In the past, architects were using professional ink pen – rapidographs, creating unique construction projects in specially inclined boards installed vertically at an angle. This painstaking work took maximum care, patience, and perfect accuracy in calculations. The era of global computerization allowed taking another look at the activities in the field of visual design. Software for visualization of the interiors made a breakthrough in the field of architectural design, making life easier for the millions of professionals on the planet.
3D Software for the visualization of the interior
This review is for three most popular software products of 3D design. The list includes the programs for modeling and visualization of the interior, which became widespread among professionals:
• Cinema 4D;
• Google ScketchUp;
• 3Ds Max.
The user is given the choice to order the 3D visualization or consider the characteristics of the presented programs, to create own unique designs.
A popular package for the production of three-dimensional graphics and animations
The most attractive for the USA designers is a versatile package for 3D rendering of the interior – Cinema 4D software, from the leading manufacturer for the creation of a three-dimensional animation, graphics, and other effects – the company MAXON Computer GmbH. The product’s advantages already were appreciated by millions of users:
• It has a simple and comprehensive interface;
• It stores a wide variety of “templates”, allowing the use of ready-made animations, embedded images, advanced shaders, so not to create objects “from scratch”;
• It has built-in Russian-language support;
• It can work with third-party renders. The most popular one is Cinema 4D Vray – universal rendering system which has proven itself in all areas of professional visualization;
• 10 additional modules are present: the simulation of the dynamics of hard and soft bodies, particles control using the nodes system, the formation of volumetric (bulk) effects (solar rays, dust, rain) and others. The system has an excellent compatibility with third-party programs such as Adobe After Effects or ArchiCad.
Cinema 4D is the best program for the visualization of the interior according to experts from various fields of professional design, architecture, and building design.
Google ScketchUp – modeling of simple three-dimensional objects
The program for creating interior visualizations, coupled with the renderer named Google ScketchUp Vray, allows designing quickly and efficiently, three-dimensional building objects, furniture, and other interior design elements. It is perfect for imaging objects in architecture, outdoor advertising, landscape design, engineering design, as well as for modeling the objects for 3D printing. The main disadvantage is the limited possibility to deal with more complex problems, for which it is difficult or impossible to:
• build models having complex structural elements;
• give the natural curvature to the objects;
• create accurate detalization.
Google ScketchUp is not suitable for work with voluminous and energy-consuming projects. Looking at the result, it is not difficult for a specialist to understand in what program such visualization of the interior has been made. For example, the shadows look unnatural. Managing raster textures is also impossible. There are no tools for the creation of a full-fledged animation.
Autodesk 3ds Max – modern tool for professionals in the field of multimedia
For designers, studying the programs for the interiors visualization, experts recommend popularized software, allowing to create accurate visualization scenes – 3Ds Max Vray. Built-in Vray rendering is not included in the standard package of 3Ds Max. The features of the system are in editing and creating of professional animation and three-dimensional graphics in the production of movies, games, animation, and videos. The program focuses on the design of complex architectural objects. It has a lot of useful tools:
• photorealistic renderer;
• means for adjusting the illumination and detailed analysis of three-dimensional objects;
• additional modules for generating realistic special effects: explosions, splashes of water and much more.
Considering its shortcomings, it should be noted that the design and visualization of the interior in this program is quite slow. High-tech hardware will be required to create complex three-dimensional structures. Some novice users complain about the difficulty in learning this program, but this product is not designed to work with standard elementary tasks. The programs for visualization of the interior are necessary for effective work of professional engineers and designers.