New Website - Learn 3d Design and Architectural Visualization

Hello loyal followers.  I want to announce that I am launching a new website.  It is called learnArchViz.com and it is completely dedicated to helping the masses to be introduced to 3d design and architectural visualization, or arch viz.  If you have ever wanted to learn how to render in 3dsMax, Vray, or Vray for SketchUp, there should be plenty of info for you there.  There are many courses there ranging from beginner level, to expert.  There are also other resources there that will help on your path to learn architectural visualization.  Check it out, and make sure to bookmark it and tell your friends.  There is much more to come.

Learn Arch Viz for $5!

Are you interested in architecture? Are you interested in 3d? How about both? I already know you are, that is why you're here. If you answered yes to these questions, I have an offer for you. From now until Saturday, I am offering my intro to arch viz class for just $5! Don't miss out. It will never be cheaper. Click RIGHT HERE to get the discounted price. You're Welcome!

Intro to Architectural Visualization For 3ds Max and V-Ray

I am happy to announce that my full-length, professional visualization course is now available.  If you have ever wanted to jump in and learn the industry standard software, now is the time.  As an introductory rate, I am offering the whole class, 6+ hours of instruction, for %50 off.  Only $15!!!!

Click this link to get the discounted rate.

Also, I know a lot of you are SketchUp enthusiasts.  That's great.  You should check out this course too.  You can import your SketchUp models into Max, maybe spruce them up a bit, and then still render them with V-Ray.  Plus, you can learn to model in a more complete and robust modeling program.

*You don't need any prior experience, or any purchased software for this course.

In looking at statistics for this blog, I have noticed that one of the most searched for items is "Vray Caustics."  That being the case, I thought I would post this simple and easy tutorial that goes over just that.  This tutorial will show you how to easily create caustics in Vray, and the render time is minimal.  Bertrand Benoit did some tests, and came up with these two images that show the effect this technique can have.


V-Ray Caustics by Ricardo Eloy from 3DTotal.com on Vimeo.

More Vray Materials.mp4

This is a video I made a long time ago, but it has been pretty popular on YouTube.  I think it warrants a re-post.  If you haven't seen it before, check it out.  I know some of you are looking for info on Vray for SketchUp.  The principles I go over in this video should translate directly, even though the screen shots look different.

A Nice After Effects Tutorial

This tutorial gives some really good instruction on how to add animation to your still shots, using just After Effects.

A Very Nice Making of Tutorial

Find the full tutorial here.

Source: cgarchitect.com via FreeCG on Pinterest

Making of Tutorial

Cool video showing the post-processing of a very nice image. See the tutorial on how the image was made here.

Vray Displacement Tutorial

This tutorial starts with a displacement map generated out of mudbux. It then goes over how to use this map, in conjunction with a sweep and a Vray displacement modifier, to make nice and quick architectural molds. The technique outlined here can be used for many different applications in 3d.

Vray Lights, Cameras, and HDRIs Tutorial

11 Tips for Sprucing Up Your Arch Viz Images

Great tutorial here. This is an archviz professional giving great tips on how to spruce up an images. As you can see from the sampled image, his tips work pretty good. This is definitely worth a read.

Basic Lighting Settings for Vray in Sketchup

Basic Light Settings in V-Ray for SketchUp Tutorial from ASGVIS, LLC on Vimeo.

Basic Light Settings in V-Ray for SketchUp

Video tutorial by Jorge Barrero.

UVW Unwrap Tutorial

A few months ago I showed how I would go about modelling a high-poly piece of furniture. This is a continuation of that tutorial. This segment explains the basic techniques for how to unwrap that furniture for proper texturing. Hopefully it is helpful. If you have any more questions / suggestions feel free to comment.

The first part of this tutorial (the modelling part) is found right here.

Vray Dirt Tutorial

A lot of people find FreeCG.info while searching for tutorials on Vray Dirt. This might help. It is a straightforward tutorial about this powerful shader. It should cover everything you need to do to start using it right away. It is done by Peter Guthrie. Good stuff.

Best Vray Settings Tutorials

For those of you looking for a comprehensive tutorial about the different GI methods in Vray, and which is best to use, this is the tutorial for you.

More Vray Materials.mp4

Tutorial - 3d Studio Max 2012 - Substance Materials

Beginner Tutorial - Making Tileable Textures

3ds Max Tutorial: How to Use a Zdepth Pass to Generate a Displacement Map

This is not the next video in my series, but it is helpful nonetheless. This technique can be a huge time saver. Check it out.

Part 1: CAD Import and Basic Modeling of a Building in 3ds max

This tutorial shows the steps I take in doing an architectural visualization project. Hopefully there will be many more to follow. I am hoping to have videos for all stages of the project from start to finish. Make sure to subscribe so you can see them all. Enjoy.