isotropix released Clarisse 3. 0 - a new breed of high-end 2D/3D animation software which is the fusion of an animation package, a compositing software and a 3D rendering engine. It is specialized in the creation of and assembly of immense environments, look development, lighting and rendering. Main characteristics: Unified workflow to interact with the final image. Artist-friendly integrated set of tools and customizable user interface. Fast, reliable and predictable state of the art built-in CPU rendering engine. Modern massively parallel and memory efficient procedural evaluation engine that lets you break the polygon barrier. Powerful pipeline oriented architecture and features with full Python scripting capabilities. New features: All new physically based rendering engine New physical lights, materials and volumes New layered and composite materials New multi-sample deformation and transformation motion blur Rendering speed optimizations such as up to twice as fast to render volumes Displacements support in Shading Layers New Open Shading Language (OSL) texture pattern generation New master input and texture bypass support New texture coordinate space modes and alternate position support New set of textures and math operators Learn more on Isotropix website --- RenderMan is now more than just a renderer; it is a complete shading and lighting ecosystem, more powerful, accessible, and comprehensive than ever before. Pixar presented new release of its core rendering technology. Developed specifically for animation and VFX, this release is focused on expanding the creative horizons for storytelling while continuing to raise the bar for performance and quality. RenderMan is now more than just a renderer; it is a complete shading and lighting ecosystem, more powerful, accessible, and comprehensive than ever before. New features include: Pixar Production Shaders Pixar Production Lights Pixar Surface Collection Advanced Patterns Better Denoising VR Ready ... and many others. Learn more (and try it for free) on Pixar --- Here comes the second part of our new series of articles devoted to the artists interviewed on 3D Architettura during the previous years. Let's see together new projects of the best CG and ArchViz artists from Portugal chosen by 3D Architettura editorial team. And here comes the second part of our new series of articles devoted to the artists interviewed on 3D Architettura during the previous years. As we have promised you on Facebook after the UEFA championship, this story will be about Portugal. Let's see together new projects of the best CG and ArchViz artists from Portugal chosen by 3D Architettura editorial team. Sérgio Merêces CEO & Lead 3D Artist www. sergiomereces. com I began working in 3D when I was 16 years old, my first job as 3d artist was as 3D generalist for a games company, now more that 15 years already passed as I am working as 3D artist. To start with, I think it is very important to like 3D a lot, because you’re gonna spend a lot of time studying and even more working in front of your computer. Second: don’t copy, try to show your point of view and bring your personality. Bruno Da Silva Architect, 3D Artist www. arqimagem. com Pedro Teixeira & Hugo Ferreira Architects and designers www. okdraw. net Okdraw is essentially two people with different backgrounds, we are an architect and a product designer with different paths. We both started in the 3d field around the year of 2007, as an extra to our academic and future commercial work, since Visual 3D is a very important part of the architecture and product design area. After that we got interested in knowing more and getting better at what we were doing, and the interest in this area is something that is earned with projects and experience. I was tired of CAD drawings since I work with Autocad from 1996 to the present day. What I always loved was videogames, computers and everything related to CG. My first baby step into CG was with 3ds Max 4 in 2000 and until now I’m still a 3ds Max user. For a few years I worked for other companies, but then in 2005 I decided to create my own Studio, RIP3D Archviz, and since then, with lot of effort we still stand in this competitive market. Mário Nogueira 3D Artist CEO and Founder of RIP3D Archviz www. rip3d. net Francisco Cidade & Miguel Cardoso Owners of Mimesis Studio www. mimesis. pt I think the most important thing it’s to have passion in what you do, and if you really want to approach to architectural visualization, don´t give up! Nowadays with such an easy access to tutorials,3D forums and social networks, we are able to connect and share our knowledge and most of all, learn. Architectural visualization and 3D, are fields that require you to be always familiar with new softwares, plugins, that arise every day... so if you really love this, go ahead it will be worth it! In Architecture, the construction of the building represents ofcourse the ultimate goal and satisfaction, but the period between the project and its construction can take months, years or in the worst case scenario, it can simply remain on... --- Terragen 4, the software to render beautifully realistic landscapes, skies or other natural environments, is in free open beta since the beginning of July. Since the beginning of July Terragen 4 is in free open beta. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=WjufUZp6cTA Terragen is the software that many artists turn to when they want to render beautifully realistic landscapes, skies or other natural environments. There are some big changes in Terragen 4, including the all-new realtime ray-traced preview, amazingly realistic cloud shading model, lens effects, improved render times. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=uDBngTeBrr4 The beta version is completely free and unrestricted, with all Terragen 4 features available for you to test during the period of the beta. The beta will expire and will no longer run once Terragen 4. 0 is released as a final version in the near future. Learn more on Planeta Software --- This summer when all the eyes are set on Brazil for the Olympics we decided to start exactly with this country our new series of stories. Our editors are always following the artists who were interviewed on 3D Architettura and became a part of our community. In this overview we would like to show you some new projects created by the artists from Brazil and to remind you their interviews that were published on 3D Architettura. This summer when all the eyes are set on Brazil for the Olympics we could not avoid it either, especially because it is a good tradition for us to start new projects with this country. Our editors are always following the artists who were interviewed on 3D Architettura and became a part of our community. In this overview we would like to show you some new projects created by the artists from Brazil and to remind you their interviews that were published on 3D Architettura. Bruno Lima & Luiz Andrade 3D artists, architects, founders of DPI Studio www. dpi3d. com You need to have patience and believe in your work. You must also be passionate about the profession. It is necessary to have pleasure in what you do so you can show your best in each new job. In each image it is important to pay close attention to every detail. It’s the details that make the difference. Finally, it is also very important to keep studying and seeking information to stay up to date with the market. I remember that I was thrilled with some videos with a meteor falling in flames, and I fell in love with 3d software since then. I’ve been working in several areas, not only in architecture but also in animation, so I had the opportunity to learn more each day. The beginning is always very difficult, and we must persist to achieve a target in the market, that is very competitive searching market professionals with high quality. This is why one has to to be qualifying every day. Alberth Costa 3D Artist alberthcosta. wordpress. com Fernando Gasperin 3D Artist CEO of Blackhaus www. blackhaus. com. br You have to study a lot, to enjoy what you do and mainly try to find the best field on the market that makes you happy. Every project that involves us at Blackhaus has always new challenges; this way we always face new problems to solve and challenge ourselves to learn and train more and more. The green colour of our logo symbolises family and hope. My partner is my wife and together we have a son and the company is what keeps our family financially and with which we prosper and help the prosperity of our customers and staff. The circle is the whole, perfection, wholeness, the energy flowing! Valmor Ernesto Bona Junior Architect, business owner of Bona Studio www. bonastudio. com Matheus Passos CEO at MPviz www. matheuspassos. com I always admired visual scenarios built by Lucas and Cameron:I consider it very fascinating to know that nothing in their movies was real... Then I understood it was a great opportunity to create imaginary worlds myself and for my country. I suggest you to run after your goals, study enough, do specialization courses, read a lot. The architecture as a whole, this includes 3D Design are part of our daily life, make your design beautiful and functional, share ideas with people who add around you and... --- All creatives around the globe are invited to submit their productions for the animago AWARD 2016. This year's 12 categories include "Best Visualization", "Architecture Prize", special "Anniversary Prize" and also the new "Best Motion Design" category and, of course, the "Best Young Production". Registration is possible until 30 June 2016 and free of any costs. 3D Architettura is happy to be a media partner of animago AWARD that celebrates this year its 20th anniversary! 20 years of extraordinary 3d animation, visual effects, visualization and digital art: All creatives around the globe are invited to submit their productions for the animago AWARD 2016. Registration is possible until 30 June 2016 and free of any costs. This year's animago competition will be held in twelve categories, including "Best Visualization", "Architecture Prize", special "Anniversary Prize" and also the new "Best Motion Design" category and, of course, the "Best Young Production", which receives €3,000 in prize money from the organisers at DIGITAL PRODUCTION. Find out more about animago AWARD & CONFERENCE in Munich on 27/28th October 2016 here: www. animago. com/en --- Following a 6-month public beta phase GRAPHISOFT has released its intelligent Grasshopper–ARCHICAD Live Connection. Following a 6-month public beta phase GRAPHISOFT has released its intelligent Grasshopper–ARCHICAD Live Connection. This industry-first, bi-directional “live” connection allows architects to leverage the strengths of the three design environments - Rhino, Grasshopper and ARCHICAD -- filling a gap in the design process between early stage design and Building Information Modeling (BIM). This unique connection offers tools beyond seamless bi-directional geometry transfer, allowing basic geometrical shapes to be translated into full BIM elements while maintaining algorithmic editing functionality. More info: www. graphisoft. com/archicad/rhino-grasshopper --- SideFX released Houdini 15.5 with an improved workflow for modelers, more accurate crowd controls, a new VR lens camera for rendering to industry-standard formats and support for third party rendering in Houdini Indie. SideFX released Houdini 15. 5 with an improved workflow for modelers, more accurate crowd controls, a new VR lens camera for rendering to industry-standard formats and support for third party rendering in Houdini Indie. https://vimeo. com/167214253 Modeling Tools Modeling Tools such as PolyBevel, PolySplit and Dissolve have been rewritten from the ground up to add key features and optimize experience for modelers. Retopo tools now have splitting, straightening, edge loop and brush tools for positioning and relaxing points. New straighten, distribute points and make circle options are now available when editing points. VR Lens Camera The new VR Camera is based on a VR lens shader that lets you render VR images to forms such as Latlong spherical projection, perspective Cube Map or a stacked Cube Map - 3x2. The camera lets you set the eye separation and eye-to-neck distance, and can be used to render to built-in Mantra renderer. Third Party Rendering for Indie Now independent artists and studios can use RenderMan, Arnold and OctaneRender in their lighting pipeline along with Mantra renderer. Support for V-Ray, Redshift and Maxwell will also be available. More info: www. sidefx. com/news/sidefx-releases-houdini-155 --- 3Dconnexion has introduced the mouse designed with CAD professionals in mind. It has 7 buttons in total, including dedicated middle mouse button, 8200dpi / 1000Hz laser sensor, quickZoom, smart scroll wheel and gesture/radial menu button. 3Dconnexion has created the CAD mouse designed with CG professionals in mind. It has 7 buttons in total, including dedicated middle mouse button, 8200dpi / 1000Hz laser sensor, quickZoom, smart scroll wheel and gesture/radial menu button. Ergonomic Design It’s simply more comfortable and convenient to press than the scroll wheel thanks to the 3Dconnexion CadMouse’s dedicated middle mouse button. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=O7QruvBQ6SU QuickZoom With 3Dconnexion’s QuickZoom, you can effortlessly zoom in and out of your geometry with a single click of a thumb button. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=swn0RCxkQM0 Access To Commands The gesture button opens an application or environment-specific radial menu so you can access your favorite commands with a simple mouse gesture. Engineering Precision Advanced laser sensor with 8200dpi and a poll rate up to 1000Hz allows the level of precision CAD professionals demand and deserve. More info: www. 3dconnexion. eu/products/cadmouse --- Version 1.6 of open-source unbiased renderer LuxRender for Blender and 3dsMax was released recently. Version 1. 6 of open-source unbiased renderer LuxRender was released recently. Developers promise significant improvements, such as shadow catcher objects, sky ground color, new image pipeline, better nodes support in Blender and better integration of 3dsMax plugin. For more information on new features refer to: www. luxrender. net/wiki/New_in_1-6 --- Recently Corona Renderer 1.4 for 3dsMax was released. Recently Corona Renderer 1. 4 for 3dsMax was released. As was announced in the company blog, "This release focuses on significantly reducing your render times (just check the stats that have been reported below) and speeding up your workflow, as well as increasing stability". More info and full list of features: corona-renderer. com/blog/corona-renderer-1-4-for-3ds-max-released --- NextLimit announced the launch of RealFlow for Cinema 4D in June. NextLimit announced the launch of RealFlow for Cinema 4D in June. Fluid simulation software will have a simplified workflow and compatibility with Cinema 4D native tools and modifiers. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=opXsls7POeY More info and earlybird discounts: www. realflow. com/realflow_cinema4d --- The end of April Autodesk team introduced new features and upgrades implemented for the next release of 3ds Max 2017. The end of April Autodesk team introduced new features and upgrades implemented for the next release of 3ds Max 2017. In the company blog they admit that "Our focus was to give you tools and features to help you work more creatively and efficiently". The list of top new features of 3ds Max 2017 includes: New Look & High DPI Display Support Viewport performance UV Mapping Updates Autodesk Raytracer Renderer (ART) New Physical Material New Sun Positioner Scene Converter for moving between renderers Boolean and Hard Surface Modeling improvements Animation Productivity For more information you can refer: introducing-3ds-max-2017 3ds-max/features/new what's-new-for-rendering-in-3ds-max-2017 --- I dropped out of school when I was obsessed enough with Max and render engines, spending 12-14 hours a day just testing every area. After some time I started getting contacts via the forums where I had posted my renderings to share with others. I dropped out of school when I was obsessed enough with Max and render engines, spending 12-14 hours a day just testing every area. After some time I started getting contacts via the forums where I had posted my renderings to share with others. How did you start your career in ArchViz? I drifted towards 3D archviz in around 2004. I was trying to study and get decent education but studying under supervision seemed like such a waste - everyone was always going for coffee breaks, smoke breaks, lunch hour lasted literally for almost an entire hour while the actual classes were 45 minutes long and the teachers were keen on grabbing any excuse to leave the class and let us "interact and innovate". I tried two different schools and when I had free time, which was often, I spent said time studying 3DS Max at school after the classes were over and during the end even when I was supposed to be in class learning something entirely different. Ville Kiuru Country: Finland Age: 33 Job: ArchViz Website: www. villekiuru. com I was really impressed by the technology and spent weeks learning to model a bonzai tree which, if I remember correctly, was a 3Dtotal. com tutorial and looked advanced by that times' standards. Mine looked awful but in the end it was a computer generated image which I had made so the quality didn't matter, it was enough to see I could get something out of the pretty daunting interface that Max has when you look at it for the first time :) I dropped out of school when I was obsessed enough with Max and render engines, spending 12-14 hours a day just testing every area. After some time I started getting contacts via the forums where I had posted my renderings to share with others. Overall I think I can thank the educational system for my business, in a way :) What is your usual workflow for rendering projects? My usual workflow is to either model the site from 2D DWGs or clean up and refine a Revit or Archicad model a client has sent. After that I set up materials for major surfaces like the floor and walls so I get an idea how which lighting scenario would look/feel, and go from there swapping between the three; modeling, materials and lighting. I use regular plugins like iToo Forest Pack, Walls and Tiles, free maps like Bercon maps made by Jerry Ylilammi, Corona renderer for rendering, Photoshop for post pro. . Apart from the mentioned Revit and Archicad models, I usually make all the projects by myself from scratch. What is your advice to the students who want to achieve photorealism in their renders? For lighting, learn basic photography and understand things like white balance etc. Usually with the lighting setup I find it the simpler the setup, the easier it is to get good result out of it. For materials I would recommend a camera workflow... --- iToosoft has released RailClone 2.6 with brand new features and fixes to improve speed, increase usability. iToosoft has released RailClone 2. 6 with brand new features and fixes to improve speed, increase usability. RailClone is the world’s most powerful artist-friendly parametric modelling plugin for 3ds Max. Its unique array-based approach to asset creation is fast, efficient, and easy-to-learn. New Features Added support for V-Ray 3. 3. Currently supported V-Ray versions are 2. 5 and 3. 3. In our tests speed gains were between 40% to 100% depending of the scene. Added a toolbar with shortcuts to: add RC object, Open RC Tools and RC Lister. Added support for V-Ray motion blur and velocity channel with animated proxies and meshes. Improved hit-test viewport performance for mesh modes. Source: iToosoft and forum --- NVIDIA demonstrated at its annual GPU Technology Conference a series of new products and technologies focused on deep learning, virtual reality and self-driving cars. Iray VR capabilities will allow to create environments that let users strap on a headset and peer around photorealistic virtual reality. NVIDIA demonstrated at its annual GPU Technology Conference a series of new products and technologies focused on deep learning, virtual reality and self-driving cars. Iray VR capabilities will allow to create environments that let users strap on a headset and peer around photorealistic virtual reality. Iray lets users refine their designs faster thanks to its host of rendering capabilities, such as interactive ray tracing, the ability to accurately represent materials, and scaling from desktop to datacenter. These capabilities have made Iray an indispensable tool for designers and will become essential for realistic virtual experiences. Iray progressively refines its image until completion, providing consistent results from interactive editing to final frame. It's a highly predictive approach that marries with the scalable, world-class performance across NVIDIA GPUs to give constant feedback and rapid results. This slashes the time needed to perfect scenes and deliver images rivaling photographs. Source https://blogs. nvidia. com/blog/2016/04/05/vr-with-iray/ --- The MODO 10 Series delivers valuable new feature sets in a series of three installments, - The Foundary developers have announced recently. The MODO 10 Series delivers valuable new feature sets in a series of three installments, - The Foundry developers have announced recently. https://vimeo. com/159086654 The first installment of the MODO 10 Series, MODO 10. 0v1, offers significantly enhanced workflows for creating real-time content for games, or for other immersive interactive experiences like virtual reality. With it you can: be confident that your assets will look virtually the same in Unity or Unreal Engine easily get realistic detail into your real-time assets with a streamlined, repeatable texture baking workflow export to popular engines with simple, automated steps that minimize the need to recreate work Source: The Foundry Release notes: pdf --- OTOY announces availability of OctaneRender 3 and OctaneRender Cloud. Cloud graphics company, OTOY Inc. , has announced a colossal update for OctaneRender 3 software and OctaneRender Cloud (ORC) rendering service, and a detailed roadmap outlining the future of Octane’s development towards a 4. 0 release in 2017. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=1ML73yHEZtU What to expect in OctaneRender 3. 1 Native plugin ecosystem: OctaneRender will enable easy loading of plugins through ORBX modules that continuously update the host application with new features. New plugins will also enable support of different shader languages beyond OpenSL, including support for Nvidia’s Material Definition Language (MDL). Native support for bone and skin animation: New functionality adds native bone and skinned mesh support for fast character animation and glTF support in ORBX scenes. CPU support: For those systems that don’t have an Nvidia GPU, fallback support for CPU rendering will be included. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=v9tyA9dM15k More information: OTOY Inc. --- If you ever experienced difficulties with importing and exporting files between ZBrush, Maya and 3DS Max, you would be interested to know about Styx - the script package that makes faster importing-exporting files between the programs. If you ever experienced difficulties with importing and exporting 3d models between ZBrush, Maya and 3DS Max, you probably would be interested to know about Styx - the script package that, as it developers say, makes faster importing-exporting files between the programs, the creating blendshapes, editing geometries, etc. https://vimeo. com/162284625 The main function of this tool is to save out the active subtool's active subdiv level to the C:temp folder. And because every software overwrites the same obj file, communicates through the some "channel", the communication is not between two programs, rather whatever you want. You can open this obj with other softwares. This way, you can work in Maya, 3DS MAx, ZBrush or uv-editors in the same time by just circling the same geometry through the softwares. Source: zbrushcentral More info: gumroad --- You need to really enjoy what you do. ArchViz is a brilliant career but with many obstacles along the way. You need to really enjoy what you do. ArchViz is a brilliant career but with many obstacles along the way. How and why have you started your career in ArchViz? I started studying in technical engineering and construction. Then I got a job in a construction company that offered me a course of 3ds max - and I fell in love with this software from the first sight. Ever since I started studying it by myself. Lucas Silva Country: Brazil Age: 26 Job: 3D Artist Website: lucasarchitecture. tumblr www. lucassilva. arq. br What is your usual workflow for rendering projects? First I'm chasing references to my project among photos and other types of visual materials. After modeling and preparing the scene in 3ds max I use vray for rendering. Besides that I am a fan of countless plugins that help me in file optimization (vrayOPT, cleaner, wiretools, relink bitmap). What is your advice to the students who want to achieve photorealism in their renders? I think the main thing is practice. There is no sense in knowing index of refraction of each material without practicing in vray. I can tell those just starting out: you need to really enjoy what you do, it's a brilliant career, although with many obstacles. Do you have your own know-how for creating photo-realistic vegetation? I usually do not create vegetation myself - that's my secret. I download mainly some ready-made models or use some help of forest pack. I've tried using SpeedTree and Onxy, but I adapted better to SpeeTree. What are your plans for the future? Currently I'm working as a freelancer, but in future I plan to be an architect. I believe, archviz is a crucially important tool for this profession. --- Latest update of Lumion 6.3 now allows to demonstrate 3D models from Sketchup and Revit on Gear VR and Oculus Rift DK2 (Oculus CV1 support will follow soon). Latest update of Lumion 6. 3 now allows to demonstrate 3D models and 360 degrees VR panoramas from Sketchup and Revit on Gear VR and Oculus Rift DK2 (Oculus CV1 support will follow soon). Now, with Lumion 6. 3, it’s possible to enhance both VR and panoramic images through the use of new special effects. Add dimension to your high-quality visualizations with effects like improved shadows, atmospheric color filters, and color correction. Instantly share fully-interactive images with clients simply by sending a link to their phone, tablet, or computer. By providing high-quality renderings with stereoscopic output, you can create an ability to “step through the front door” of their future home or building before construction has even begun. Each 360-degree rendering is viewable on Samsung phones through GearVR and Oculus Rift headsets. Source: lumion3d. com --- My "secret" tool is Vray2SidedMtl. It's a cool way to create realistic leaves for vegetation and, in my opinion, it's better and also faster for rendering than using translucence map. My "secret" tool is Vray2SidedMtl. It's a cool way to create realistic leaves for vegetation and, in my opinion, it's better and also faster for rendering than using translucence map. How have you started your career in 3d-field? Where have you studied ArchViz? After one year of studying architecture I understood that an architect must demonstrate his works in the best way. So already during my architectural studies at Ain shams University/ Architectural department, Cairo, Egypt, I began learning 3D and of course architectural visualization that was closely related to my studies. Ahmed Tallal Country: Egypt Age: 29 Job: Architect & 3D Artist Website: behance. net/Ahmedtallal SocialMedia: facebook. com/Architect-Ahmed-Talal-808035296008569 How do you manage your projects? Which softwares do you use? At the beginning of any project I try to collect as many reference images as possible from different available source, including internet. When it's done, I start modeling the scene and work on lights and materials. Post production usually comes as the last step. Usually I do all work stages by myself. I mostly use 3dsMax and Revit for modeling, v-ray for rendering, photoshop for post production. What is most important in photo-realistic lights and materials? The more realistic you are in the scene set up, the more realistic will be your result. If your settings demonstrate a strange combination of different parameters, exposure, camera settings, uncontrolled invisible lights etc, then probably your result won’t be so good. My advice for the ones who just start their way in 3D field is to go through a lot of tutorials. This is how my own studies took place, so I speak about my own experience! What is your approach to creating photo-realistic vegetation? My "secret" tool is Vray2SidedMtl. It's a cool way to create realistic leaves for vegetation and, in my opinion, it's better and also faster for rendering than using translucence map. The front side of the material is a basic vray material with a diffuse map and a reflection map, while the back material is a copy of the front material only with a different diffuse bitmap and no reflection. Try it and share your opinion. What do you think about the future of 3D industry? My personal goal is to move to a higher level of realism in my 3D works and to work in CG animation movies. As for 3D industry itself, I think it will evolve until computer graphics will be used in all aspects of life. --- For achieving photorealistic results general taste in design is far more important than just a technical knowledge of the software. For achieving photorealistic results general taste in design is far more important than just a technical knowledge of the software. How have you started working in 3d-field? I have architectural education. I graduated from college first and then attended a university. After my graduation I worked as an architect in several local architectural studios. During this period my interest in architectural visualization started growing and I understood that this is a very good instrument for presentation of my architectural projects. Initially I was using Artlantis and I found this software very simple for archviz. I continued my path in this field with some courses on 3ds max and v-ray that were followed by a lot of video lessons, books, forums. Yuriy Bobak Country: Ukraine Age: 25 Job: Freelance CG artist Website: yuriybobak. com SocialMedia: facebook. com/bobak. yuriy What is your usual workflow? I start every work with modelling. Sometimes, if a project is big or requires any particular approach, I can use some help of my colleagues with modelling. Exterior models I usually create in Archicad. For other staff I use 3ds max, v-ray, corona , photoshop, Itoo Software. What your consider most important in creating photo-realistic lighting and materials? To achieve photorealistic results one needs to pay attention to details and to consider real materials in the physical world. For beginners in CG I can recommend to develop their own design taste. It is far more important than just a technical knowledge of a software. Do you have any personal know-how for creating photo-realistic vegetation and plants? To achieve a realistic result while creating vegetation you need to concentrate on diversity. For this purpose one can use procedural maps and mix colors. Also some plugins like MultiScatter or Forest Pack can help. What are your plans for the future? My dream is to develop and sell my own designs. I would like to create my own architectural studio. As for the future of archviz industry, I see it in virtual reality. My prediction is that the real and virtual worlds would be closely united in the future. --- Founders of Pixel Plow render farm clear the issues of data protection, security and costs for rendering. Render farms are extremely useful when you have a deadline of a huge project and your own computer is too slow to render. It’s very convenient to be able to delegate this part of the work, and in a short time, get your final renders. As usual in the digital age, one can have concerns about the safety of such rendering services. We asked the founders of Pixel Plow render farm to help us clear the situation and address all the doubts about their render farm security. Pixel Plow began life in the Pacific Northwest of the USA in 2012 from a group of people with many years of experience both in information technology and software development. Those same people were render farm service customers, which caused them to understand the lack of efficient services available around the globe. Pixel Plow started making itself known in 2014, after becoming the official render farm of Planetside Software, makers of the Terragen application. Since that time, its customer base has increased by two orders of magnitude, its hardware footprint keeps growing, and its agent software added innumerable new features in order to make Pixel Plow the easiest, most automated, most applicable, most powerful, and most cost-effective render farm service in the world. Encryption Proprietary software installed on the customer machine encrypts all incoming and outgoing communication using the highest encryption protocols available, which guarantees security of the data transferred. It also doesn’t depend on any third-party services that could serve as points of privacy or security failure. Data storage The Pixel Plow platform holds customer data only as long as is necessary to complete their render jobs. The instant the jobs complete or are cancelled, the system purges all job data. Rendered results are stored in the system only long enough to guarantee their safe transfer to customer computers, which is typically only a few seconds after each frame completes. File transfer protocol Since the only way to communicate with the service is via their proprietary agent software, they have implemented a unique, multi-session file transfer protocol that streams data over multiple network sessions simultaneously. This way, Pixel Plow can guarantee not only fast rendering, but also fast transfer of all job data (both for the scene file and the rendered frames) independent from the distance the customer is from their farm. Cost security In order to secure the final price of the renders, the system automatically suspends render jobs if the user-defined budget is exceeded. Whether submitted with a budget or not, the system displays both the Cost Consumed as well as a final Cost Estimate for each job, which gives the customers immediate feedback and control over job costs. Performance control The slider, with 23 possible levels, of job “Power” gives users fine-grained control over the price/performance ratio of their job. The higher the Power level, the greater the number of CPU’s are exposed to their job, and the shorter the total render time. One can change the Power level... --- 3D Architettura invited Juan Cañada, Head of Maxwell Render, to speak about the past and the future of Maxwell Render and to unveil behind the scenes of this famous render engine. You hardly find in 3d-community anyone who doesn't know of or never tried Maxwell Render. 10 years ago (or 12 years ago, if you count its public alpha release in 2004) giving preference to raytracing, unbiased rendering and physically correct light computation and materials could be life (and career) changing for an ArchViz artist, as it also was for the entire Maxwell Render development team. Nowadays we face a bigger choice of rendering softwares, plugins and of course offline and realtime render engines. We have more powerful computers and overall more advanced technologies that allow to achieve a level of photorealism that we couldn't even dream of years ago, but nevertheless we can't consider photorealism both in results and in approach without Maxwell Render. 3D Architettura invited Juan Cañada to speak about the past and the future of Maxwell Render and to take us behind the scenes of this famous render engine. Exclusive interview with Juan Cañada, Head of Maxwell Render, Next Limit Technologies Who do you see in the mirror: a programmer with success in computer graphics or an artist who became a software developer? A mechanical engineer that thought he was going to work in fluids simulation and due to reasons he cannot really remember -it was many years ago, I have a bad memory- he ended up coding a raytracer. Next Limit Technologies Team When you started working on Maxwell Render more than 10 years ago, how did you get an idea to develop an unbiased render engine? Maxwell started more like an experiment rather than a product developed with commercial intentions. We just thought to ourselves, “What if we try to create the most realistic render engine, capable of producing the most beautiful synthetic images ever seen? We will not care about render times, nor implementing many features yet, but we will just work on the correctness of the core and the rest will come later. ” That lead to a physically-based render approach using unbiased methods, concepts that are very popular now but were completely alien to people at that time. image by Rudolf Herczog What was most difficult while developing first alpha and beta versions? image by Super-Visualization The biggest internal difficulty was handling the success. At the time we released the first beta we were not ready to handle thousands of users at any level: sales support, tech support, development cycles, testing, release management... changing our whole structure while keeping the project in good shape was a big challenge. Externally there were other difficulties, the main one being that many people were not ready for the shift to physically-based rendering that would come years later. What could be different for you and for Maxwell Render if 10 years ago crowdfunding possibilities were on their present level of popularity? I usually do not torture myself with “what if” scenarios but prefer to focus on what is coming next, so I am not sure. I would had loved to put more resources into convincing people... --- Using the iPhone's internal sensors, RoomScan Version 4.20 recognises a sequence of flat vertical surfaces, measuring the distance in between and creating impressively accurate plans. RoomScan is an app for iOS which draws floor plans in minutes - just put your phone against the wall. Using the iPhone's internal sensors, RoomScan Version 4. 20 recognises a sequence of flat vertical surfaces, measuring the distance in between and creating impressively accurate plans. When you come to a door, you just tap the phone to the door frame and continue. As you move around the room you'll see your phone draw the floor plan. When you're all done, it'll make some corrections to what you've accomplished by tapping and give you a finished image. Main features: • RoomScan can draw floor plans of complex rooms just as easily as small rectangular rooms. • Measurements are estimated to the nearest 10cm. • For super-accurate instant floor plans, use RoomScan in conjunction with a laser measure. Just tap a wall on the finished floor plan and input your measurement. RoomScan intelligently combines its own measurements with yours to create a perfect plan. • Add doors as you walk around the room by touching the door frames, and select from a variety of door types. • Room height can be entered manually or using a Leica® DISTO™. Wall surface area is calculated automatically. • Wall lengths can now be set by entering a length when drawing rooms manually as well as with AutoCorrect. • Doors, windows and other objects can now be dragged into place with your finger. • The door type can now be chosen as part of the "add door" circular menu option, instead of having to change it afterwards • Rooms are automatically connected together to create a plan of the whole floor. • Save your floor plan to the Camera Roll or export to other formats like PDF, DXF for AutoCAD and SketchUp. There is a nominal fee for advanced export options but not for saving as an image. • Add notes and photos to the floor plans - RoomScan can even take photos automatically and place them in the correct position on the plan. • Choose your own custom floor plan colours. More information: locometric. com --- The key for photorealistic vegetation, besides correct tools, is understanding how it behaves, what it does, what it smells like. The key for photorealistic vegetation, besides correct tools, is understanding how it behaves, what it does, what it smells like. Juan F. Canestri Country: Argentina Age: 31 Job: Architectural Visualization Artist Website: www. phrogstudio. com SocialMedia: www. facebook. com/phrogstudio ABOUT STARTING CAREER IN 3D FIELD I think it all started when I was around 10 years old, do you remember Paint? Well... I used to draw entire cities with people, cars, streets, lakes, houses and buildings pixel by pixel, i spent days on each city, I wish I had some jpgs saved but its ancient history now. Both my brothers are architects and a few years older than me so when they installed 3ds Max and at that time, the brazil engine, I was fascinated. I grew up with 3d but it took me a while to realize that it was the only thing I wanted to do. Like most coworkers I taught myself, watching and learning from the best artists I could find. Wouter Wynen´s tutorials where my introduction later on to the 3d world. ABOUT MANAGING TEAM PROJECTS We work as a team now, hoping to get a little bit bigger each year. My brother takes care of the architectural modeling, being an architect... I´m an industrial designer so I take it from there. All my work and extra modeling is done inside max with the assistance of a few plugins like floor generator, mighty tiles, forest pack, adv painter, Randomizer, Glue! I think its pretty important to use these kind of assistance to keep the scene as random as necessary. I try to keep post production as low as i can, just a few touches to brighten the image up in photoshop and that's it. I find very hard to delegate, but its an important part of the workflow. Additional software? Zbrush and Marvelous designer! ! ABOUT PHOTOREALISM IN 3D RENDERING I think that the most important thing is to have a reference of what you want to achieve and an understanding of how things work, not only the settings in vray but how does light works, how does the material works, what it does or doesn´t do when light reaches it. Watch Viscorbel and Ronen Bekerman but also pay attention to whats going on out there, on the street. ABOUT CREATING VEGETATION I don't think I have any personal know-how for creating photorealistic vegetation and plants, at least not one that can be a breakthrough from all the monsters out there that are doing it. I use Forest Pack, it gives you a total control over your vegetation, you can randomize it at a level beyond real, but what it also can do is randomize the leafs material, and that is the key to achieving photorealistic vegetation, apart from my previous statement, is trying to see it for yourself and understanding how it behaves, what it does, where it goes and what it smells like. ABOUT FUTURE OF 3D INDUSTRY My personal plan is simply keep... --- Today Amazon released Lumberyard - free, cross-platform, 3D game engine based on CryEngine, available for download with full source code provided. Today Amazon released Lumberyard - free, cross-platform, 3D game engine based on CryEngine, available for download with full source code provided. And we expect this to be a huge event not only for game development but for all realtime rendering community. The engine is completely free and Amazon has neither subscription fees nor royalties. Moreover, it offers integration to Amazon Web Services (these services are not for free - and this is the way of monetization of Lumberyard), which would be interesting for creating multiplayers, and direct build for XBox One and Playstation 4, achieved by official agreements both with Sony and Microsoft. Mobile support and VR - Oculus Rift integration are promised to be coming soon. With Amazon Lumberyard, game developers can: Create the highest-quality games—Amazon Lumberyard helps developers build rich, engaging, world-class games—from a full-featured editor, to native code performance and stunning visuals, and hundreds of other features like performant networking, cloth physics, character and animation editors, particle editor, UI editor, audio tools, weather effects, vehicle systems, flocking AI, perception handling, camera frameworks, path finding, and more. Developers also have full access to Amazon Lumberyard source code, making it easy to customize the technology to create differentiated gameplay. Build live, online features in minutes—Live, online games enjoy higher engagement and retention than offline games. Amazon Lumberyard’s visual scripting tool, with its drag-and-drop graphical user interface, makes it easy to build connected game features that access AWS services, such as DynamoDB, Lambda, and S3. In minutes, game designers can create features such as granting a daily gift or sending in-game notifications without having to write a single line of code. Amazon Lumberyard also comes integrated with AWS’s C++ SDK to provide developers access to dozens of AWS services through native C++ code, the most common language used to make games. Reach and engage fans on Twitch—Amazon Lumberyard is integrated with Twitch so that developers can build gameplay features that engage the more than 1. 7 million monthly broadcasters, and more than 100 million monthly viewers on Twitch. With Amazon Lumberyard's Twitch ChatPlay, developers can use a drag-and-drop visual scripting interface to create gameplay features that let Twitch viewers use chat to directly impact the game they are watching in real-time. For example, with Twitch ChatPlay within Amazon Lumberyard, a developer could build a game that lets viewers on Twitch control a character or vote on game outcomes using chat commands like "up," "down," "live," or "die. " And, the Twitch JoinIn feature within Amazon Lumberyard helps developers build games that allow Twitch broadcasters to instantly invite their live audiences to join them side-by-side in the game, with a single click, while others continue to watch. More information: aws. amazon. com/lumberyard --- My way to achieve photorealism in lights and materials is always having good references and working strictly based on them. My way to achieve photorealism in lights and materials is always having good references and working strictly based on them. Saeed Amiri Country: Iran Age: 29 Job: Freelance 3d artist Website: www. saeedamiri. com SocialMedia: www. facebook. com/saeedll ABOUT LEARNING 3D The main reason was personal interest, dating back to my university days, I started 7 years ago, I learned it with self study, using internet tutorials as my main course, specially Lynda, Gnomon, etc. ABOUT PROJECT WORKFLOW I first get the references that I need for the project, subsequently I sketch a scheme, then I start modeling in 3dsmax or z-brush, then light and materialize it with v-ray, then render the project, and finally post production is done using Photoshop. My personal projects are all done by myself, but client projects may be shared. ABOUT REALISTIC VEGETATION My main personal technique is good modeling plants in 3dsmax, polygon by polygon, and using Speedtree, which is a very powerful and yet comfortable software for creating plants and vegetation. ABOUT FUTURE PLANS I would like to work in a big company and to have time for the personal projects I have in mind. Clearly because of the improvements in the softwares the quality of works will be significantly increased, and with more advanced technology modeling would become easier and more realistic. --- End of last year AAA studio released updated FurryBall RT, fast unbiased and biased GPU renderer with realtime viewport preview. End of last year AAA studio released updated FurryBall RT, fast unbiased and biased GPU renderer with realtime viewport preview. As it is written on the developers' website, "We worked on more than year and half. We rewrote WHOLE core for you, thousands and thousands lines of the code. The latest version FurryBall RT is extra simple and easy to use for artist - you can tune whole image quality with only single parameter, if you want". FurryBall offers advanced raytracing techniques (path tracing), direct support for Maya Cinema 4D and 3DS Max in version FurryBall 4. 8. Feature Highlights: Viewport response about 10 times faster than in FurryBall 4. 8 Lower GPU memory consumption Interactively fine-tune post effects like Glow, Chromatic Aberration, Gamma without re-rendering Interactive post-production process noise reduction Intuitive and Easy-to-use interface Better physical accuracy Unlimited number of GPUs Tile rendering with unlimited output resolution Physically-based materials and lights Physically-based indirect lighting (Global Illumination) Physically-based DOF - no extra render time Real motion blur Render passes - no extra render time Unlimited layered shaders Hair shader IPR render support Curve rendering Improved car paint and SSS materials Ramp shader with textures Layered textures Subdivision and displacement, based on Open subdiv Vector displacement FurryBall lights Color matte pass with unlimited number of colors FurryBall offers a free license for non-commercial use as well as other types of licenses. Moe information on Art And Animation Studio website --- Artistic workflow and digital technology that made possible to achieve photorealism in creating fictional landscapes in famous The Martian movie. Artistic workflow and digital technology that made possible to achieve photorealism in creating fictional landscapes in famous The Martian movie. With the Ridley Scott's The Martian winning the Golden Globe as the Best Motion Picture and heading to the Oscar's this February, it is really inspiring for all 3d environment artist to know the behind the scenes of the Red Planet landscapes' creation. As David Sheldon-Hicks, founder and creative director of Territory Studio, recently told to Maxon blog, the on-set technology for this sci-fi movie was developed mainly with Cinema 4D: "As the screens were live on set for the actors to interact with, last-minute changes were sometimes requested. One example was to change the size of a crater, which was initially around a kilometer or so in size, to be 100 kilometers wide. Cinema 4D made it easy to remodel the crater and when the size was approved, details could be quickly added to the base mesh. The standard renderer was used, so it was very fast to create the final frames with the changes applied". For the low-resolution modelling of Mars surface the artists' team used DemEarth plugin. Dust storm and smoke simulations were created with X-Particles and TurbulenceFD. Peter Eszenyi, head of 3D, admits in the interview that, "As always, Cinema 4D was a reliable tool that gave us all the options we needed to create the huge number of screens for Ridley Scott's The Martian. " You can find more information on Maxon , developers of Cinema 4D. --- Analyze distance to vegetation on your render and real necessity for detailed materials - this way you shorten rendering time. Analyze distance to vegetation on your render and real necessity for detailed materials - this way you shorten rendering time. Ana Laura Franco & Gerardo Lujano Country: México Age: 26 & 28 Job: FQuattro Founders Website: www. f-quattro. com SocialMedia: www. facebook. com/FQuattro-1604029196549317 ABOUT STARTING CAREER IN 3D Ana Laura: I studied architecture at the Marist University of Merida, from the second year of college I learned modeling in AutoCAD and from that moment I knew I wanted to do this my whole life. I always loved drawing and when I learned that I could put my ideas and projects yet more detailed and view 3D - I had no doubt this was for me. I spent about seven years doing renderings and I think there is nothing that makes me happier than this. ABOUT USUAL WORKFLOW Gerardo: Our workflow consists primarily of the modeling stage (seeing that everything is as detailed as possible), the setting stage (the focus is not only the furniture, but also the greenery and the contrasts between cold and warm and between lights and shadows are very important to create the look), the realization stage (we check and set lighting and materials) and finally the stage of postproduction. The modeling part is handled by our co-workers. We use 3dsmax, vray and photoshop and among plugins: forest pack pro, MultiScatter, floor generator, multitexture, among others. ABOUT SETTING THE LIGHTS AND MATERIALS Ana Laura: The most important thing for us is to be sure that there is always a set of interesting shadows and the customer can have an easy understanding of the depths of space and of the elements contained in the draft. Personally, the most important part when making a render is lighting. With various tests one can easily notice how the project is changing and taking shape, so I recommend to make many test renders playing with different light temperatures, focal points and creating interesting shadows in spaces. As for materials, you have to have a good understanding of these as an "advanced" material is not necessary for the image look realistic, if you previously performed a good balance of light I consider that the materials are much easier to perform. Something that helps me a lot are the references - to take several architects projects, an interesting picture or some detail and try to imitate the complete picture. There is no better way to learn than practicing this every day, see how the lighting works in space, where the points of lights are located and finally how to achieve materials. ABOUT CREATING PLANTS Ana Laura: We create vegetation with some plugins, like forest itoo. It's a good tool to get a more photorealistic vegetation. We also use ivygenerator to create vines, changing the material of the leaves and making various types of vines hanging from the project we're doing. Really important in vegetation are the materials - usually, as mentioned above, a material with too much information such as the subdivs and reflexes... --- I always try to tell a story. Could be some elements or a light hitting one spot in the scene. I always try to tell a story. Could be some elements or a light hitting one spot in the scene. Olivier Farrugia Country: Australia Age: 36 Job: Senior 3D Artist Website: www. olivierfarrugia. com ABOUT STARTING CAREER IN 3D Since I was a child, I've always been attracted by reproducing what I saw in real life. Whether during my games or drawing. And later on with 3D softwares. After my bachelor degree in France in product design, where I've been introduced to the great world of 3D; I've naturally centered my attention to that magic software (3Ds Max) able to help me reproducing what I can see and feel in real life. ABOUT THE WORKFLOW FOR 3D PROJECTS At the beginning of an image/project, I try to gather as much info as possible. Look & feel, atmosphere, styling, color tones, references from clients (previous 3D renders or photos). And then once the scene is modeled, I start working on the general lighting in order to create the feel and vibe. Once the lighting is set up, the composition process will bring a narrative sense and will enhance the image itself. I always use the basics (but necessary): rule of third, the Fibonacci spiral to check the reading direction and the color triangle in the image to establish a foreground/midground/background layer. All scenes are rendered with VRay. Post production in Photoshop will highlight and increase the artistic look. I try to have a ratio of 1/3 of Post Prod and 2/3 of pure 3D work. Concerning the scripts/plugins I use: the soulburnscripts, Glue, Hard-edge, Quadchamfer... ABOUT PHOTOREALISM IN LIGHTING Creating a mood, an atmosphere. Avoiding as much as I can boring or flat lighting. I always try to tell a story . It could be some elements/objects in the scene, or just a light hitting one spot in the scene. Lighting and composition are going together. ABOUT CREATING VEGETATION I mainly use photographs for reference. Our job/passion is to replicate virtually the reality so, what could be more realistic than photos? The most important point is to adjust the right amount of specular/reflection value and the translucence. I tend to use more the Vray 2 sided material rather than translucence map as it's a less render-time consuming. ABOUT PLANS FOR THE FUTURE For me, being a 3D artist is the same as being a painter in the 18th century. From then, my art will develop through my life and my sensibility. I'll always learn new tricks, techniques and adapt to new softwares. But at the end, I'll always try to create the best mood and photo realistic renders. My passion is my engine and that will never die. --- The main components of a great render are: interesting design, good composition, balanced lighting, realistic materials and right camera angle. The main components of a great render are: interesting design, good composition, balanced lighting, realistic materials and right camera angle. Basem Mohsen Country: Egypt Age: 22 Job: Architect & CG Artist Website: www. behance. net/BassemMohsen SocialMedia: www. facebook. com/Basem. Mohsen11 ABOUT CG EDUCATION Of course, being architectural student was one of the initial reasons to work in 3d-field. After one year of studying architecture I understood that I have more interest in Architectural visualization and photography, so it became my career. I got even stronger motivation, when I met great 3d artists , working in my country, like Muhammad Taher, Amir Wahid, Karim Mousa and Mahmoud Keshta. They gave me inspiration to do my best, especially Muhammad Taher - I started to learn vray in his academy and became a part of his team, which was a turning point for me. I have started to learn 3d when I was in first year of architecture college and now I'm on my way to finish my studies in the university. ABOUT THE WORKFLOW FOR 3D PROJECTS I don't have any specific workflow. When I start to work, I collect some references of materials and lighting. I like to spend my time working in my 3d software and the most exciting part is lighting and shading. I think it's the most important thing to make great images. And of course an initial creative idea usually controls everything else. I use 3ds Max, VRay, Photoshop and Lightroom, plus some scripts for 3ds Max, like Railclone, floor generator, multi scatter, Marvelous Designer, etc. Usually I do all work stages by myself, but working as team is very useful especially when my boss shares some of his tricks with us. ABOUT PHOTOREALISTIC RENDERS The main components of a great render are: interesting design, good composition, balanced lighting, realistic materials and right camera angle. So I can just advice to make the images as a photographer, to collect huge reference libraries of materials and textures and to share your knowledge with your friends, to ask their feedback and opinions of what can be improved in your work as a cg artist. ABOUT CREATING VEGETATION In Egypt there are lots of green lands with trees and different sorts of plants - one just needs to look at them and later recreate them using some plugins for 3ds Max. ABOUT PLANS FOR THE FUTURE As Marek Denko once said, "the plan is no plan at all". I just hope to keep growing and I think my next step would be to work in animation projects. And of course I hope to keep in touch with best artists and architects all over the world to share our knowledge and information. --- All secrets of creating a realtime architectural walkthrough in the exclusive interview with CG generalist and level designer Benoît Dereau All secrets of creating a realtime architectural walkthrough in the exclusive interview with CG generalist and level designer Benoît Dereau We, at 3D Architettura, could not help but notice the growing attention of 3d artists to realtime technologies. Although the request of the market for virtual reality and walkthroughs is also growing, this field still remains quite new and experimental, giving artists wide opportunities for their own research and development of their own know-how. Which software to choose? What workflow is better? Today we want to discuss all these questions with Benoît Dereau, the author of the famous Unreal Paris. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Y6PQ19BEE24 Unreal Paris by Benoît Dereau What is your background and education? Why did you decide to work in CG? I was about 14 when I had my first contact with 3D development tools based on video games engines. The publisher VALVe had made them available to the world in order to create additional content for their video games. (Counter-Strike, Half-Life, etc. ). Since then, I have never stopped using these tools. I learned by myself the basics of level-design and content creation for video games. Unreal Paris by Benoît Dereau I quickly made the choice to study 3D computer graphics. These studies allowed me to familiarize myself with software like Autodesk 3DS Max, Cinema 4D, Mental Ray and Vray. Throughout the years, I discovered other areas of the 3D world (which are not related to video games): animation, architectural visualization and packshots. My first job was in the field of the video game industry, at Arkane Studios, in Lyon (Dishonored). I worked as a level architect. The missions of a level designer approaches those of a level architect, except that the latter focuses on the visual side. Later, I left the video game industry to work mainly on Vray and Corona in the architectural visualization industry. Unreal Paris by Benoît Dereau Why did you choose Unreal Engine for making your real-time walk-through? What are the difficulties and "underwater stones" for a CG-artist when working with this software? Keeping a close eye on the video game industry, I saw the technical development of their engines. When it finally released, the Cry Engine developed by Crytek allowed the public to get a relatively photorealistic rendering. However, it is the implementation of the PBR technology in Unreal Engine and my experience gained on this engine that motivated me to build scenes of architectural visualization on it. This allowed me to combine video games and architectural visualization! Unreal Paris by Benoît Dereau What is your usual workflow for the real-time walk-throughs? In the static render you can work only on what you want to show, but with real-time you need to be ready to show whatever the client decides to see, - so how can one optimize the work and get the best result? I do all the modeling on 3DS Max. My assets use the least possible amount of polygons. The instantiation of some objects is made directly into... --- Remember: although optimizing textures size, lights and "general rendering setting" speeds the work, overdoing it, can ruin the end result. Remember: although optimizing textures size, lights and "general rendering setting" speeds the work, overdoing it, can ruin the end result. Marwan Saliba Country: Lebanon Age: 40 Job: Freelance Architectural Visualization Website: marwanmsaliba. com SocialMedia: www. facebook. com/marwanmsaliba Why have you decided to work in 3d-field? When have you started? Where did you study? I'm self taught, I was always interested in 3d and started my first commissioned projects in the year 2000. What is your usual workflow? Which plugins and software you use? Do you make all the project yourself or delegate some parts of it? My most used software are 3ds Max, VRay, Mudbox and Photoshop. I prefer not to use cut outs, therefore the majority of my scenes are full 3d and I use Photoshop for post production. Till now I never needed to delegate parts of my projects. What your consider most important in creating photo-realistic lighting and materials? Any advice for the students just starting to learn 3D? To get realistic results, one must observe how materials are in real life, the placement of lights to achieve nice contrast is important too. Using photography as reference is a good start. Although optimizing textures size and lights/"general rendering setting" speeds the work, overdoing it can ruin the end result. Do you have any personal know-how for creating photo-realistic vegetation and plants? Plugins like Multiscatter help a lot in achieving realistic and good results as long as there's a good and right amount of variation. As for the models they should be well detailed and with good materials especially the ones in foreground. Again using real life and photography as reference is very important. What are your plans for the future? What forecasts you can make about the future of 3d-world in general? Regarding 3D my plans for the Future are to keep getting better at what i do. 3D is becoming more and more important and present in every aspect of life-as an artist, virtual reality is among the most interesting use of 3d in my opinion. The more the software and hardware are advancing the less the artists worry about the technical side and unleash their creativity. --- To set lighting in a scene, you need to know some photography basics to understand camera settings and white balance. To set lighting in a scene, you need to know some photography basics to understand camera settings and white balance. Diego Reales Country: Argentina Age: 33 Job: DMR Digital Visualizations Website: www. dmrdesigns. com. ar SocialMedia: www. facebook. com/www. dmrdesigns. com. ar Why have you decided to work in 3d-field? When have you started? Where did you study? I started studying as Analyst in Digital Design, this career is focused on learning 2D, 3D, web, etc. In 3D field we were supposed to focus more on VFX & characters, but once I started to work with 3D Viz I discovered my passion for architectural visualizations. I made my first renderings and got a good feedback from forums, that was really motivating to keep trying to continue learning. What is your usual workflow? Which plugins and software you use? Do you make all the project yourself or delegate some parts of it? I work alone in my studio, but I have several partners in different cities/countries around the world helping me most of the times with the modelling process. I always care about "finishings" in my renderings (lighting, materials, post-production). I usually work with 3ds Max, VRay, Photoshop, forestpack, railclone, multiscatter, growfx, richdirt, after effects, Autocad, sketchup and I use several scripts as well. What your consider most important in creating photo-realistic lighting and materials? Any advice for the students just starting to learn 3D? I really like and enjoy the lighting process, I love to play a lot with lighting using hdrs, vray sun, ies. I think to achieve the correct lighting in a scene, you have to know at least some basics of photography, that will help a lot in setting up the camera and white balance. And about materials most of the time I check for references and try to use the correct values for example for IOR settings, or reflection and glossines maps. I would also recommend Corona, is really easy to use and the lighting process and final result is just amazing. Do you have any personal know-how for creating photo-realistic vegetation and plants? Well... Most of the time I use library plants or cutouts, but I always try to set the materials by my own, using color correction and changing reflections. I created some plants with growfx, it's a great tool for modelling and animations, really easy to animate the plants, and Laubwerk is also really good. What are your plans for the future? What forecasts you can make about the future of 3d-world in general? My plan is to keep growing, learning about business and 3D. My other dream is to build a big virtual freelance studio with 3D artists working around the world. I strongly think that people produce more working as freelancers than being "slaves" for 9hs a day inside an office. --- On October 10, 2015 developers of the UNIGINE game engine announced the release of it's version 2.0 with major improvements. On October 10, 2015 developers of the UNIGINE game engine announced the release of it's version 2. 0 with major improvements. Nowadays when in the field of realtime visualizations we notice high competition between Unity and Unreal Engine, some artists forget about another strong player on this market. Nevertheless, UNIGINE offers solution not only for gaming, movie and entertainment industries, but for the architectural visualizations and benchmark as well. Developed in Tomsk (one of the oldest towns in the Siberia region, Russia), this game engine with such features as physically-based shading, fast screen space ray tracing, color grading, that together with build-in set of materials, powerful vegetation system and integration to Oculus rift, offers wide possibilities for creating realtime interactive architectural presentations. All images belong to unigine. com More information on updates can be found in the developers' blog --- On October 5, 2015 Maxwell Render team released its updated version 3.2 that has demonstrated significant improvements in various areas. On October 5, 2015 Maxwell Render team released its updated version 3. 2 that has demonstrated significant improvements in various areas. A it was previously described by Juan Canada (Maxwell Head of Development), the key features include: Improvements in subsurface scattering and rendering speed Nested dielectrics for photorealism Virtual reality stereo-lenses Procedural emitters Separated reflection and refraction channels Maxwell grass Improvements in multi-light editor More information on Maxwell website --- Be self-critical with your work: try to find the balance between the time spent on a project and the quality. Be self-critical with your work: try to find the balance between the time spent on a project and the quality. Andrei Chiritoiu Country: Romania Age: 22 Job: Co-Owner and 3d artist at Artroom Studio Website:www. artroomstudio. ro SocialMedia: www. facebook. com/ArtRoom-Studio-405763989581149 Why have you decided to work in 3d-field? When have you started? Where did you study? We started at the end of 2012, but Artroom Studio -the company was founded at the beginning of this year and before we worked as a freelance team. Our love for 3d visualizations started along with our love for architecture, when we realized that sometimes architectural visualizations can become as challenging as the architecture itself . Actually we are still students at “Ion Mincu” University of Architecture and Urbanism in Bucharest, but we learned computer graphics and 3d visualizations on our own, watching a lot of videos and tutorials. What is your usual workflow? Which plugins and software you use? Do you make all the project yourself or delegate some parts of it? We try to establish a good relationship and to maintain a good communication with our clients so we are always in touch with their requests. We never did just a visualization, so we are always involved also in the concept and design process. We usually use Autocad, Archicad, 3ds Max, Vray and Photoshop for Post-Production. We make all the projects internally and for now we don’t work with other studios, but we are always open for new collaborations. What your consider most important in creating photo-realistic lighting and materials? Any advice for the students just starting to learn 3D? It’s very important to keep in mind the overview of the project from the beginning, to know how it will look like and after that you will need to know clearly what to change in settings and why do you change it. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, because learning from your mistakes it’s always a step forward and be sure that you will memorize the solution for the rest of your life. Be self critical with your work and try to find the balance between the time spent on a project and the quality. Do you have any personal know-how for creating photo-realistic vegetation and plants? We have a lot of exterior designs and a very important aspect about creating realistic environment and landscapes is to look at all the details, and observe the nature and the vegetation. We are trying to use only natural textures and colors . Another important aspect when we are making exterior designs is to pay attention at the type of climate of the area where the building is going to be, so we always try to study all the plants and trees and use only local vegetation in our visualizations. What are your plans for the future? What forecasts you can make about the future of 3d-world in general? The 3d world will keep growing and we will have to constantly improve our work.... --- Start with a small scene and shoot it like a photographer, remember the composition - it considerably changes the image perception. Start with a small scene and shoot it like a photographer, remember the composition - it considerably changes the image perception. Tharik Mohammed Country: Singapore Age: 29 Job: 3D Visualisation Artist Website: www. behance. net/tharik SocialMedia: www. facebook. com/mohamed. tharik. 9 Why have you decided to work in 3d-field? When have you started? Where did you study? When I was a child, I liked cartoons movies with special effects, drawings. That’s how I got my initial interest in 3d field. So I slowly started learning by myself and with lots of online 3d resources websites . During my university studies in India I graduated BSC information technology and HDA (Higher diploma in animation). Everything started in 2007. After finishing my education I continued to learn the 3d software and techniques. I bought and read books, looked the web for tutorials, talked to professionals on forums. What is your usual workflow? Which plugins and software you use? Do you make all the project yourself or delegate some parts of it? Any work on any project starts with a very distinct and clear brief. I use mainly 3ds Max, VRay, corona, Photoshop and Lightroom, plus some scripts for 3ds Max, like floor generator, forest pack, Marvelous Designer, etc. Usually I do all work stages by myself. I’m always open to communicate with the 3d community and get some help from my friends. What your consider most important in creating photo-realistic lighting and materials? Any advice for the students just starting to learn 3D? The most important for photo-realistic images are lighting, shaders, texturing,colors, design and camera angle. My advice for the students could be: start with a small scene and try to shoot it like a photographer, learn about composition (Photoshop&lightroom) as that will considerably boost the look of your photorealistic image. Do you have any personal know-how for creating photo-realistic vegetation and plants? Most of the information I got from tutorials and I gathered lots of reference image from Google about plants and trees vegetation. So I usually use forest pack pro and Multiscatter. I select a couple of models from my own library. I always use random variation in scale, rotation and placement of each object. This really adds lot of realism to your scene. What are your plans for the future? What forecasts you can make about the future of 3d-world in general? My plans for the future are mostly about getting better and more photorealistic in rendering. Also I'd like to learn some more 3d rendering softwares - my next step is try Visual Effects and Animation rendering. --- Recently the new edition v1.5 of Thea Render was presented. New features introduced are mostly related to the material system. Recently the new edition v1. 5 of Thea Render was presented. New features introduced are mostly related to the material system. All the functionality from Thea Render is fully integrated into 3dsmax through Thea for 3dsMax render plugin. All possibilities of Thea material system are here, while access to Thea Material editor is also available for user convenience. All lights types, render configuration settings, darkroom or render channels can be created or configured inside the host application. Fully integrated interactive render (IR) engine can be used as floating window or as an extended viewport. Any changes on materials, lights or cameras are reflected instantly on the IR viewport. Geometry changes and object creation and deletion are considered as well. The IR can be used to preview exposure, DOF or any tonemap settings applied from darkroom tab. Material converter makes easier for the user to change the render engine in a finished scene to Thea Render. It is compatible with several render engines and can convert also lights and cameras in most cases. In case of animated lights or cameras, animation keys are also copied to new cameras or lights. Procedural textures included in 3ds Max can be rendered and assigned as images in an automated way. Full information can be found on the developers' website here Full information about the Render v1. 5 and it's integration to other 3d software can be found here --- Real IES is the professional solution in photometric file generation. With Real IES you can create your custom photometric file easily and if few seconds. Real IES is the professional solution in photometric light generation. Real IES is the new utility software for creating . ies photometric files. Using sliders one can increase or decrease intensity of a light cone at various angles. We all know that photometric files are useful because of their precision in representing a real flow of light and we know how it is important to physically respect the final result. Real IES has a different concept: create visually appealing lights in few seconds without caring too much if that specific light exists or not. This approach is suitable for 3D artists, animators, VFX artist who need to focus on the final visual realism instead of the engineering realism. https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=5pkSnTe1pjM At the moment Real IES looks very promising on this concept, while more detailed parameters are coming in a next release (as the developer says in his development roadmap). With Real IES you don't need anymore to search for . ies files, you can now create them directly form your PC or Mac. Real IES generates Type C photometric files, the most used for interior and arch-viz lighting and supported by 3ds Max, V-Ray, Mental Ray, Corona Renderer, Maxwell Render, Fry Render, Octane (where . ies files are at the moment strictly necessary), Blender, Cinema 4D and many others. Here is a quick tutorial of the software in use (useful with other software as well) https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Z9G5f1k4GFc More information can be found on Real IES official webpage --- Skatter is the new extension plugin for Sketchup that allows creating of photorealistic vegetation. The plugin is still under development in the beta stage and is promised to be available on the market this autumn. Skatter is the new extension plugin for Sketchup that allows creating of photorealistic vegetation. The plugin is still under development in the beta stage and is promised to be available on the market this autumn. Skatter is announced to be compatible with with V-ray, Thea, Kerkythea, Octane, Indigo and Maxwell Render. Developers' website --- On August 31st 2015 Unreal Engine developers brought to the market the release of huge update pack for the software. This updates include hundreds different features connected to collision, particle system, archi-viz applications and many many other. On August 31st 2015 Unreal Engine developers brought to the market the release of huge update pack for the software. This updates include hundreds different features connected to collision, particle system, archi-viz applications and many many other. Actually they are so many that we decided to give up on this article already at the start - to have a full picture one needs to read 70 pages release notes. The full roadmap of Unreal Engine development process you can find here --- Twilight Render team recently announced the new release of their plugin for photorealistic (biased and unbiased) rendering in Sketch Up. Twilight Render team recently announced the new release of their plugin for photorealistic (biased and unbiased) rendering in Sketch Up. They have fixed some bugs from the previous versions and introduced some new features and improvements: Added Maximum Iterations to all the render windows to limit the number of passes to use for Unbiased renders Added maximum iterations to preview display windows to support unbiased preview scenes* Converted Render History over to saving High-Dynamic Range image data Added Post-Processing support for Render History images Added material name Auto Complete to the Template and Deep Material editors (Windows only) Added customizabled Watermark feature for image branding in renders, animation, and batch renders Added Per-Node Preview to Deep Material Editor to view the affects of each node separately or combined New Edge, Texture, and Face Tools: Connect, Bevel, Hard, and Soft Edges Select Loop, Ring Spherical, Cylindrical, and Camera Projection Texture Mapping Subdivide, Triangulate, and Greeble Twilight is a plugin for Trimble SketchUp that allows you to render photo-realistic images of your scene, completely within the SketchUp interface. Twilight supports biased and unbiased rendering methods, renders native SketchUp animation as a sequence of images, supports Photometric (IES) lights, both as Light objects and as Light Emitting material, supports Image Based Lighting using both HDR and standard (jpg, png, etc) images. More information you can find on the developers' website --- All secrets of Corona Renderer in exclusive interview with the founders - meet Ondřej Karlík, Adam Hotový and Jaroslav Křivánek All secrets of Corona Renderer in exclusive interview with the founders - meet Ondřej Karlík, Adam Hotový and Jaroslav Křivánek Adam, Ondrej and Jaroslav in the Prague office Ondra, how did it all start, how you got an idea to create a renderer? Ondra: I was doing computer graphic as an artist long time ago. Eventually I switched over to programming when I realized I was lacking the necessary artistic talent. Then one day I had to pick a topic for my thesis. A friend suggested a renderer, and I realized I could combine both my hobbies in a single project. You all have different backgrounds, what from your point of view was wrong with the existing render engines, when you just started? What you wanted to improve/offer with Corona? Adam: I used to work as architectural visualizer for almost a decade and during my time as an artist I had the opportunity to work with many render engines. Each of them had its “special” set of features, characteristics and approach towards getting the desired results. It was clearly visible that every render engine was developed with certain mindset and that the developer kind of unintentionally forced his perception of who will be the end user and what knowledge she or he will have (photography, physics ... ). Our approach is different. We are working on a renderer which is powerful and yet easy to use, flexible enough to let you create realistic and believable output in reasonably fast timeframe. One of the tasks in this process is the elimination of the unnecessary buttons, sliders and knobs which just affect the settings of the rendering algorithms. Corona Renderer is free of unnecessary sampling constants and other clutter that would prevent the artist from working efficiently. With only a few exceptions, we only keep settings that give the user an artistic control over the final result. So the artist can spend less time setting things up and more time actually creating his or her art. How did you decide to join the project and bring it together to the new level? Did you feel it as a risky decision? Adam: I have known Ondrej for a very long time from a Czech 3ds Max discussion forum and I have followed his work while he was a 3d artist back in the day. One day he had started posting the results of his school project – a renderer called K-Ray. I have been observing it since the beginning with a lot scepticism and every time I have decided to test it out, it simply crashed (laughing). Then back in 2012 the renderer matured and I started to see a true potential in it as it was fast and easy to understand. In summer 2013, after I moved back to the Czech Republic, Ondrej asked me to help him with setting up a company and bringing the render to the market while letting me offload some of “the wisdom” from architectural visualisation field.... --- At the very beginning of the development, Lumion dev-team introduced the software as an easy and affordable tool to do things traditionally seen as difficult, laborious or impossible. At the very beginning of the development, Lumion dev-team introduced the software as an easy and affordable tool to do things traditionally seen as difficult, laborious or impossible. Lumion appeared on the market many years ago and Act-3D kept the promise on the main goal based on simplicity and power. What makes Lumion so strong is the realtime progress that we all are living. Realtime is a technology that is developing in parallel to the offline rendering, and that offers a GPU based result (not to be confused with CUDA). The output of a realtime render is reiterating and processing itself to obtain the next-frame result. Imagine a 3ds Max without the rendering process, imagine that the result is what you manage directly on the scene. Wouldn't it be cool? Well, nowadays you may say: "it depends". It can be great from the production timing point of view, but it may be unsatisfactory for the quality. Indeed realtime quality is little lower than software rendered pictures (raytraced or unbiased). When I introduce realtime renders, such as the one obtained with Lumion, in my classes there are always some students saying "oh, it looks like a videogame! ". Good point, in fact realtime rendering is the result of huge progress pushed forward by videogame and interactive development. A videogame developer can't predict where and when the player will do a certain actions, even the "if" is not certain, and this is because of the non linearity of the media. So videogame and interactive experiences requires an immediate response, and this response must be computed and "painted" in realtime. Quite simple necessity, isn't it? Moving back to Lumion, the software gives to us the possibility to manage elements in realtime, such as building position, terrain topology, atmosphere, vegetation and even human interactions. What is amazing is that we don't need anymore to invest lot of time in learning how a software works; we simply need to be focused on our project and drag&drop elements in the scene then export picture not related to screen resolution (up to 7680x4320 pixel (33. 2 Megapixel)) or video (up to 2560x1440 (1440p)) Act-3D is constantly updating it's software, releasing patches and versions based on customers' feedback and requests. Nowday "minor bug fixes" or "software improvements" are not appealing anymore, users wants new features and demand their professional necessities to be listened by the developer. And this is why Lumion is proceeding at fullsails with improved performances, usability, cutting-edge features and ready to use assets. Using assets (or abusing of assets) is one of the trends of the latest periods: downloading/buying is better than modeling. This works if your model is branded and you can find it, different story happens when you have to reconstruct custom models. However, also in this Lumion is in trend, offering a huge database of assets ready to be used and capable of being animated. During the writing this article Lumion released version 5. 7. 2 with new features and the coolest... --- Photoimages serve as the basement for fixing materials and lights. Results in 3d strongly depend on the choice of references. Photoimages serve as the basement for fixing materials and lights. Results in 3d strongly depend on the choice of references. Artem Trishin Country: Ukraine Age: 24 Job: CEO of Freedes Studio Website: http://freedesstudio. com/en/ SocialMedia: https://www. facebook. com/freedesstudio Why have you decided to work in 3d-field? When have you started? Where did you study? I "met" 3DS Max in 2005. It was my hobby that I devoted all my free time. There were not o many tutorials and courses as there are nowadays, so one had to learn by "test'n'try" and using a basic 3DS Max book. What is your usual workflow? Which plugins and software you use? Do you make all the project yourself or delegate some parts of it? The main advantage of our studio is the complex approach to big projects. It all starts by the project manager discussing with a client everything concerning deadlines, payments and technical details. Then art-director distributes the work between the 3d-modellers. When the models are done, we set camera views, material and lighting. We use 3ds Max + VRay and finish the post-production in Photoshop. What your consider most important in creating photo-realistic lighting and materials? Any advice for the students just starting to learn 3D? We start our work with collecting professional photo-images, that represent the required mood. They serve as the basement for fixing all the materials and lights. I believe that in our artistic business main results are strongly dependent on the right choice of references. As for the students I can advise them one thing: be curious. Try, experiment and you will succeed. Do you have any personal know-how for creating photo-realistic vegetation and plants? I am not sure if one can call it know-how, but we have a perfect view from our office windows - trees, bushes and grass. We just need to pay attention to the form, colors, reflection and transparency and try to re-create it digitally. What are your plans for the future? What forecasts you can make about the future of 3d-world in general? Future plans of our studio include working with architectural 3d-animation and creating interactive maps. I think, that 3d-industry for a long time will be growing in the direction of game design and VFX. --- Light is the most important in CG, above modeling and texturing; it gives the render right emotions, even without textures. Light is the most important in CG, above modeling and texturing; it gives the render right emotions, even without textures. Jorge Morales Country: Colombia Age: 23 Job: CAD designer, 3D modeler, Architectural draftsman SocialMedia: https://www. facebook. com/moralesstudiomorales/? fref=ts Why have you decided to work in 3d-field? When have you started? Where did you study? I started with 3D in 2009 before I attended the architectural drawing school here in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. I've always been interested in architecture and in CG. What is your usual workflow? Which plugins and software you use? Do you make all the project yourself or delegate some parts of it? When it comes to designing my own project I usually draw it on paper before using AutoCAD or SketchUp. Then I proceed to make the 3D model in SketchUp (I use AutoCAD to 3D model only when the client requests a CAD file). I also use V-Ray to render, for post-production I use Photoshop. I do everything by myself. What your consider most important in creating photo-realistic lighting and materials? Any advice for the students just starting to learn 3D? Having a good reference is really important. I often use photographs to try to follow the same as shown in the picture. In my opinion, light is the most important aspect of all CG projects, above modeling and texturing; it gives you the the right emotions the artist wants you to have when looking at the render; even without textures. Do you have any personal know-how for creating photo-realistic vegetation and plants? When I use vegetation I usually download all models. What are your plans for the future? I'm looking forward to studying architecture and photography, as well of learning a lot more about 3D modeling and CG. --- You need to spend time analyzing the real world to be able to imitate it. Inspiration comes from the outside. You need to spend time analyzing the real world to be able to imitate it. Inspiration comes from the outside. Ali İhsan Değirmenci Country: Turkey Age: 33 Job: İnterior and Exterior Rendering Website: http://www. aliihsandegirmenci. com SocialMedia: https://www. facebook. com/pages/aliihsandegirmencicom/179320552274757? ref=hl Why have you decided to work in 3d-field? When have you started? 3D is my true love. I started working in this field 10 years ago and now I manage my own creative company. What is your usual workflow? Which plugins and software you use? All my projects I do by myself. I usually use AutoCAD, 3Ds Max, Vray, PS Plugins, Itoo Software, Advanced Painter, Floor Generator, Sweep Profile, Artakan Stair. What your consider most important in creating photo-realistic images? You need to spend enough time analyzing the real world to be able to imitate it. Inspiration comes just from the outside. You need to start from scratch and learn step by step. It's a mistake to rush to much into the project. I personally like to follow the works of Sergio Mereces to feel up to date in archiviz. What are your plans for the future? What forecasts you can make about the future of 3d-world in general? 3D has a really promising future, so I plan to work and learn more to make my visualizations better. --- Corona Renderer team recently presented it's version 1.1 for 3ds Max. The news was announced on the company website together with the information about the reinforcements in the development team and opening of the new offices. Corona Renderer team recently presented it's version 1. 1 for 3ds Max. The news was announced on the company website together with the information about the reinforcements in the development team and opening of the new offices. Among the new features direct support of 3ds Max 2015 and 3ds Max 2016 Corona Bitmap new shader 10-30% faster rendering and some other smaller improvements https://www. youtube. com/watch? v=PT4DNhJpzy4 More information directly from the developers here --- Photoshop CC 2015 delivered new options to create bump and normal maps, and reduce the poly count of 3D models. Photoshop CC 2015 delivered new options to create bump and normal maps, and reduce the poly count of 3D models. The ability to generate bump and normal maps from source images, introduced in CC 2014, has been extended with a proper 3D preview, plus slider controls for Blur and Detail Scale and a histogram for detail frequency. There is also a new Simplify Meshes command, which launches a simple, slider-based interface for reducing the poly count of a 3D model. In addition, the Healing and Spot Healing brushes and Patch tool are GPU-accelerated via the Mercury Graphics Engine, and are now “up to 120 times faster” than CS6. Full list of features you can check here --- ---