What is the most important skill of all? ๐Ÿ’ญ

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We all know that learning a new skill is beneficial and helps us to stay relevant. We will get better at our job or even get a new job.

As the rate of change increases, it is clear that we need to adapt our skills and sometimes learn new ones.

So why the friction? ๐Ÿšตโ€โ™‚๏ธ

The reason we have friction is that we have to return to being an amateur. We have worked hard to become a skilled professional so reverting back to amateur can be difficult. And, the further along you go in your career the harder it is to change.

How do you get better at learning new skills? ๐Ÿ“

... you learn new skills regularly.

We practise sport or CGI to get better at it. We also need to practice learning new skills to become better and ease that friction.

Learning is a skill that is as important to cultivate as the skill we are learning.

The more you spend your time learning new skills the easier it becomes to learn new skills. So in that sense, no learning is ever wasted.

No one likes to go from a professional to an amateur. But to improve or learn a new skill you need to be willing to return to being a beginner.

Whether that's learning 3D modelling. Transitioning from traditional photography to CGI. It will seem hard at first, but it will be good for you. Set an hour aside in your calendar and take the first step.

Ready to Skill Up?

Here is a list of all the skills you have the opportunity to learn.

The CGI Artist Desk Setup

Since not being able to travel I have been building a semi-permanent desk set-up. This post focuses on 3D artists, but I am sure video editors, animators and people from any area of design will find it helpful.

The goal is to have a desk that I can take anywhere in the UK and pitch up, almost like a camp if you were on an expedition. โ›บ I want it to be as self-contained as possible without spending a ton of money. So here is how I got on.

Since not being able to travel I have been building a semi-permanent desk set-up. This video focuses on 3D artists, but I am sure video editors, animators an...

๐Ÿ’ป DELL XPS 15

๏ปฟThe centre of my set up is the Dell XPS 15inch laptop, with an i9 Processor, 2tb solid state hard drive and 32Gb of ram. I chose this as this was as much power I could get into a laptop, whilst keeping it lightweight and having decent battery times. 3D, video and design software can chew a battery up.

The reason I have opted for a laptop is I value the freedom of moving around and working where I please. I can hear other 3D Artists, video editors and animators banging their heads against their desks. But, the power of the Dell XPS is good enough to do most of my work. The XPS can run any software I throw at it and has no problem if I want to model on the road.

For a long time, I have done most of my rendering, both stills and animation in 'the cloud'. First with Rebus Farm and now with Chaos Cloud. You can get 20 free credits here. This leaves the laptop free for the design work rather than the rendering.

One of the first things I brought was a laptop hinge and holder. Whilst travelling I use the Nexstand K2 laptop stand. But, I wanted to have as much desk space as possible when it came to my more permanent desk set-up.

Get the Dell here.


๐Ÿ’ก LIGHT BAR

In the same vein as keeping the desk uncluttered, the ScreenBar Plus sits off my desk and replaces the need for a traditional lamp on my desk. Another benefit is that there is no glare on the screen from the light bar. It is not something for the road, but a benefit to finally having a dedicated desk.

Lighting is something that is overlooked when spending long hours in front of a screen. This bit of kit is actually designed to reduce eye strain. This is something I didn't realise I needed until I tried it.

Not only for eye health but also for color correcting your images as an animator, video editor or cgi artist. You can change the brightness and color temperature from the dial that sits on the desk.

There is also a sensor that will react to the light in the room, creating the optimal light set up. So I just leave it on auto most of the time. Until I tried it I didn't realise how badly lit my desk was. I spend tons of time journaling and the light bar gives the perfect light for these kinds of offline tasks.

Get the Light Bar here.


๐Ÿ“– JOURNAL

The number one journal I recommend is the Leuchtturm1917, Whitelines Link, Ruled, A5. White lines seem so simple but it blows my mind that all notebooks are not white lined. If I draw something and photograph it, it is as clear as a plain piece of paper. When I write I have the ruled guides.

It also has some cool QR codes that link to email, Dropbox and Evernote, but I have never used it.

Get the Leuchtturm 1917 White Lines here.

๐Ÿ“บ MONITOR

I was given the Samsung 32inch monitor. When travelling I use the Asus MB16B+ as an extra screen. The MB168B+ isn't available anymore but I think the Zen screen will do the job now. Screen space is massive, even when I am packing light I take a second screen.

โ›ต DOCK

All of this plugs into the Dell D6000 Dock. The idea here is that I have one cable that I need to plug into the laptop and it transforms into a desktop. You can connect up to 3 monitors and charge the laptop via the USB-C and it gives you four well-needed USB ports. The dock does have some issues with Adobe software, where I need to unplug the dock when starting software such as Dimension or After Effects.

Get the Dell D6000 here.


๐Ÿญ MOUSE & KEYBOARD

The mouse and keyboard are Logitech. The mouse is one great piece of kit. I have had this for nearly 10 years (It may be due an upgrade soon). If I was to upgrade, it would be to the newer version, the MX Master 3.

Keyboard, a silent one maybe the next move. People have said they don't like hearing me banging the buttons in some of my tutorials. I am eyeing up the Logitech craft.

Get the Logitech MX and Craft here.

๐ŸŽค MICROPHONE

The microphone was sent to me by Skillshare a few years ago and it is fantastic. It's the AT2020USB+, it has been around the world a few times and is still doing the biz.

A recent purchase for this desk set up was the hinge which means I can pull it in and out of the way easily. This has been massive in an attempt to remove any friction in creating videos.

Get the AT2020+ here.

๐Ÿงโ€โ™‚๏ธ DESK

After reading Deskbound, and working from standing desks, I knew I wanted this desk to go from standing to sitting. If you are early on in your career take care of your body. Being sat at a desk for years takes its toll and takes a lot of deliberate effort to undo.

For the desk itself, the legs are from Flexispot and have a simple up and down. The desktop itself is made from 3 wooden scaffold planks donated by my brother in law.

Get the Flexispot desk here.

๐Ÿช‘ CHAIR

I chose the Fullwatt Gaming Chair and I honestly can not be happier. I am a particular fan of the footrest. I am not as keen on the big graphics but I just reversed the pillows.

Get the Fullwatt Gaming Chair here.

Other bits and pieces are the oversized desk mat. Cable clips on the back of the desk for easy access to any wires. And, floor mats for when standing. This can all be found on the Amazon list here.

That is where I am at with the semi-permanent desk set up. If you want to know more about software, have a look here.

I noted a few bits that I use when travelling. If you'd like me to go deeper into the travelling experiences, equipment and software then let me know.

Let me know in the comments your number one desk essential.

๐Ÿ’ป TOOLS AND TECH:

Full list of products mentioned

BenQ Website

Light Bar Plus

Software

Render On!

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Do You Know Your Resolutions? 72 vs 300 DPI ๐Ÿ“ (March News)

Here's my update for Mar 15, 2021...

๐Ÿฅ‡ A massive congratulations to February's CGI Artists that received their Official V-Ray Certificates Of Attendance

Click here to join March's cohort


๐ŸŽฅ Best Resolution for Renders, 72 or 300? Images for Print & Web | Pixels, PPI & Resolution Explained

In this video, I show you how to set up your image resolution for print or web. Explain what PPI is and why it matters to you.

Click here to watch the video

๐ŸŽฅ The Quickest Way to Center Pivot on a 3ds Max Object

F Lash asked "is this seriously the quickest way to recenter the pivot point?" on a video from a few years ago. It wasn't so in this video, I show you how to reset and centre the pivot on an object using a keyboard shortcut in 3ds Max.

Click here to watch the video

๐ŸŽฅ The Quickest Way to Center and Ground a Pivot in 3ds Max

And then, Vuk asked how to center and ground a pivot on the object, fast. So here is a script and video centering and grounding a pivot. This is useful for snapping objects to the floor for example.

Download the Script (Under Scripts)

Click here to watch the video

๐Ÿ—’๏ธ V-Ray 5.1 Update Video | CHAOS COSMO + all the updates you need to know about.

Chaos Group has released V-Ray 5 update 1. Alongside a rebrand, V-Ray has a ton of amazing new features. Chaos Cosmos is one of the biggest features. It is a content library that can be used across all V-Ray packages. So they will work in V-Ray for 3ds Max as well as Sketch-Up for example.

Click here to read more

Render On!

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V-Ray 5.1 Update Video | CHAOS COSMO + all the updates you need to know about.

Chaos Group has released V-Ray 5 update 1. Alongside a rebrand, V-Ray has a ton of amazing new features. Chaos Cosmos is one of the biggest features. Chaos Cosmos is a content library that can be used across all V-Ray packages. So they will work in V-Ray for 3ds Max as well as Sketch-Up for example.

Other features include the ability to add multiple hdri's to one render, a new camera lister and batch cameras in Chaos Cloud.

Check out the video below to see V-Ray 5.1 and Chaos Cosmos in action.
Get V-Ray here - https://pxlme.me/wA3IkNh5
20 free Chaos Cloud Credits - https://pxlme.me/a-XJfGea
V-Ray Classes here - www.luxuryvisuals.com/academy

What are you working on that your future self will thank you for?

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3D modelling is the creation of digital assets.
Do you think the need for digital assets is on the rise or declining?

I am going to suggest that the need for digital assets is increasing. Photoshoots, music videos and advertising are now all turning to CGI. Think about the last music video you watched or the last ad you saw. I'm sure that if it's recent then it had an element of CGI.

This is because it is becoming harder and harder to get on set, source products and get crew together in real life. This coupled with the rise in online shopping, demand for more e-commerce product images has increased.

This makes me think about how lucky we are to be involved in the world of 3D. With all the changes that are happening in the world, I feel fortunate to have a skill set that appears to be in demand.

More people are spending time in virtual environments and virtual reality. Again, this trend is only going to continue. So a solid skill to work on is your 3D modelling skills. (Learn free here - https://skl.sh/39R2Vo9)

Being in lockdown currently can be difficult at times. But something that keeps me motivated is asking myself how can I best use this time?

What are you currently working on that your future self will thank you for?

Render On!

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โ˜• CGI News February - New Light Mix - Image Comp Helper Update + more ๐Ÿ“ฐ

๐Ÿ”จ TOOLS

Arnold Renderer Now Has Light Mix

Arnold 6.2 for 3ds Max has been released and has some interesting new features. Namely light mix, denoiser and bloom amongst other improvements.

Other than on the modelling course we are yet to explore Arnold Render engine. Is anybody here using Arnold, should I make some videos on it? It does come packaged with 3ds Max and is a solid render engine.

Image Composition Helper Updated

I am a big fan of image comp helper and I was happy to hear that The Faction CGI updated the original script by Christoph Buelter. Image composition helper adds overlays to your 3ds Max viewport to aid composition.

Download the updated script from The Faction CGI's website.

https://thefactioncgi.com/the-faction-blog/2021/1/20/free-script-image-composition-helper-for-3ds-max-updated

โŽ COMMUNITY

โ€œif you want to build habits that last, join a group where the desired behaviour is the normal behaviour.โ€
— James Clear, Atomic Habits

The student group continues to grow in both size and quality of work. Some highlights included Graeme Strutt's first 360 product spin and Rahul Kp published some impressive work.

If you would like to join the group you can do so here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/luxuryvisualsacademy

Image Credit Rahul Kp

Image Credit Rahul Kp

๐Ÿ“บ WATCH

Batch Rendering

Here's how to Render Multiple Cameras In 3ds Max, also known as Batch Rendering.

Auto Vertical Tilt

A pretty quick way to improve your renders with the tick of a button.

๐Ÿ“– READ

Improve your 3ds Max Workflow: Choose Your Best Light Set-up Fast

I worked hard on this one, so check it out I think you'll find it useful. The focus of this post is how you can use scripts to automate repetitive tasks.

https://www.luxuryvisuals.com/jaked3d/hdri-script

๐Ÿ“ฐ ET CETERA

๐Ÿ“ƒ Want to get your Official V-Ray Certificate of Attendance? Details in the Facebook group.

๐Ÿ‘‡ Make a button for Image Comp Helper

โ›…Get 20 Free Chaos Cloud Credits

Render On!

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Improve your 3ds Max Workflow: Choose Your Best Light Set-up Fast

The focus of today's post is how we can use scripts to automate a repetitive task. The more we can optimize our workflow and scenes the more energy we can put into the creative tasks. Look at it like leveraging the computer to free up space to focus on our renders.

TL;DR

  • Use a script to render thumbnail renders of each light angle.

  • Review renders and select the desired angle.

  • Useful for selecting what angle to have your HDRI light dome in exterior images.

  • Alternative to doing it manually, now it takes less than 10 seconds.


Being able to create photorealistic renders is a great skill to have. But it is only part of the skill set you need when working for a client or part of a CGI team. Hitting deadlines, staying organised and working efficiently are the other parts. Workflow can be overlooked when working on personal projects where there is no deadline or client making changes.

Some times you don't know what you're looking for until you see it. Typically adding an HDRI and rotating it bit by bit until you reach something that you like may seem like the best method. But what if I told you we could render each angle of a HDRI dome, preview the thumbnails and then choose the best one?

Seeing thumbnail renders of various light scenarios has been added to V-Ray 5 for SketchUp with a tool called Light Gen. I wondered how hard this would be to implement this into 3ds Max.

Light Gen. Image credit jung hoon Han

Light Gen. Image credit jung hoon Han

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It's not the first time I have thought about this. The first mention was in 3D Artist back in 2016, and then again in 2018's post, 5 Tips To Create Your Best Exterior Visual Ever. Both times, I animated the V-Ray light by hand. Keyframing the rotation 10 degrees at a time and rendering the animation.

Now with a script, we can do this in just under 10 seconds! Watch the video below to find out how I did it.

When I saw V-Ray 5 for Sketchup had something called Light Gen I knew it was time to finally write the script I had wanted in 3ds Max for ages. The thing tha...

Resources:

  • This video is from a larger course I created that shows you how to make photo-realistic exterior renders, demonstrates workflow and has tons more time-saving tips. You can find that and more here

  • You can download the script here๏ปฟ

โ˜• CGI News - Luxury Visuals (January) ๐Ÿ“ฐ

๐Ÿ”จ TOOLS

Exterior Visualisation Course

The Exterior Visualisation Course has been updated with over 5 hours of new content. All free for current students. I am proud of the end result and how the class manages to explain exterior rendering in an understandable way.

Click here to see the updates on Udemy
and here for Skillshare

โŽ COMMUNITY

V-Ray Forum at Solent University

Solent University students received their Official Certificate Of Attendance from Chaos Group. I presented a V-Ray Forum on December 14th. The forum earnt them their COAs and access to the Luxury Visuals V-Ray learning videos. 

I am planning to open this up in March. If you would like to join the waiting list then see the link below.

https://www.luxuryvisuals.com/professional-cgi-artist

๐Ÿ™‹โ€โ™€๏ธ Luxury Visuals Academy Facebook Group

Some excellent images submitted this month from group members. Thanks to Sagar Singh Chandravanshi, Kamelia Biserova, Rahul Kp, Vineeth Radhakrishnan and Andrea Bianchi for submitting such great images.

If you would like to join the group, post your work and get feedback, you can at the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/luxuryvisualsacademy/

Image by Sagar Singh Chandravanshi

Image by Sagar Singh Chandravanshi


๐Ÿ“บ WATCH

Create a Button for Image Comp Helper or Any Script in 3ds Max | Make Buttons for Scripts

Dragging and dropping a script into the viewport to open the dialogue box isn't very efficient. In this video, I show you how to very easily create a button in your 3ds max toolbar.

https://youtu.be/3EjjT-2ioTI

Use Kelvin Temperatures / Colours in V-Ray Light Mix | 3ds Max + V-Ray 5

V-Ray 5's Light Mix is great but I wish I could use Kelvin temps in the color. Here is my workaround to use Kelvin temperatures rather than colors.

https://youtu.be/md9Z112WjIs

Finally please let me know what you need help on? What would you like to see in these emails and from me this year, how can I help you?

Render On!

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P.S ๐ŸŽ“ Full CGI Courses here.

โ˜• CGI News - Luxury Visuals (December) ๐Ÿ“ฐ

๐Ÿ”จ TOOLS

3ds Max 2021.3 Update

3ds Max got an update. Autodesk has added new capabilities to the viewport and improved modeling efficiency. There have been enhancements made to popular modifiers and 3ds Max Retopology Tools. The new retopology tools can be used to reduce the poly count of high polygon assets.

V-Ray Materials improvements in the 3ds Max viewport.

Vlado posted this video of early-stage improvements to V-Ray material representation in 3ds Max 2021โ€™s viewports.

Forest Pack 7 Beta

Forest Pack have added new features to make the scattering plugin even more powerful, check out the video below to see what's new.


โŽ COMMUNITY

Luxury Visuals Academy Facebook Group

Some excellent images submitted this month from group members. From studio to full interior and exterior images. Thanks to Moneem Fathalla, Hasan Hakki, Francis Eaton, Rahul Kp, Amit Gedia, Stewart Abram and Graeme Strutt for submitting their images.

If you would like to join the group, post your work and get feedback, you can at the link below.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/luxuryvisualsacademy/

๐Ÿ“บ WATCH

Using Dirt Maps To Add Streaks and Grunge to Materials

Dirt maps are a great way to add weathering to our materials. They can be tough to control but here is a video to make using V-Ray Dirt Maps easier.

Dirt maps are a great way to add weathering to our materials. They can be tough to control but here is a video to make using V-Ray Dirt Maps easier. Let's fi...

What is Global Illumination and why is Light Mix not working?

First, we need to understand what Global Illumination is. Then we can look at what settings to use. Is using brute force too slow and you want to use Irradiance Map? But you can't get Light Mix working that way. I'll show you the workaround.

Render On!

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P.S ๐ŸŽ“ Full CGI Courses here.

You can't be a 3d artist that doesn't create 3d! (3 Steps)

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Wouldn't it be nice if you could just,

  1. follow a course step by step,

  2. add that image to your portfolio,

  3. send it to a studio or architect and start getting work?

Unfortunately, I would be lying if I said it was that easy.

There is more to 3d than creating the odd good-looking image. Clients hire consistency over good images. They need to know you are reliable and will deliver every time.

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There are 3 steps to being able to deliver top-quality images consistently to clients.

Follow these 3 steps and life will be easy. Try to jump to the next one before you are ready and you can fail fast, believe me, I tried.

  1. Understanding the basics of how to use the tools. The most overlooked and where people try to get to the next step, or worse step 3, without really getting their foundations right. You need to have confidence in your tools.

  2. Developing skills in certain areas, such as 3d modeling or creating materials. Your basic knowledge will take you so far. If you want to get to the next level you need to have a deeper understanding of the key areas.

  3. Creating some remarkable images for your portfolio. Don't get me wrong you could just jump to step 3 and render some great images for your portfolio. But without the foundations and the skills from steps 1 and 2, you aren't set up for long-term success.

    You are going to turn up to a studio or start on a client project with a tight deadline and learn the hard way you should have nailed steps one and two.

Start with 1, then 2 and then 3 to create a solid foundation for your career, long term.

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Once you understand the tools and begin to develop specific skills. You need to ask...

How are you going to stand out and differentiate yourself from the thousands of other CGI artists?

The answer is deliberate practice over a sustained period of time. The best writers you know write regularly, the best runners run regularly and the best artists create art regularly.

You can't be a 3d artist that doesn't create 3d!

If you want to be top of the list when a client is looking for a 3d artist then get creating. Set a time, for example, 6-8 am every weekday. With these 10 hours of 'creating' time per week why not aim to create 5 new images by the end of the year. Share them in the Facebook group for feedback and upload them to your portfolio each week.

Don't worry about being great, be good regularly.

Render On!๏ปฟ

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It Took Me 3,186 Days! | Autodesk University

It has been 3,186 days since I published the blog article pictured below. Ramy Hanna's session at Autodesk University inspired me. It made me want to hone my skills and try to master the craft of CGI. Ramy was doing what I wanted to do. After watching his talk I read his blog whenever he posted and managed to get on to an 8-week CGI course he did with 3D Total. I only spoke with Ramy a few times in the forums and I imagine he doesn't remember me. My point is that we now have the tools to learn from the experience of the best, from afar. We have the ability to learn from people doing what we want to do. So eventually we can do it too.

So, I am happy to say that 3,186 days since posting about Ramy's session. You can now go and bookmark my talk at Autodesk University. The presentation, Using 3ds Max with Photography to Hit Deadlines for Advertising Campaigns will be available on-demand from November 17th.

the original blog post from Feb 23 2012

the original blog post from Feb 23 2012

The whole Autodesk University 2020 conference is virtual and free this year. (no need to fly to Las Vagas) I will be answering any questions between 17th and 20th November whilst Autodesk University 2020 is on.

Whatever area of design you are in, keeping on top of tools and skills is more important for our careers than ever. Knowing you have the knowledge to stay relevant improves confidence in the tools and starts a positive snowball. Autodesk University has 750+ sessions, 350+ live class Q&As, live panels and roundtables led by industry experts.

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If you are in the design world I strongly urge you to go register for the Autodesk University experience. Maybe even bookmark and give my page a thumbs up. And, maybe in 3,186 days you will be speaking at Autodesk University and own a pair of Autodesk socks!

https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/class/Using-3ds-Max-Photography-Hit-Deadlines-Advertising-Campaigns-2020

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๐ŸŽฅ Watch this new content...

Quite a few YouTube videos so maybe grab some popcorn and get involved ๐Ÿฟ Most of the videos came from questions on Facebook group so feel free to jump in there and ask CGI related questions.

๐ŸŽฅ How To Use V-Ray UVW Randomizer Map in 3ds Max

Here is a look at the V-Ray UVW Randomizer Map and some good uses for it.

 

๐ŸŽฅ Introduction to 3ds Max Tutorial | The Quickest Way


Want to brush up on those 3ds Max essentials? Here is an extract from the Introduction to 3ds Max course. Over on YouTube you can click on the time stamp to jump to that section of the video. Here is what's covered.

  • The 3ds Max Interface and Setup

  • Create, Move, Rotate and Scale in 3ds Max

  • Viewport Navigation in 3ds Max

  • Setting Up Plans and Units in 3ds Max

  • Naming, Changing Colours and Creating Groups in 3ds Max

  • Adding Cameras and Using Safe Frames in 3ds Max

 

๐ŸŽฅ How To Scale a DWG in 3ds Max | Change the Size of a DWG

Trying to rescale a DWG file in 3ds Max?
Here is how to correct the size of your DWG drawing.

 

๐ŸŽฅ How To Use XRef Scenes to speed up 3ds Max

Eric asked how to speed up a high poly scene he was working on.
X-Refs are the answer.

 

โ˜• CGI News - Luxury Visuals (November) ๐Ÿ“ฐ

Missed the November fix of CGI news?
Click here to catch up with the latest updates, tools, community and articles. 

Render On!

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Learn CGI from the experts with simple workflows, tools, and tutorials.

โ˜• CGI News - Luxury Visuals (November) ๐Ÿ“ฐ

5๏ธโƒฃ UPDATES

V-Ray 5 and 3ds Max 2021 Course Updates

Firstly, the Interior Visualisation course has been updated so you can follow along with 3ds Max 2021 and V-Ray 5. The course still supports 3ds Max 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 as well as V-Ray 3, Next and 5.

https://www.udemy.com/course/3drendering/?referralCode=70ACC0A10C87CF99148C


๐Ÿ”จ TOOLS

Neural Filters in Photoshop

The latest update of Photoshop has added AI powered filters. Neural Filters are particularly fun and the Sky Replacement tool is also worth a look.

https://youtu.be/215LgUkkUlI


Whatโ€™s new in Arnold 6.1

Arnold render engine for 3ds Max just got an update. We use Arnold in both the Modelling and Introduction to 3ds Max courses. Check out the link to see what features and improvements have been made.

https://area.autodesk.com/blogs/the-arnold-blog/whats-new-in-arnold-61/


Extend Borders

I have yet to use this but it looks great for modelling. Extend Borders is useful for extruding border edges of an editable poly.

http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/scripts/extend-borders



โŽ COMMUNITY

Facebook Group

The facebook group continues to grow and the work continues to get better and better. This month Sneha Desai, Naitik Gupta, Moneem Fathalla, Hasan Hakki and Vineeth Radhakrishnan have all graced us with incredible images.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/luxuryvisualsacademy



๐Ÿ“บ WATCH

How To Use V-Ray UVW Randomizer Map in 3ds Max

Here is a look at how we can use the V-Ray UVW Randomizer Map.

https://youtu.be/dSO6uN3Dy1I

3ds Max How To Tutorials

In this playlist I share 3ds Max related How To tutorials. Many of these are answers to questions that have been asked from the CGI courses. Make sure to subscribe to know when new ones are out.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQmLVe9epBDx2Yko-Y-bYJJ6SEolbD55P



๐Ÿ“– READ

AI That Makes 3D Humans

A really interesting paper on using artificial intelligence to create 3D models of humans from 2D.

https://shunsukesaito.github.io/PIFuHD/



Render On!

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๐ŸŽƒ CGI News - Luxury Visuals (October) ๐Ÿ“ฐ

๐Ÿ”จ TOOLS

Seamless Textures
Architextures is a procedural texture generator that allows you to create and edit seamless textures, bump maps and CAD hatches. 
https://architextures.org/

Lazy Manager
Lazy Manager allows users to copy and paste objects, materials, and modifiers across multiple instances of 3ds Max and includes support for sharing these assets across an entire studio of artists using a shared network location.
https://jokermartini.com/product/lazy-manager/

Image Texture Resizing
Another tool from Joker Martini worth checking out is Image Texture Resizing. With a one-click solution artists can resize images using a non-destructive method. Always leaving the original file untouched and unaltered. At any point in time users can choose to restore their textures to the full resolution if they wish. Anytime a new lower resolution is generated, it uses the original image to generate it.
https://jokermartini.com/product/image-texture-resizing


โŽ AWARDS

Student Alex Massey got published on the Creative Pool homepage
Student and Facebook member Alex Masseyโ€™s detail shot from the Interior Rendering Course got featured on the Creative Pool homepage. Congrats Alex.
https://bit.ly/3kdgjHK


๐Ÿ“บ WATCH

Triplanar Map Tutorial 
Here is a really interesting video on Triplaner Mapping from the guys at Corona. Even if you donโ€™t use Corona Render Engine, this video is well worth a watch as V-Ray also has a Triplanar Map.
https://youtu.be/7Fruh5i-Zp4


๐Ÿ“… DATES

17th - 20th November Autodesk University 2020
Autodesk University is a must and this year it is online and free. Make sure to check out some of the sessions, including an industry talk by yours truly.
https://www.autodesk.com/autodesk-university/conference


30th November Chaos Groups Render Challenge Deadline
Chaos Groups student rendering challenge is on. For more information check out the link and make sure to submit your work before the deadline to be in for a chance to win some awesome prizes.
https://www.chaosgroup.com/illumination


๐Ÿ“ฐ ET CETERA

Join The Group
The work being posted in the Facebook group is getting better and better. Feel free to join the group and post your work. You can also post any CGI related questions here.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/luxuryvisualsacademy

Render On!

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Create a V-Ray IPR Keyboard Shortcut for Quicker Rendering

Saimah got in touch and asked if there was a quicker way to start the V-Ray Interactive Production Rendering (IPR). He said he found going through the Render Settings, and from the frame buffer time-consuming.

Is there a way to create a shortcut?

2020-07-14 10_18_41-Online Courses - Anytime, Anywhere _ Udemy.png

The answer is yes we can make a keyboard shortcut and this is probably the quickest way to run an interactive render.

2020-07-20 14_32_02-Window.png

Before I show you that, I just want to make you aware of the IPR button in the V-Ray toolbar. If you click and hold on render you will see a dropdown with V-Ray IPR on.


2020-07-20 14_35_36-Window.png

I looked in the Customise UI under the V-Ray Keyboard shortcuts and could not see a โ€˜Run Interactiveโ€™ shortcut in here. We do have the option for IPR in the viewport but I prefer rendering in the frame buffer.

2020-07-20 15_01_10-Window.png

So letโ€™s use a script. To start a V-Ray IPR render using scripts we can type vrayStartIPR() in the MaxScript Mini Listener (in the bottom left of the screen). So typing vrayStartIPR() and hitting enter will start the V-Ray Interactive render we want. But we donโ€™t want to type or copy and paste this every time. So letโ€™s create a keyboard shortcut for that.

Create a Script

Go to Scripting > New Script.

2020-07-20 14_42_46-Window.png
  1. We want this to be a macro script so type macroscript.

  2. Then type the name of your script, I called it VRayIPR.

  3. Next, write category: this is going to help us find our script from the Customise UI menu. I will call mine โ€œLuxury Visualsโ€

  4. And finally, add vrayStartIPR()

So all together it should look something like thisโ€ฆ

macroscript VrayIPR category: "Luxury Visuals" 
(vrayStartIPR())

Now save this. I just saved it to the desktop. Then I dragged and dropped it into the viewport.

Assign a Shortcut

Go to Customize > Customize UI and under keyboard find the Luxury Visuals category from the dropdown. Click on VrayIPR, in the hotkey assign your keyboard shortcut. I used Ctrl+\ and hit assign.

Now thatโ€™s assigned, when you hit Ctrl+\ you will start a V-Ray Interactive Production Render.

This is how I would tackle the problem, if you know an easier way I would love to hear it. There is a video of this process below. If you enjoyed using scripts to speed up your 3d work then check out how to make a copy and paste script video.


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โ˜• CGI News - Luxury Visuals (September) ๐Ÿ“ฐ

๐Ÿ”จ TOOLS

Autodesk releases 3ds Max 2021.2
A huge update for 3ds Max users. The smart extrude is a massive addition and will change the way we model. Other updates include, spline chamfer, bake to texture and UI and selection improvements. 
https://makeanything.autodesk.com/3dsmax

Corona Renderer 6 for 3ds Max Released
Corona Renderer 6 for 3ds Max is focused on attaining greater realism and speeding up your workflow. Some highlights include a new sky model, randomized tiling, new lens effects and 78 new materials.  
https://blog.corona-renderer.com/corona-renderer-6-for-3ds-max-released

โŽ AWARDS

CGI Finalist International Design Awards 2020 
Last year I worked with SHH Architects on a project in Paris called Latitude La Dรฉfense. The visuals are now finalists in the SBID International Design Awards CGI category. You can see the work in the link and also give it a vote if you like them :)
https://www.internationaldesignexcellenceawards.com/finalist/latitude-la-defense/

Illumination Student Rendering Challenge
Chaos Group is hosting a rendering challenge for high school or university students. The theme of the challenge is light. The deadline is November 30th.
https://www.chaosgroup.com/illumination

 

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Learn CGI from the experts with simple workflows, tools, and tutorials.

๐Ÿ“บ WATCH

Distress Furniture Edges in 3ds Max
In this video I show one of the best methods I have found to distress furniture edges in 3ds Max.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV2a7EkHD98

Add Stickers to Glass in 3ds Max | V-Ray Blend Material
Easily add stickers to glass using the V-Ray Blend material. 
https://youtu.be/tDALWFGATj8

๐Ÿ“… EVENTS

Adobe MAXโ€”The Creativity Conference
Adobe will host Adobe MAX on October 20-22. A uniquely immersive and engaging digital experience. It will be 3 days of speakers, celebrity appearances, art projects, and 350+ sessions โ€” and all at no cost.
max.adobe.com

๐Ÿ“– READ

3ds Max and Corona Renderer: 5 Tips To Create Your Best Visual Ever
5 tips that will save you buckets of time when using Corona for 3ds Max
https://www.luxuryvisuals.com/jaked3d/corona-renderer-top-5

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๏ปฟ

Modelling CGI Assets in 3Ds Max : 5 Tips To Create Your Best 3D Models Ever

Quick Summary

Here is a quick summary of what my blog post will cover so you can decide if this article is for you.

These are the tips in no particular order.

  1. Shapes From Lines. Extract edges from a mesh to create complex seams.

  2. Wire Volume Box. The best way to model to scale.

  3. Add Noise To Everything. Nothing is really flat, so it shouldnโ€™t be in CGI.

  4. Drop Cushions. Use the cloth modifier to drop soft objects.

  5. Create Easy Rotations. Use Select and Link for hinges.

Do you want step-by-step instructions to implement all these tips? 

Alright, but before that letโ€™s see what 3D Modelling is, here is a video from the 3D Modelling Course.

๏ปฟThe Tools


The tips I am going to show you are from the 3D Modelling with 3ds Max course, but don't worry about that just yet, check out the tips and see if you like them, because if you don't like them then the course definitely won't be for you ..

These are a few of the things I personally do to speed up my 3D modelling and add that extra level of realism.

After you're done reading and watching, you'll have new techniques to use when creating 3D models. My objective is to provide you with techniques so that you can start replicating the results in your own models for your own work.

The tips I am going to share are going to save you buckets of time in the long run and improve your models, so invest in yourself now and learn these techniques. I'll now go into details of my favourite tips using 3ds Max. Apply whats good and ditch what's not.

If you have not got 3ds Max installed you can find the trial version here (3ds Max)  



1. Shapes From Lines

How to extract edges from a mesh to create complex seams. To add seams to a pillow is rather simple when you know what you are doing. It looks great and adds that extra level of realism to your 3D model. 

Once you have your pillow modelled, using cloth and noise to give that killer finishing touch, grab the edge loop.


To Select an Edge Loop

  1. double click the edge.

  2. or click Loop under Selection in the edit poly.

Loop Select.gif

With our edge selected click Create Shape.

2020-08-18 16_25_21-Sofa Scene.max - Autodesk 3ds Max 2020.png

Your edges now become a new object. (the pivot will stay relative to the original object so a quick, Hierarchy> Affect Pivot Only and Center to Object would not go a miss.

2020-08-18 16_26_43-Fitbit.png

Now we have our edge all we need to do is add thickness by enabling Render in Viewport and Render.

2020-08-18 16_28_25-Sofa Scene.max - Autodesk 3ds Max 2020.png

We can choose from Radial or Rectangular and select the thickness. 

Hereโ€™s a video of it in action from the course.


2. Wire Volume Box


When I started 3D, one of the hardest things for me to grasp was the idea of building in three dimensions. I remember on my first day at University being told to model a car from blueprints. I was stumped, I couldnโ€™t understand the idea of modelling in 3D space.

To ease this I started to create and use โ€˜volume boxesโ€™ to get a better understanding of the scale and how an object would sit in 3D space. This helped me tremendously compared to using just blueprints alone.

Itโ€™s really easy to set up a volume box, and when you add a wire material rather than just making it See-Through in the object properties. It is much less intrusive. 

Letโ€™s take a look at how we can create a volume box as reference to help us with modelling in 3D.

  1. The first thing you are going to need are dimensions for your object. In this example, we can see the dimensions on the manufactures website.

2020-08-19 12_34_42-003_01 Rough Reference Box.mp4 - VLC media player.png

2. The next step is the create a box the height, width and depth of our object. So now we can see the overall size of our sofa.

2020-08-19 12_36_54-003_01 Rough Reference Box.mp4 - VLC media player.png

3. We can add in the armrest height, seat height and the legs as edges on our box.

2020-08-19 12_39_58-003_02 Reference Images.mp4 - VLC media player.png

4. Add a Standard Material to the box and enable Wire. Change the opacity to 0 to hide the triangles that are shown and now you should only see the wireframe in your viewport.

2020-08-19 12_44_13-004_01 Creating the Base Part 1.mp4 - VLC media player.png

5. Finally, turn off โ€˜Show Frozen in Greyโ€™ in the Display Properties and freeze our box so it doesnโ€™t get in the way.

2020-08-19 12_47_52-004_01 Creating the Base Part 1.mp4 - VLC media player.png

Hereโ€™s a video that might help,


3. Add Noise To Everything

Nothing in real life is actually flat, so it shouldnโ€™t be flat in CGI. When you see light bouncing off of a surface it is never going to bounce perfectly. This is the number one give away that an image is computer generated. It looks too perfect. The edges are too sharp or everything is perfectly flat.

I would suggest adding noise to a model using the noise modifier. Adding a noise map to the bump is cool, but for me subdividing the mesh and adding a noise modifier is the way forward. Hereโ€™s a quick demo of what I mean.

4. Drop Cushions 

I struggled with this for ages. If you want to make cushions and make them look realistic then you need to be using the cloth modifier. 

  • Your model can be pretty basic.

2020-08-21 11_53_48-004_05 Cloth Modifier Cushions.mp4 - VLC media player.png
  • Add the cloth modifier you can drop your cushion model onto a collision object. In this case the sofa.

2020-08-21 11_54_25-004_05 Cloth Modifier Cushions.mp4 - VLC media player.png

Here is a full video on how itโ€™s done.


5. Create Easy Rotation Points with Select and Link


Pivot points and rotations can start getting messy. Especially when you want to start rotating something like this lamp.

2020-06-22 14_14_23-Window.png


Luckily we can use Select and Link to define the relationship between two objects by linking them as child and parent.

2020-08-21 13_35_08-Select and Link.mp4 - VLC media player.png

Have a watch of the video below to see what I meanโ€ฆ


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Your Next Steps ..

I hope you enjoyed this article and learned a thing or two .. :-)

If you feel like upgrading your โ€œskillsโ€ you can check out the full 3D Modelling Course.

If not, I hope you have enjoyed the article. I would love to hear your modelling tips and if you have any suggestions for new articles, please put them in the comments below.


Render On!

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๏ปฟ

โ˜• CGI News - Luxury Visuals (August) ๐Ÿ“ฐ

๐Ÿ“– READ

Modelling CGI Assets in 3ds Max
A brand new article on things to speed up 3D modelling and add that extra level of realism.
https://www.luxuryvisuals.com/jaked3d/3d-modelling

๐Ÿ”จ TOOLS

PolyCloth Plugin | Cloth brushes for 3dsMax
PolyClothโ€™s release coincides with the 3d modelling series. Check out the video below. I am really looking forward to using PolyCloth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kszzf46lIU&feature=emb_logo

Corona 6
Corona 6 for 3ds Max is nearly ready and should be released in the next few weeks. Now might be a good time to refresh yourself with Corona Render Engine.
https://www.luxuryvisuals.com/jaked3d/corona-renderer-top-5

๐Ÿ“บ WATCH

Dropping Pillows
Here is a demonstration on adding pillows to a sofa using gravity and cloth in 3ds Max.
https://youtu.be/pYPpE4Qh-8c

๐Ÿ“… EVENTS

24 Hours of Chaos
24 Hours of Chaos is a series of 10 back-to-back livestream sessions put together by Chaos Group. More information below.
https://www.chaosgroup.com/24-hours-chaos

Autodesk Vision Series
The Vision Series from Autodesk promises 3 days of virtual presentations and panels on the future of the industry straight from the minds of Autodesk thought leaders and customers. You can register using the link below.
https://makeanything.autodesk.com/events/vision-series-2020

Digital Content Creation on AWS
I have been following the world of cloud/remote work with great interest and I am enjoying seeing how artists and studios are adapting to remote work via the cloud. Amazon has a webinar coming up about this, โ€˜Learn how creative studios can take advantage of the cloud to help with remote work, scale production pipelines and increase artist productivity..โ€™https://pages.awscloud.com/GLOBAL-OE-Digital-Content-Creation-on-AWS-2020-reg-event.html

Render On!

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August's CGI News

๐Ÿ›  TOOLS

3ds Max Indie License
3ds Max Indie is now available in a lot more countries, check here to see if yours is on the list. The 3ds Max Indie license is $250 (or equivalent), it has no limitations and to qualify your gross revenue needs to be under $100,000 per year.
https://makeanything.autodesk.com/3dsmax-indie

๐Ÿ“บ WATCH

3ds Max Webinar
Just in case you missed the webinar from the 3ds Max team, as well as special guests K6 Media Group and Hoare Lea. Here is the link.
https://autodesk.wistia.com/medias/cz12or26yw


Use the Cloth Modifier to Create Pillows in 3ds Max
Here is a video to demonstrate how to add pillows to a sofa so they sit naturally. Using gravity and cloth we can easily have cushions that sit nicely on a sofa in 3ds Max.
https://youtu.be/pYPpE4Qh-8c


Project Lavina
Project Lavina lets you explore your 3D scenes in real-time, in a 100% raytraced environment. Chaos Group hosted a webinar to demonstrate Project Lavina. More info and webinar link below.
https://www.chaosgroup.com/lavina
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bd7aSS0EkQM&

๐Ÿ“… DATES

Autodesk University - November 17th - 20th
Autodesk University is on between November 17th and the 20th this year and I will be presenting an Industry Talk called Using 3ds Max with Photography To Hit Deadlines for Advertising Campaigns. Thank you if you voted for my talk.
autodesk.com/autodesk-university/

Autodesk Portfolio Review - August 25th
In their webinar, Autodesk mentioned 20-minute sessions available with industry experts to review portfolios. This is on August 25th. There isn't a solid link yet, but keep an eye on the website below.
area.autodesk.com

๐Ÿ“ฐ ET CETERA

CamTrackAR - FREE 3D tracking video capture for iOS
Unreal Spotlight by The Mill

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๏ปฟ

Where has the VRayHDRI Map gone?

The V-Ray 5 release has come with some fantastic updates. It has also come with some less publicised updates. Leaving some users wondering where the VRayHDRI map has gone, and if it is gone, what map do I use to load a HDRI into V-Ray?

In short, the VRayHDRI has been renamed VRayBitmap in V-Ray 5. In older versions of V-Ray we would add a VrayHDRI map from the Material Browser and plug it into our Dome Light.

Versions previous to V-Ray 5 had a VRayHDRI map

Versions previous to V-Ray 5 had a VRayHDRI map

Now in V-Ray 5 we can use a VRayBitmap instead and plug it into our Dome Light.

The VRayBitmap has replaced the VRayHDRI map

The VRayBitmap has replaced the VRayHDRI map

You can see the Parameters are pretty much the same and just the name has changed.

If you open an old scene in V-Ray 5 you will notice that it will automatically update to a V-Ray Bitmap.


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