Photoshop for Arch Viz: Project Based Post-Processing Course

I am a digital artist that has created imagery for many different formats, but my primary specialty is architectural visualization. This field requires an artist to be very well rounded. I have to know the entire 3d process from beginning to end, including animation tools, video editing, compositing software, etc.

Learn a little bit more about what I do in this video, and see some examples of my work. I think you will be impressed enough to want to know more about how I achieve my results.

This is not a beginning Photoshop course. I will expect you to know your way around, at least a little bit, in Photoshop. If you don't, feel free to join my other course on Photoshop. It is meant for beginners, and although it is specifically teaching how to paint, it will also teach the basic functions of Photoshop. The other option would be to join anyway, and pick things up as you go. You might feel a little bit overwhelmed at first, but eventually you should be able to follow along, especially if you are already computer savvy.

This is a comprehensive Photoshop course for all things architectural visualization. Arch viz artists need Photoshop every day, if they are doing their jobs correctly. This course teaches you everything you need to know to take your renderings to the next level. I'll give all the tips and techniques I know, which is a lot. I guarantee your renderings are going to be looking better after taking this course.

The course will have two distinct segments. The first will be processing jpeg images using adjustment layers, overlays, alpha channels, etc. The second segment will be about compositing an image using floating point (32 bit) render channels. If you don't understand that distinction, just follow the entire course. Both are necessary, and you will be glad that you understand all the techniques that are shared in both sections.

Here I will show you how to setup your model file to get the most out of your rendering in post.

We will use the built in V-Ray and 3ds Max tools to create clean selection sets for ourselves, thus enabling more control in Photoshop to adjust colors, etc.

In this lecture, I will show you how to setup up your Photoshop file, and then we are ready to go.

Here I will revisit selection sets, because they can be very powerful when processing an image. I will show you more about how to use the built-in tools, and also show you a really handy script that makes things easier.

This video just shows how to load the script that we have downloaded. It also shows a little bit about UI customization inside of 3ds Max.

Here I will show how to use the trackscripts tool effectively.

Here I quickly demonstrate how to put the MultiMatte Render channels to use.

Here I will show you my Photoshop file, explain how I set it up, and show you how to get everything going so that you will be ready to process your renderings as well.

Here we will review what you have learned so far. I want to make sure we are on the same page. If you do not understand something that we have gone over so far, please let me know in the discussion board. Also, some things I have shown you how to do, but we have not actually put them into use yet. The next section will start to bring everything together. Let's review before going forward.

Let's get a feel for what you already know, then we will try to add to it in this section. Hopefully by the end of this section, the answer to these questions are very obvious.

Follow the link in this lecture to get my Photoshop files if you are interested in practicing with those.

Here I show you how to put the selection channels to use in Photoshop. In architectural visualization, it is often important to get materials and colors just right. This is a great way to fine tune without having to rerender.

Here we use Photoshop and our selection sets to adjust the colors of the trees that were rendered out of 3ds Max. We use the color adjustments to bring all the colors and levels into harmony with each other.

In architectural visualization, it is common to composite your 3ds Max rendering into a photo background, or maybe just replace the sky. Photoshop makes that easy with the use of alpha channels.

V-Ray gives us the capability of producing individual render channels out of 3ds Max. These can be very useful in Photoshop. Here we will begin to make use of them to enhance our architectural rendering.

Here we use more render channels. Self-Illumination and Reflection are both commonly used V-Ray render channels.

Here we examine the remaining V-Ray render channels.

How much do you already know about compositing an image from 32-bit render channels in Photoshop? Let's find out. Then, I will give you all the knowledge you need to master it, so don't feel bad if you don't know the answers yet.

More tips for adding and editing 2d cutouts into your scene. This video will help you to make sure they really fit into your scene.

In this section, we will continue processing the image. Here you will put on all the final touches in Photoshop.

Curves are a very powerful tool in Photoshop. For post-processing architectural images, I use them to edit color and contrast. This video shows how.

More Photoshop adjustments, using adjustment layers to enhance the scene.

Blending modes are also an important part of post-processing your architectural images in Photoshop. One that I use in particular is the Overlay blending mode. This video demonstrates its power.

More about blending modes and Overlays.

Instead of rendering lens effects out of 3ds Max, you can just add them in using Photoshop, my preferred method. It is easy. I'll show you how.

A few more finishing touches. We'll go over sharpening, blurring, vignetting, and chromatic aberration using Photoshop.

Our image is done, thank you. Make sure to check out the bonus course to find out where to go next.

- Use Photoshop adjustment layers to color grade your image

- Dramatically change the look and feel of your image using simple adjustments

- Adding people to your scene

- Proper techniques for placing / scaling people properly to make them fit their surroundings

- Composition theory for adding people to an arch viz scene

- Where to get good 2d people cutouts

- 3d vs 2d people

- Color grade the composited people until they fit seamlessly into their surroundings

- Use Photoshop to adjust their tone, color, lighting, etc.

- Use Photoshop to dramatically change how your image looks

- Add reflections, major color adjustments, etc. to entirely change the mood of the image

- Learn some NPR (non photo real) techniques in Photoshop and make your image look a little more like an illustration.

THANKS FOR WATCHING!

This video is a breakdown of all my Photoshop work on an actual project. I briefly go through each layer and show its effect on the overall layer. I think it will be helpful to show you what a professional workflow actually looks like, and to demonstrate again how dramatic of an effect Photoshop can have.