Realistic Architectural Renders in Lumion 10

Jul 21, 2024

Realistic Architectural Renders in Lumion 10

Navigation and Scene Setup

  • Example Scene: Use the new example scene in Lumion 10.
  • Navigation:
    • Right mouse button: look around.
    • Left-click: select an object, O + right mouse button: orbit.
    • WASD: move, Q/E: up/down.
    • Hold Shift/Space: move faster/fastest.
  • Layers: Hide all but the tutorial house layer for a fresh start.
  • Object Movement: Use options to move freely, vertically, horizontally, or manually input coordinates.

Editing Materials

  • Materials Tab: Click on material to edit, opens material library.
  • Material Editor: Options include colorization, glossiness, reflectivity, relief, scale.
    • Reset sliders for default settings.
    • Apply normal maps for texture and depth.
  • Material Types: Import CAD materials, replace with Lumion library materials, including glass, 3D grass, and foliage.
    • Glass materials auto-convert upon import.

Adding Context

  • Layer Management: Turn on layers for terrain, road, and sidewalk.
  • 3D Grass: Use material library under various tabs for realistic grass types.
  • Background Elements: Add houses, often imported from Sketchup or Lumion's library.
  • Foliage Properties: Adjust foliage on walls for leaves spread and size.

Special Effects

  • Displacement: New Lumion 10 feature for materials to add depth.
  • Weather Effects: Sun adjustments to check materials in different lighting.
  • Landscape Sculpting: Tools for adding elements like mountains, water bodies, and painting landscapes.

Object Placement

  • Object Library: Variety of nature, human, and car objects.
  • Placement Tools: Single placement, mass placement, cluster placement, and paint placement.
  • Fine Detail Nature: High-detail objects for close, detailed renders.
  • Hotkeys: Useful keys like R for rotation, H for height, L for size, and Ctrl for multiple selections.
  • Object Editing: Change transparency, rotation, size, and position. Group for bulk actions.

Creating Images and Videos

  • Photo Mode: Adjust camera settings (focal length, eye level, and angles).
  • High-Quality Preview: Real-time rendering preview.
  • Style Presets: Use and customize built-in styles for quick edits.
  • Reflection Planes: Use for realistic reflections, mindful of rendering power.
  • Layer Visibility: Control layer visibility for different views.
  • Night Views: Add lights from the lights category, use night activation mode for auto headlights.

Animations

  • Movie Mode: Create and edit movie clips, adjust speed and keyframes.
  • Animating Effects: Animate Sun for time-lapse, use Sun heading/height for accurate lighting.
  • Animating Objects: Use move and mass move effects for dynamic scenes.
  • Depth of Field: Control camera focus dynamically within the clip.
  • Precipitation Effects: Adjust for rain or snow, control detailed settings for better realism.
  • Aurora Borealis: New effect in Lumion 10 for stunning night scenes. Adjust brightness, color shift, speed.

Exporting

  • Render Settings: Choose output quality, frames per second, and resolution.
  • Sound Effects: Add and adjust sound, create transitions.
  • Final Renders: Render individual clips or the entire movie.

Take these steps to achieve detailed, realistic architectural renders in under one hour using Lumion 10.