Project 3: Animation

In this project, I created a short 90 second long animation featuring the exteriors and interiors of the Church of Seed. While the brief required it to be rendered using 3dsMax, I took the liberty and attempted to do the same using the much more powerful Lumion rendering engine. The results are as follows:

Rendered using 3ds Max.

Rendered using Lumion.

Step by step:

Added trees using plugins to enhance the surroundings before rendering begins.

For interior rendering shots, I removed the MR Sunlight system and replaced it with Standard Direct Lights. This allows me far better control over the interior lighting, and also allows the creation of a Volume Light atmopsheric effect.

Adjusted camera positions, angles, FOV. I also created paths for cameras to follow. The cameras are placed near the start of these paths and constrained to them.

Added rain particle effects for atmosphere. Adjusted rain speed, rain size, rain type, etc.

Before test renders are initiated, keyframes are set using the Auto Key command in 3ds Max.

Depth of field is also adjusted and tweaked, and changes according to the key frames of the animation.

With all renderings completed, the shots are brought into Sony Vegas Pro and then edited. Sound, music, thunder and lightning are added in post production. 

Project 2B: Interior Renderings

Final Interior Shot #1

Final Interior Shot #2

Added a background image, test rendered it to see the effect. Added interior furniture. Added Omni lights into the light fixtures, but due to the Exposure settings for Daylight System setups it does not show up.

As the Daylight system made other photometric light systems unviable, I replaced the sun with a Target Direct light. This also gives me the advantage of creating volumetric lighting. I added a Volume Light effect to the Target Direct light for dramatic effect.

Tweaked settings for the Volume Light to create intended effect that isn't too overpowering.

Test render.

Added more light fixtures, and additional Omni and Target Spot lights.

Final render.

Post production done in Photoshop to induce desired atmosphere in the render.

Project 2A: Exterior Renderings

Final Exterior Rendering + Post Production 1

Final Exterior Rendering + Post Production 2

Step by Step:

Placed materials from Material Explorer into Material Editor.

Modified each material to include reflectivity, bumpmapping, etc.

Added MR Sunlight system.

Imported Bitmap texture, adjusted UVW size and scale.

Placed cameras, adjusting FOV and lens focal length.

Placed second camera, and adjusted the sun position.

Set Render Settings to use NVIDIA Mental Ray, at a resolution of 1920 x 1080, increased final gather points, etc.

Rendered image is placed in Photoshop for post-production work.

Changed the sky for more dramatic effect. Use the brushes tool to increase contrast, by darkening shadows and lightening highlights.

Added grass unto the plains.

Added trees and hilly background to reflect the site context of the building. Added human for scale. Added shadows for trees on the building itself. Final image can be seen at the beginning of this blog post.

Second render is placed into Photoshop for post production work. The sky has been changed for more dramatic effect, and grass is added.

Increased contrast, saturation and adjusted hue to achieve atmosphere. Added trees.

Added landscape and human scale.

Project 1, Church of Seed - Extra Renderings

In addition to the renderings done in 3dsMax, I placed the building into Lumion, added materials and did a few extra renderings of both the interior and exterior.

Project 1, Church of Seed - Final Renderings

External view showing the site context. The church was built atop Laofu Mountain in China. Note the window and door details.

External view showing the entrance pathway to the church. A small road was constructed which winds through the trees and hills, leading to the church. Note the clerestory window details.

A bird's eye view showing the church as well as its surroundings. The site contours were traced from the site plan provided by the architect. A few trees were added to add character to the picture.

Bird's eye view showing the church from behind, providing a clearer view of the road leading to the entrance of the church. Door and clerestory details can be seen in this picture.

Exterior view showing once again the back of the church.

Project 1, Church of Seed - Adding Site Context

Added site context to the building. Using the site plan provided by the architects as reference, I first traced the contour lines using both Crv and Offset functions directly in Rhino. After that, I moved each closed curve vertically to the correct height to produce the contours. Using PlanarSrf, each curve was then made into a surface. With that done, the Drape command was used to produce the smooth landscape shown. 

To produce the walkway leading to the church, I first traced the walkway from the site plan. Then, using Project, the lines were then projected directly unto the Draped surface. From there, it was a simple issue of extruding and capping the closed curve to form the walkway and platform of the church.

Trees were downloaded off from an online model repository and added to get character.

The entire process and be viewed here:

Step by step:

Using the PictureFrame command, the site plan was brought into Rhino, and then Scaled to the correct size. Using the CommandPointCrv command, the site contours were traced. To expedite the process, Offset was used for repetitive contours.

With the contours complete, contour lines on the same level were then Grouped to ensure ease change.

The contours were then move vertically and stacked atop one another. Once done, PlanarSrf commands were used to create these planes.

Using the Drape command, a beautiful and smooth site contour is produced.

ControlPoints were enabled to allow fine tuning of the terrain to ensure it does not clip with the building itself.

With that done, the pathway to the building was then traced using the Polyline command and then Projected unto the draped surface.

Like a cookie cutter, the projected curved was extruded into the draped surface. BooleanSplit was then used.

The cut area was then raised up using ExtrudeSrf to form the concrete plinth.

Some foliage were downloaded from a model repository website, and then placed around the site and decorated.