What happened before architectural rendering?

Before 3D rendering software came along, images were created by hand (and some architects continue sketching today – it’s a beautiful skill!).

Specialized artists would use traditional mediums such as pencil and paint to translate a project’s blueprints into scenes that could give a good impression of the finished construction. 

It took a great deal of skill and knowledge for these artists to be able to accurately capture the project’s various features, including dimensions, proportions, textures, and lighting. The expertise required to create quality drawings made it so that the job usually had to be outsourced, adding significant time and costs to an architect’s project.

When the initial rendering programs arrived, it could take hours to render a single image. The need for expertise was a barrier to adoption, and few professionals had the familiarity or know-how to work successfully with these programs.

Technology has since evolved, and now it’s possible to create an architectural rendering with the click of a button. Ease of use and an intuitive interface allows designers to DIY their renders and get stunning results in just a few seconds. Best yet, designers can go far beyond traditional visualization methods by creating videos, panorama tours, and exploring through virtual reality.

Who does architectural rendering?

With today’s real-time rendering solutions, anyone can create an architectural 3D rendering. The job no longer requires refined skills and expertise. While it certainly helps to have the aid of specialists when developing the finalized images for project presentations and marketing purposes, drafting preliminary images during the active design process is something that can be done without outsourcing or in-house specialists.

Any member of an architecture team can create a rendering using intuitive software that walks them through the process and automates even some of the most complex aspects of imaging. This frees up teams to speed through design work, making reference imagery available without the outsourcing delays that used to slow down the process.