Exterior scenes in 3ds Max

oscar Juárez shares his workflow for creating photorealistic exterior scenes using 3ds Max, V-ray and Photoshop

creating archviz scenes always offers a unique set of challenges, usually based around trying to present the client with an image that lives up to their vision. On a technical level, the real work is in making something that looks real – the client can’t use work that doesn’t feel right to the viewer.

Exterior scenes present an extra raft of hurdles that need to be overcome. In addition to ensuring that buildings are realistic, you need to think about the environment they sit in, and what extra details are needed to make the scene feel more like a photo than a 3D render. You need to create a snapshot of how the architecture can sit within its destined boundaries.

The problem this represents is that not only are you aiming to provide your client (be it an architect, project manager or the end user/home owner) with a representation of the building but it has to cover many basis. Not only does it need to look realistic and feel like a photograph, to aid in believability, it also needs to serve as inspiration and motivational material for the people concerned. This might be one of the fist times the client will be able to see the project in situ and that can be one of the milestones for them. With this in mind, the final composite has to have just enough stylisation to feel special. Having perfectly clean materials lit by bright sunlight is all well and good but won’t sit in the plate properly, yet adding too much grunge and a cloudy sky, has the same problem but from the oposite end.

This tutorial will show you how I approach creating this kind of scene that will please clients as well as your own sense of artistry.

You’ll choose your reference material, plan which elements need to be constructed in full 3D, or added as photomanipulations in post. Set up your render using V-ray, including using V-ray’s sunlighting tools,

Finally you’ll take your renders into Adobe Photoshop, to bring it all into a cohesive whole.