topic Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks in Visualization

Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Arcadia — Thu, 11 May 2023 10:16:26 GMT

This is my second attempt at a kitchen and was done in Lightworks. It,s had a little photoshopping to finish off as well. Any comments or tips? Thanks.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Thomas Holm — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:40:15 GMT

Too harsh. Not a place where I'd enjoy my meals.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Arcadia — Mon, 04 May 2009 22:54:54 GMT

What do you mean by 'harsh'? Are you talking about lighting, furnishing, what? I'm after comments on the rendering not your personal taste in interior design. Don't be dismissive be constructive - I'm trying to self learn Lightworks here and this is only my second interior render.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Thomas Holm — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:11:03 GMT

Arcadia wrote:
What do you mean by 'harsh'? Are you talking about lighting, furnishing, what? I'm after comments on the rendering not your personal taste in interior design. Don't be dismissive be constructive - I'm trying to self learn Lightworks here and this is only my second interior render.

Sorry. I had no intention of disrespect. You asked for critique, and you got it. No offence meant.
I think your rendering is technically OK. It lacks feeling, the coziness of a warm, welcoming place, where I'd like to spend my time so much that I'd hire the architect to design it for me. In short, I think it lacks the 'story' that Dwight always speaks about, the story I want to tell the client. (But if you just want to say 'I can make high-tech kitchens just like any kitche salesman', look no further)

I think you should be glad that you've achieved such a technical level after only two attempts, that it's possible to critizise this way, instead of the simple 'it lacks undersun' etc. If you read Dwight's book(s) thoroughly you'll see what I mean. You'll have to raise your gaze from the tools after you're learnt them. Now is the time to think 'what do I want them to feel...' Just keep up speed and you'll get there in no time!

(oh, and by harsh, I meant the lighting in the first place. But color balance, color of light and ambience, etc etc, may also matter. If you want more detailed advice at this stage, you'll have to ask specific questions and describe what goals you're aiming for. It's not possible for us to conclude that from your picture. Personal taste is what it's all about)

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Arcadia — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:38:51 GMT

That's more like what I was asking for. It's the techincal aspects of the rendering I was interested in mainly and your comment about the warmth of the light I will take on board.

As far as the design of the kitchen and the colours selected goes well i would say a couple of things. One is I admit it shows a certain style but it is a style that is popular in middle class modern housing (in fact this is a holiday home) at a certain price point so the fact that you don't like it of course means little. The next point is this render is being done after the fact and the kitchen design is as my client wanted it so it is not for me to judge. I picked the colours and I chose warm colours and woodgrain to soften it rather than the harsh white mininalist kitchens that are popular.

Also you are viewing a small low-res pic. The full size pic does look better and slightly warmer. However I will try adding a bit of warmth to it - maybe by using a warming filter in PS. I've thought about buying Dwights book but its not cheap and I've spent $20k on my business this year so I've drawn a line and said no more for a while. I'm sure I will get more out of the book if I can learn as much as possible before I get it anyway. Thanks for the comments.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Arcadia — Mon, 04 May 2009 23:58:58 GMT

Version 2 with warmer lighting, boosted saturation and less sharpening for web display. Looks better I think.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Anonymous — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:16:08 GMT

Hi Arcadia
I could not do as well as you have done, because I don't need renderings in my practice and so don't work with them,yet.
However I think you might want to tone down the bright floor and refer, as highlights tend to draw the eye too fast.
In this case, the floor and refer draw the eye and try to steal the show.
The lighter ceiling I like because it gives meaning (source) for all the illumination and is up and out of the way, sort of.
Just a personal, photographers opinion.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Arcadia — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:26:59 GMT

Thanks Lec. I admit i struggled to get the floor tiles to not be so bright but still appear white. I agree with you about it being too dominant. I might actually try changing to a light beige tile with white grout instead to tone it down. Cheers.

BTW I don't really have much call for rendering in my practice either but one way to change this is to actually do a few and put them on your business website and things might change. I've actually got some more of this work coming up now. Makes a change from boring documenation!

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Erika Epstein — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:29:06 GMT

Very nice! Perhaps a warm tone to the lights on the table for a more welcoming atmosphere?

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Arcadia — Tue, 05 May 2009 00:38:48 GMT

Thanks Erika.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Anonymous — Tue, 05 May 2009 01:53:01 GMT

Pizza and a beer under the warm table lights and I'll want to
walk into the scene.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Arcadia — Tue, 05 May 2009 02:57:30 GMT

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Eduardo Rolon — Tue, 05 May 2009 02:57:56 GMT

I would check the camera height setting, feels like the person who took the photograph is 8' tall, you can see the top of the fridge.

I would level out the horizon/target also to see if the kitchen does not look so faaaaar awaaaaay.

Needs some bright colors, either flowers, or color lights.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Anonymous — Tue, 05 May 2009 03:46:42 GMT

Eduardo, I enjoy your insightful and knowledgeable comments on this forum.
However I would only disagree with suggested camera height.
When I'm photographing kitchens I usually take a higher viewpoint otherwise
the counters get foreshortened (look like a thin line).
And you would not be able to see the pepperonis on the pizza I ordered very well either.
I think what's wrong with top of frig is that it does not have stuff on it.
Ever seen a home without stuff on top of a refer:-))
And where's the Golden Retriever laying on the floor?

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Eduardo Rolon — Tue, 05 May 2009 04:04:06 GMT

No problem, but doesn't the LC sofa (nice leather texture BTW) for 2 persons look too big compared to the chairs at the kitchen table?

Something is off in the perspective and I can't pin point it what it is.

Either lack of reflections on the floors, lamps turned off though giving light, multiple shadows for the chairs or the cameraman is standing too far away?

Besides adding a color element/object to the image there could be something off in the composition of the shot.

Nothing major, just little tweaks.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Anonymous — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:18:04 GMT

Archadia
I really like the cabinets!
Did you make those out of walls?
Best I can tell from this shot, I like the color and texture!

What is up close as you know will appear quite large in what is effectively a flat 2d representation of 3d.
Our minds correct for this in the real world, but flat representations it does not.
I think the perspective on the dark furniture piece on the right is misbehaving if I had to throw a guess at perspective. An Archicad thing?
If only I could easily create something this good, I would.
Maybe just move in a bit with a wider angle lens? And actually raise the camera?
Shift cameraman to the right, kill the nice couch and dark table??
Add others great suggestions?

Really Nice job Archadia.
Thanks for letting my photography eye go wild:-))

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Arcadia — Tue, 05 May 2009 05:29:37 GMT

Thanks for the comments. I put in the sofa as otherwise I ended up with a boring stretch of floor tiles. It looks larger because the perspective is correct and it is closer. I don't find it unusual. I think the camera hieght is about 1.7m from memory (fridges are about 1.7 high) which is about right.

If you go in closer and use a wider angle of view you get more vertical distortion.

Cabinets are made using objects from 3dedge library (www.3dedge.com.au).

Some more objects like flowers would be nice but I have limited objects available at the moment in my library and I am disinclined to buy more at the moment so making do with what I've got.

I was actually pretty pleased with the leather texture too. Although you can't see much of it at this res.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Anonymous — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:02:24 GMT

Yep, vertical distortion.
Nasty little problem.
Guess that's why I still use a Linholf 4x5 with perspective control,(old school).
You can take you image into Photoshop and do the correction there.
Again, I think you did a great job!
Just getting carried away, (again).
Take care.
Good luck.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Arcadia — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:12:12 GMT

Yes a 4x5 works great for interiors if you can afford the cost of film stock. I certainly have used photoshop to straighten perspective in the past but you alway end up having to crop the image to square it off again so you need plenty of spare room on the edges.

Re: Critique of Kitchen Render from Lightworks

Thomas Holm — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:15:00 GMT

Arcadia wrote:
Also you are viewing a small low-res pic. The full size pic does look better and slightly warmer. However I will try adding a bit of warmth to it - maybe by using a warming filter in PS. I've thought about buying Dwights book but its not cheap and I've spent $20k on my business this year so I've drawn a line and said no more for a while. I'm sure I will get more out of the book if I can learn as much as possible before I get it anyway. Thanks for the comments.

You're missing my point. I have no problem with the style of the kitchen. But a warming PS filter doesn't cut it. And the low res has nothing to do about it either.

Dwight's book about Lightworks in Archicad costs less than you'd charge for two billable hours. You'd get that back in no time, if you follow the advice there.