Advice needed - building on location

[applemango85]

Hi

I’m currently self teaching myself the sketchup vray plugin and post processing methods in general.

I’m working on a project where the brief is to model a 3d house from provided plans and elevations and create a photo realistic concept render set within its site and surrounding built environment.(neighbouring houses, etc)

(I’m having a bit of trouble explaining so bear with me)

The site is located in a already established suburban locations - lots of houses.

Obviously I need to start by modelling the house in sketchup.

However I don’t know what direction is the norm for the post processing and rendering stage when introducing the surrounding environment

When searching online I noticed that large concept design renders (such as offices, museums) all the surrounding buildings and environment seems to be modelled then rendered fully with very little added from photos in post processing on photoshop

Individual house models use a variety of techniques from a full rendered background to using a background photo in sketchup to using a clay model in photoshop and adding building materials on top

I just don’t know what method to use in this project and I can’t find any good examples on

As it isn’t a big project it seems a bit extreme to model the surrounding houses (and site) to high detail as well
However I don’t know if using a site photo and ‘blending in’ the house method so it doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb is right either.

I’m having real trouble explaining as you can tell

Would any of the experienced renderers on sketchucation be able to advise me either via this thread or private message (I’ll be able to provide an example image via message)

Many thanks in advance

[rspierenburg]

One of the most common methods is to take some site/context photos of the site with surrounding buildings, use sketchup to place the model using photomatch, then adjust shadows to match the context photo, render the model and in post processing "add" the rendered building to the context photo.

[pbacot]

If I could I might try a photomatch version as noted. This way you have a context picture. It might be a little cludgy unless you spend a lot of time trying to make it blend. If so you can always do a nicely rendered version as well with whatever background you want.

[applemango85]

Thanks for all the advice so far

Can you guys expand on the photo match theory a bit more
All the examples I’m finding online is using the photo match to make the building itself from the photo
I’m having trouble finding examples of photomatch being used to position a already modelled sketchup house in the correct position on the photo before rendering on vray (or another render engine) and then post processing on photoshop to blend it into the photo

The nearest relevant example I can find so far is this one
https://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=19245
I’m still trying figuring out the full photomatch process in this case

I understand why people try to avoid this ‘photoblend’ method of photo realistic rendering (and prefer close up renders) as it is so difficult. Probably why I’m finding so few examples online

This is one of best examples I found of it being done well but these people are experts. As a beginner there’s only so well I’m going to be able to do
https://www.the-boundary.com/studio/services/cgis

The lack of in depth tutorials of any of this online or books (that I know of) doesn’t help

[pbacot]

As far as the second post processing part, I wouldn't know how well that would go but probably can be done with some brute force.

The first part would be making a successful import of the photo in Sketchup and aligning the vanishing points, getting it in scale etc. Then I would begin drawing lines from a reference corner of the wall, paving etc. to draw in the space and locate the position of the new building. Then I would position the model on those lines.

People do use this for modeling additions or new buildings on a site. The process is the same. You model less of the existing buildings--you are just modeling surfaces and reference lines to get to correct position of your new building.

Those who are into photo realistic rendering probably find it doesn't meet their standards. Those who are doing NPR probably find it hard to blend in an attractive manner.

Here is an example without using renderer but with SU and some PS work. The original existing photo and one example of a new entry design modeled in SU.

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