About Me

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My Story

                    

I am a professional architectural visualizer working in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Prior to moving to Cambridge, I grew up in a small town in northwest Ohio called Deshler. I earned my architectural undergraduate degree from Bowling Green State University and a Master of Architecture degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. After graduation, I moved to Boston to work as an architect and spent four years in the field before deciding to focus on visualization full time in 2014.

Today, I run a visualization studio called Design Distill with my business partner, Andrew, and an amazing crew of artists. We are working with some of the best architects in the industry to illustrate their designs and bring the projects to life.

This Website

                    

I created this website in the summer of 2009 while a student at Miami University. The original intention was to use the website as a means of communication with my instructors to display the progress I was making on my thesis work. However, the site quickly turned into a place to upload all of my thoughts, work, and experiments, whether they pertained to my thesis or not.

Today, I focus the website around projects that I design that act as a framework and setup unique environments to allow me to explore design and architectural graphics at multiple scales. These projects are not for clients and are strictly created for illustrative purposes.

Every few years, I take these projects and combine them into a portfolio that I make available for purchase. Each portfolio reflects current questions I am exploring in my own process and a range of graphic styles. They are a lot of work, but are something I am really proud of.

Workshops

                     

It is always an honor to be asked to give lectures and hold workshops to discuss the broad topic of architectural visualization. These events have allowed me to connect with the some of the best artists, architects, and students; all passionate about visualization. The people and places I have visited have all had a profound impact on how I approach image making and why I continue to travel and learn.

If you are interested in workshops or hearing about how I create images, please contact me using the form below.

 

Contact Me

 

4 + 6 =

1693 Massachusetts Ave

Cambridge, MA 02138

Guest Book

222 Comments

  1. I like your work especially rendering techniques.. I have to pick up and brush up really soon. Thanks for your sharing thoughts and impressing work for inspiration! I'm currently studying architecture Year 2 in HKU.

    Reply
  2. Thanks Peggy, good luck at HKU.

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  3. the work was really very very inspiring ….
    made me leave 3dsmax and start sketchup again
    great work….:))

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  4. Hi, your videos really helped me in my photoshop editing. I am studying Landscape Architecture but your works inspires me. Keep up the GOOD WORK!

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  5. I have a suggestion for you. If living in Boston invest in a snow shovel !! HA How you doing Alex ??

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  6. Great work Alex. Great work…

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  7. i love your work. you really have a gift for presentation; your photoshop skills are amazing and portfolio was very impressive. keep up the website i would very much like to have regular visits to your new work.
    cheers,
    ryan
    MArch thesis student

    Reply
  8. Great website Alex. I finished my Architectural technology degree last May and have since been updating my profile, enhancing university work etc and your site has helped a lot with the learning process. This website is by far the best I have come across. It is inspirational to see such amazing graphics and what can be produced with Sketchup.

    Reply
  9. Thanks for the interesting work and tutorials shared! I'm used to 3dsmax, but some of your tutorials make me want to get started with sketchup asap 😀

    Reply
  10. Thank you for all of the positive feedback!

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  11. I love your website and your work! You are a talented and amazing person. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and tutorials. It's really helpful for me. 🙂

    All the best for you!

    Reply
  12. thanks for all the work you've done for your website. iv just started my architecture degree and im completely useless with software. hopefully its going to change now 😛 cheers!

    Reply
  13. Thank you Wynn and T

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  14. this is my second day reading your blog its very interesting and helpful, i hope to see more of you in the future cheers from chiapas mexico

    Reply
  15. Awesome work Alex. I am a 3rd year Architecture student in India. Your photoshop tutorials were really helpful. keep up your good work.
    All the very best for you!

    Thomas
    NIT Calicut
    India

    Reply
  16. Thanks. Its great to get these comments from around the world like this

    Reply
  17. hey, i really like ur stuff, thanx for this wonderful blog !!!
    all the best!!

    Reply
  18. I am second year student studying at the Birmingham School of Achitecture, UK. After spending hours searching the internet for ways in which I can present my work differently to others I came across your website. The tutorials are extremely informative and have helped me to develop my existing skills on programmes such Photoshop, Sketchup, etc and transform my work.

    Thank you Alex for sharing your knowledge and wisdom with the world and just maybe one day my work may look just as good as yours. Who knows!!

    Regarding the future of the site, have you thought about aiming it at students who can maybe learn from one another and share their knowledge through discussion boards and tutorial videos like the ones you made? Just a thought anyways.

    All the best in the future,

    Matthew

    Reply
  19. I must say, I am extremely impressed and inspired by the content of this site. I am getting my Bachelors of Architecture this May, which means I'm currently working on own thesis. You have been of great help, especially through your tutorials and graphic representations. It is amazing. Thanks a lot, and please, keep doing what you do and updating as often as you can, so young students/professionals like myself and others can learn from those who came before us.

    Reply
  20. Matthew,
    Its interesting that you say that, because I have been thinking a lot about setting up a discussion section/forum for the site. I get a lot of questions through email that seem beneficial for all visitors to see. This is something I will look further into this summer when I have a little more free time. Thanks for the comments

    Thanks Aaron and Lukas for the kind compliments as well.

    Reply
  21. Wow! Thanks for sharing your work and how to create nice presentations! They look amazing! I'm about to go into first year Graduate school at CCA in San Francisco, and I don't think I have the ability to create the graphics like the way you do! Thanks for your blog, it will help me tremendously! As I am trying to still figure out how to operate Sketcup and Photoshop properly. Gosh..now I'm worried that my work is going to be the worse as I'm about to start grad school.

    Reply
  22. Alex,

    Thank you for sharing your amazing work! I am an architect living in Italy and unfortunately unemployed… but this motivated and inspired me again! Learning from it a lot. Keep up this excellent website and thank you again!!

    Reply
  23. Knowledge shared is knowledge parlayed. Thanks for keeping your site after your thesis, Alex. It is to me a source of inspiration and a springboard for experimentation as I guess you have done extensively to come up with all the work here. Your work is excellent. And yes, you will keep raising the bar.

    Reply
  24. i think you saved my final presentation! i have not finished everything yet, but your videos are EXCELLENT! and please keep going. your work is amazing!

    Reply
  25. Youre creations and tutorials inspire me alot.
    I hope that we still can enjoy youre work in the future.
    Just looking at youre work make me want to open kerky and photoshop and start trying. Even so much that, as an interiorarchitect in Belgium, I now want to study graphical design to further develop my skills.

    Alex, really thank you!

    Reply
  26. Alex, Thank you for this wonderful web site and tutorials. I have learned a lot from your work. I too am an architecture student at the University of Idaho and am often too busy to research presentation/imaging ideas and your web site has become my 'go-to' for architectural imaging. This is a truly wonderful web site. thank you.

    amy

    Reply
  27. Thanks everyone for such positive feedback. This is what keeps me going!

    Reply
  28. Alex first let me tell you I'm Portuguese and so my English may be a little bit bad.

    Two years ago I graduated in Master Architect.

    I just have to tell you that please never abandon this project (personal website). This is my source of inspiration in recent times. Never at any time I have evolved both in the 3D rendering, and especially as Photoshop when I discovered your wonderful website.

    I love your work and how you develop your representation techniques. I follow the same almost religious way.

    Thank you for sharing your experience. It is rare to find people with a mind so open and with the spirit of help that you have shown.

    Few days left for the official launch of my website [www.azeromais.com] and hope to present some of my work based on your "tips and tricks."

    Many many thanks
    João Torres
    from Portugal

    Reply
  29. Super website! very impressive stuff. thanks for being so generous with your work and techniques. how did you start this site?

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  30. Great work Alex.
    Your renderings, tutorials and blog are awesome.
    For me personally, your box-creations are the most inspiring. Lots of work, but what a result.
    Also many thanks for the link to Alex Roman's The Third and The Seventh.

    I am a teacher for adults in Photoshop, Autocad, and so on. I have a part-time job as a architectural draftsman in a major hospital in Belgium and work as a freelancer designing and making kitchens, bathrooms, dressings… Turning wood is a hobby for me. My father, who died the first of may this year, was an architect and fan of Van der Rohe, Rogers, Foster,…. So you see why I am interested in your work and the things you do and create.

    Thanks for sharing,

    Bruno,
    Belgium

    Reply
  31. I am seriously in love with your work and your passion.
    I study in Miami, FL. I wonder if I can catch up!

    Reply
  32. Bruno,
    Im sorry to here about your father. The boxes were also some of my favorite projects to design and work on. I wish you luck in the future with all of your work.

    Thanks to everyone else for such great compliments.

    Reply
  33. love your photoshop + skp trick
    thx

    Reply
  34. Hey Alex,
    u have a great portfolio …like ur style of architecture……..can u share live ur projects
    i am an architecture student from india….i am looking for getting structural and spatial solutions through programs like grasshopper but have not been successful to a larger extend…..do u have any suggestions for me as to what i can do……Thank you

    Reply
  35. your work is so great! where was I when you first started this website!??! I graduated with a BArch in May of 2010 and I still cant make rendering like yours…(a little sad..I know). I noticed that your work changed alot in 3D rendring from Srping of 08 to Fall of 09. is that when you learned most of your stuff or am i just making a wild assumption. heck either way your work is great and your tutorials are very helpful! especially the advice on not using illustrator so much because it is too diagrammatic. can you beleive it but.. the professors actually encoraged us to use this so much that one semester i ended up with something that looked like a children's book.. lol. anyways keep on posting! thanks for everything!!

    Reply
  36. Hi Alex!
    Thank you so much for sharing your work and your techniques on the website. I'm an architecture student from Morocco and I work with Archicad, sketchup and V-ray. I was always so frustrated because I was working so hard on my projects but the final renderings were not good no matter how hard I tried. I'm trying out your tips and techniques and I already adore the result! So thank you again!
    PS: It's not just your final renderings that are great, the architectural quality of your buildings is also amazing! so congratulations!

    Reply
  37. I just had to say that your blog is wonderful and I enjoyed looking at all so much!!!! I have such a talented and super son-in-law.

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  38. ALL of your images and tutorials are extremely helpful to my bachelor graduation project. Thanks a lot for sharing.

    Reply
  39. Alex,

    Great site and tutorials! I would like to invite you to join Presenting Architecture http://www.presentingarchitectre.com. Membership and listings are FREE! Also I would love to include your tutorials on the site.

    Please let me know your thoughts.

    Sincerely,

    Rob

    Reply
  40. Thank you for a great site with rich content. Keep ut the good work!

    Reply
  41. Hi Alex,

    I just decided to follow all of your inspiring work. I love your dedication to Architecture, wish all the best for you.

    Respectfully yours,

    Miftah Arief

    Reply
  42. Hi, I am a third year student the university of texas, thanks for every thing you have posted, It is all great and has given me a lot of good ideas as well as a good amount of help in photo shop. I now plan to follow you as long as you have the site up.

    Thanks again, C. Boyd

    Reply
  43. I have been watching every tutorial you make. You are a genius and I respect the hell out of you.

    Some great inspiration as I plan on transferring soon.

    Keep up the good work, we all greatly appreciate it.

    Gerry

    Reply
  44. Muito bom!!! Me tornei um fã! Muita determinação e muito trabalho gratificante.
    Faz muito do que gosto de fazer, espero aprender mais com este blog.

    Obrigado

    p.s.: try brazilian portuguese to translate! lol…

    Giulianno Camatta

    Reply
  45. Hi Alex! I have been following your blog for a few months now… I have discovered it before starting my portfolio and it helped me so much to improve the graphical quality of my work! I think it's the first time that I showed someone my work without being insecure about it! and the first time that I'm really proud of it! I just wanted to thank you for sharing valuable information about graphical design on your blog. You are really helping and inspiring a lot of people!

    Reply
  46. @Miftah, boyd, Gery, Camatta & SaraS,
    thanks for the kind words and taking the time to write me. I really appreciate it!

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  47. Alex,

    All I can say is WOW… I've learned a lot from your tutorials. They are all helpful since I am studying architecture at University of Hawaii at Manoa. I am currently on my second year of seven years doctorate program. I really need these extra tips to help me advanced in my studio classes. Thanks a lot.

    Much Aloha,

    Phap Vu
    SoA at UH Manoa

    Reply
  48. I'm currently a 4th year BArch student at UT. I came across this website through google and was very happy. Your tutorials are very clear and I can see this as a great tool for me to refine my presentations. Thank you!

    Reply
  49. Hey,
    Congrats for the great blog. I will definitely follow it :)))

    Reply
  50. Alex,

    Great stuff, you have helped me tremendously!! Keep the sight up and running…

    Reply
  51. Hello, Alex. I'm Tu, a student of architecture.
    I've knew accidentally ur blog from youtube two days ago. And when i write these words, i've already read and learn so much from all ur post(from page7 to page1). All i want to say is great blog, and it inspired me so much. I bookmark ur blog and from now, i will watch ur step.
    Great thanks and all the best for u, Alex!
    Best regard!
    From: mr.tu – Vietnam
    p/s: sorry for my bad english, hope u still understand 😛

    Reply
  52. Hi,

    I like your work especially rendering techniques. Thanks for your sharing thoughts and impressing work for inspiration!
    I' have completed my graduation in Architecture n currently doing postgraduation in Landscape.

    Your photoshop skills are amazing and portfolio was very impressive. keep up the website i would very much like to have regular visits to your new work. It's really helpful for me.

    All the best for you! 🙂 🙂 🙂
    – s n e h a

    Reply
  53. I was searching for tutorials on using GIMP or Photoshop and stumbled upon your website. Great stuff! Helped be out a lot, Im a second year student at UTB, the Architecture program is new and has only been around for a coupe a years. Im hoping to transfer to UH or Texas Tech and need a really good portfolio. Thanks again and keep posting your great work.

    Reply
  54. Hello Alex,

    I found Your page while I was searching for tips how to improve my projects. I was positively shocked by the amount of helpful informations, which are in Your wonderful tutorials – thank You! They're so great that I'll certainly come back to this site to learn more, because currently I'm studying architecture on Gdańsk University of Technology (Poland).

    Reply
  55. hey

    what can i say, i am very inspired by your rendering techniques its the real deal. I am currently a year 2 Architecture student at Nottingham Trent University UK and your website has helped me create some great panels studio for my final project reviews.

    i was wondering in my University they only teach us Vectorworks and Artlantis Studio for creating and rendering purpose's, my question is i have not seen a tutorials by those two softwares and i would like to know whether there will be some i the future?

    thank you

    regards

    Mundu

    Reply
  56. hey

    what can i say, i am very inspired by your rendering techniques its the real deal. I am currently a year 2 Architecture student at Nottingham Trent University UK and your website has helped me create some great panels studio for my final project reviews.

    i was wondering in my University they only teach us Vectorworks and Artlantis Studio for creating and rendering purpose's, my question is i have not seen a tutorials by those two softwares and i would like to know whether there will be some i the future?

    thank you

    regards

    Mundu

    Reply
  57. hey

    what can i say, i am very inspired by your rendering techniques its the real deal. I am currently a year 2 Architecture student at Nottingham Trent University UK and your website has helped me create some great panels studio for my final project reviews.

    i was wondering in my University they only teach us Vectorworks and Artlantis Studio for creating and rendering purpose's, my question is i have not seen a tutorials by those two softwares and i would like to know whether there will be some i the future?

    thank you

    regards

    Mundu

    Reply
  58. Alex, your work is truly inspirational as I am a second year architecture undergrad student just beginning to learn the techniques used in the design process. Your videos are excellent tools for learning new ways to use the tools of the trade. Great Work!

    Reply
  59. keep up the good work. I use your videos for my design presentations.

    Reply
  60. Alex,

    Thank you so much for this blog! You are incredible and the amount of detail that you put into your renderings and presentations is truly inspiring! I just found your blog and it has helped me incredibly!
    Again thank you and keep up the good work!

    Reply
  61. Hey, you're awesome! Love your blog so much!

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  62. The most inspring aspects about your site, is how sincerely your passion for process comes through.
    In the sometimes novelty, competitive for ego sake world of architects, your site and passion for sharing process and technique with the community is a breath of fresh air in the smog of cloud some others have around their heads.

    I'm sure it only pushes you to further challenge yourself, and expose how mix-media can reinforce strong concepts.

    Thank you for sharing your work.

    Raquel – From Toronto Can'

    Reply
  63. thanks for the tips and tutorials on your site. I am doing my m.arch your quick tips have helped so much. thanks Alex.

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  64. Thanks Everyone,
    its really great to hear this kind of stuff. Its what keeps me going.

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  65. I'm on my Thesis and you are my savior Alex! keep it up!

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  66. Vitruvius, Antonio Gaudi, Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Norman Foster, Zara Hadid…….Alex Hogrefe?

    Your site and tips are like mana from architectural heaven, thank you for your generosity! EVERYBODY on my course knows your site and one of our tutors even devoted an entire lecture to it….

    Reply
  67. I'm a brazilian architect and graduated in 2009… Your blog was the most excited thing a friend showed me in the past 3 years!! i'm totally in love with it! Hopefuly i'll take your tips into a competition project i'm working on.
    Thank you so much…

    Reply
  68. Thanks for sharing your work. I love learning from your site! Keep up the good work, you are so inspirational!

    Reply
  69. hey, wherever this site goes, just make sure it keeps going 🙂 very useful stuff, nice job 😉

    Reply
  70. hi Alex,, again hahaa,,,
    i really enjoy drawing inspiration from your work!!! i am currently trying to produce slightly interesting floor plans and something different from your average unattractive representations and i was looking through your portfolio and saw the floor plans you created for your girl scouts design, and i was wandering how you produced them??? do u produce them in auto-cad and then use post processing in Photoshop??? or are they rendered in parallel projection in kerkythea???? as i believe you have previously mentioned you render sections!?>!
    any feedback on this would be very much appreciated!!!
    many thanks

    Reply
  71. @ Steve,
    The plans were drawn in AutoCAD. I then printed them and actually shaded the shadows with graphite. I then scanned it back in and Photoshopped a little over it. I will see if I can do a tutorial on floor plans soon. I haven't' done one yet on this site. Take care

    Reply
  72. Wow. It is so very kind of you to share your knowledge for free. You have a great talent.

    Reply
  73. Inspiring work and great use of software! As you have noticed most of the people visiting the page are really interseted in your workflow, so keep it up 😉
    Your work inspired some of the images presented here back in 2009–> ( http://www.presidentsmedals.com/Project_Details.aspx?id=2361&dop=True)
    Congrads and all the best with your work.

    Reply
  74. @Yiannis,
    Very cool and very beautiful work. Thanks for posting.

    Reply
  75. hi alex,,,

    really impressed with your architectural visualization on your thesis work!!!! how did you manage to create images from a distance of your design that don't appear flat??? mainly the grass appears as if it isn't a manipulated photo of grass as in your other tutorials…. i am finding it difficult to show grass from a distance.. any advice would be appreciated!!!

    also your skills as an architect going from abstract to concept to form are unbelievable!! really really impressive…

    cheers

    Reply
  76. Hi Steve,
    For my thesis images, I actually went on Google earth and took screen shots of fields. It worked out that these images worked well for grassy textures. I also used some grunge textures at the end. Thanks for the kind words.

    Reply
  77. You are awesome. Thanks for sharing these excellent works with us. They help me a lot.

    Reply
  78. Alex,
    I am just a simple construction manager NOT a student of any university. It can be very difficult to learn and understand the process of architecture and design.(HUGH HOBBYIST) I have limit knowledge in all areas of modelling,rendering,imaging programs. As a new user of sketch up and just became aware of rendering images i am very excited by the possibilities of such tools. Two weeks of searching various forums and tutorials I found your site! you have a gift of explaining in a "universal language" please keep up the inspiring site. Your work is beautiful.
    Thanks for your time you put into this.

    Simpleton of Architecture
    Rick

    Reply
  79. Hi Julian and Rick,
    Thanks for the kind words

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  80. congratulations, youre so good architect, thanks so much for yours workshops. Thanks frome Ecuador

    Reply
  81. Hi, Your website is helping me a lot in school, The tutorials are great…just crisp and clear…
    I really appreciate your effort on keeping this site active and shearing things with rust of the world…
    It is really inspiring. Its reminds me "Be the change that you want to see in the world" – mahatma gandhi

    Keep going..

    Reply
  82. Hi Alex!

    I'm a student at University of New Mexico in the School of Architecture a friend showed me your page and I have to say I am hooked on your tutorials, you make it so much easier to learn and know all these nifty tricks, I want to thank you for all the work you have put into videos and tutorials and everything. I have a question though I want to focus on a good rendering engine and have fiddled with VRay, Kerkythea and have been wanting to see what Artlantis is all about, which would you recommend me to use for the long run? I want to have good results in renders and have some time right now to learn any thoughts? Thanks again and keep up the amazing work!

    Santiago

    Reply
  83. amazing work alex a real inspiration. learning a lot from you website how to do presentation drawing and learning a lot about model making as well. The quality of work is always a high standard and set the bench mark for all of us. best wishes for the future.

    Reply
  84. @ Santiago,
    For the long run, I would suggest VRay. I always use Kerkythea because it is a free program and easy to start with. VRay I believe does better quality renders but takes longer. I wasn't too impressed with Artlantis.

    Reply
  85. I did not think that there might be someone as good as you. congratulations! I am a student of Italian architecture, and I love all your work! I put your site among your favorites and follow you on youtube, keep it up! (sorry for my bad English)

    Greetings from Italy! 😉

    Reply
  86. I admire your work.

    Reply
  87. Alex, you've managed to put up one really great webpage! Very useful stuff!

    I'm looking for help with creating illustrations for my blog – do you know of anyone who'd be interested in helping out, or where I can find such people?

    I'm trying to suggest a new concept of building cities, but with roads underground instead of between the building – and I need illustrations in order to catch people's imaginations. You can read about it here: "http://wildrocketsledgeride.com/ultra-compact-city-concept/the-design-of-an-ultra-compact-city/"

    Anyone who will help me? All I need is the rendered image and a permission to use it for my blog, and I'll link through to any more work on your site.
    You'll find my email address on the http://wildrocketsledgeride.com/about/ page 🙂

    Reply
  88. I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! x x x x x
    T H A N K Y O U!!!!!!!!!!!! BEAUTIFUL WORK!!!!!

    Reply
  89. hello, i'm from Singapore.
    …I'm at the point of considering giving up my job as an architectural asistant…think i'm not so gifted as some people like u…don't really have the eyes for architecture beauty. Maybe like wat they said, it's hard if u don't have the passion? Tot maybe i can search for some tips to improve myself on this…Accidentally came across your site today, quite inspiring. And I would say u r really a kind soul…so generous of u to share with others all the tips. Wish you all the best in life. =)

    Reply
  90. Hi Alex,

    I'm a french from Belgium and I will be graduate in architecture this year. I just wanted to send you a quick note to congratulate you for your job and thank you for sparing your great tuto Thanks a lot, they were very helpfull. I wish you the best.
    Regards,
    Olivier

    Reply
  91. hey alex,

    congrats for your work and your blog. what you do is very inspiring. i study architecture in thessaloniki,greece. it is unnecessary to tell you how much you helped me with some tricks 😉 thanx for this , and i wish you the best! here is my website http://www.step-architecture.com i would be glad if you take a look.

    thanx again

    papachristos stergios

    Reply
  92. just one word for u man…"AWSOME"…U R REALLY AN INSPIRATION….:)

    Reply
  93. i can tell you one thing for sure , this blog is worh a treasure 🙂 thanks for great posts Alex , i mean it

    Reply
  94. Hey..u're work is amazing and very inspirational too.. 'WOW' is the least that comes out of my mouth when I see ur work everytime. I'm currently pursuing my thesis and just wanted to say that carry on the great work 🙂

    Reply
  95. just wanted to say, your tutorials on youtube are absolutely helpful. The detail you include into your images is what I often miss out. And the instructions you include within the tutorials are really easy to follow.

    and thank you 🙂

    Reply
  96. Hello,

    I am just writing to say that I am a big fan of Your works and the way You represent them. It can be seen that You have put a great deal of effort to understand how to create really realistic renders. Congratulations!

    Reply
  97. Hi Alex, thanks for sharing your knowledge. Your work is really stunning. Congratulations.

    Reply
  98. your blog is very inspiring! great work.! i am studying architecture third year in greece and i found your tutorials very helpful, specially since we have to learn all the design and graphic programs on our own here. 🙂

    Reply
  99. Amazing work – thanks so much for uploading all this, it really is interesting. Great standard of work and very clear tuts. Really, this is greatly appreciated Alex! Second year student, Australia.

    Reply
  100. hello
    ALEX
    I thank you very much for your blog, really, this is spectacular, you are my inspiration ……
    I wanted to ask something I have a project where I need to change the color of a building colors to black, you tell me how I should proceed to change this ..

    att
    ivan_rek35@yahoo.es

    Reply
  101. Fantastic work I only dream of using Photoshop on a minuscule scale to your talents

    Reply
  102. hola alex
    cada día repaso tus tutoriales y me han servido enormemente para poder mejorar mis presentaciones
    y engrandecer mis conocimientos en photoshop, verdaderamente me sirves mucho de inspiracion

    muchas gracias alex

    IVAN RECALDE

    Reply
  103. Hi Alex,

    I came across your website 2 days ago and i am completely hooked to it. I have been very skeptical about starting my portfolio since i am not very confident, but your tutorials are a real inspiration. I am really excited about my portfolio now.

    Thanks a ton. I really appreciate the time and dedication you are putting into this website.

    Reply
  104. wow…! I don't know what to say… you are genius. keep going :D:D awesome…

    Reply
  105. hey Alex….,

    Your creations and tutorials inspire me alot. …..
    I hope that we still can enjoy youre work in the future.

    your thoughts and tutorials. It's really helpful for me. 🙂

    All the best for you……!!!!

    Reply
  106. Your work is really amazing, what I can say is WOW! It really inspire me the techniques you used, it really captures my attention. As a graphic designer here in Philippines how i wish to learn your skill. Thanks a lot.

    Reply
  107. Wow, such great compliments. Thank you Dermont, Ivan, Bhavani, Znmlyr, Nnandan, and Arjie.

    Reply
  108. Hey, Alex! I've followed you for years… and now that I've graduated, I've finally given up my secret to my success in school! 🙂 Thanks for all your inspiration, I admire you and your work very much!

    Reply
  109. Hi Alex!
    I'm an architecture student and these tutorials really help me a lot! Thanks for these, please keep on going you inspire a lot of students! 🙂

    Many thanks,
    Cess,
    Philippines

    Reply
  110. hi, i am a masters student at UNILAG, Nigeria.
    priviledge to come accross your site.
    i'm presently doing my thesis project on library for a community
    since this is my first time, i, HIGHLY impressed and hope to gain a lot from your works.

    Reply
  111. Hi, Alex, thank you very much for the posting here, I have learned a lot through your tuturial. I found my photoshopshop skills have improved in a great deal. I also live in Boston and plan to work here as well. Just a quick question, are you still working in Boston at Paul Lukez firm? I also know a person who is currently working in your place. Maybe we will meet one day. Looking forward to your response.

    If you don't mind, I want to make a friend with you and discuss some topics about architecture.

    Thanks

    John Zhang

    Reply
  112. Thanks Alex for making these tutorials .. The way you have presented skills and techniques of rendering here is so simple but the end result is always wow ! Thanks again 🙂

    Reply
  113. Thanks for your tutorials from Poland :))

    Reply
  114. This Blog is really awesome and it is inspiring me to the first step in architecture graphic! Of course, I love graphic and now I am a year 4 student studying architecture in Cambodia. I love what you are sharing. In Cambodia most of the architecture student don't care much about GRAPHIC in architecture that's why most of architecture graphic from Cambodia look awful and ugly but I am not the same! I try to find out how to illustrate my works since I was a freshman! But I couldn't fill that passion but everything have changed until I reached out your blog when I was in year3 and I think it's a little bit late. Yours encourages me to fill my passion and thank you so much for this ! Thanks from Cambodia again and you can ask me everything about Cambodia even culture, architecture or anything (I mean if you're interested)

    Reply
  115. hi Alex,
    thank you very much for your tutorials
    it is really help me a lot in my studying:)

    keep up the good work
    regards,
    M

    Reply
  116. Really inspiring work here, Alex! Thank you for all the easy and clarifying tutorials and guides! Keep with this amazing website! I'm pretty much sure you have followers all over the world!

    Reply
  117. Alex, Congratulations on making the SketchUp newsletter this month, I was glad to see you finally get some press!!!

    Reply
  118. Alex,

    My brother who is currently a 2nd year architecture student introduced me to your site today and all I have to say is it is amazing. I wish I'd had something like this to look over during my time in school.

    Looking over your techniques I'm glad to see that we share many similar techniques and I'm glad he came across your site. I feel like your tutorials will be a great resource and they will save me many hours of explanations and examples.

    Best,

    Reply
  119. Alex – Just wanted to say that I love this site! I'm in third year arch at Miami. Murali brags on your tutorials all the time and points his students here pretty regularly when they need ideas for better graphics. Your blog has a Miami following – keep it up!

    Reply
  120. Hi Alex,

    I cam across your blog today and I am completely blown away! The quality and diversity of your skills are fantastic.
    Thank you for being so nice and sharing your knowledge with everyone.

    I am a building design student using Revit and Photoshop. Do you know if you can get similar graphic outcomes using Revit?
    Clay modeling seems to be a key element and from what i read Revit can not create a clay model.
    I am also just starting to learn 3ds Max.

    Kind Regards,

    Eleanor

    Reply
  121. welldone .. such a great work ..
    and thanks for shairing us such a great knowledge
    .. keep it up

    Reply
  122. i've heard so many architecture definition, but your work is one of the true ones… you share your ideas for the better… good job Mr Alex!!

    Reply
  123. ur works are stunning. I'm astnighed from their beauty.

    COngrats for your master-hope u are getting back satisfaction from all the work you have done! 🙂

    Reply
  124. u r grt man..nice work..

    Reply
  125. I really like your work. I wish you much success!
    Thanks for the tips …
    I'm Lucas,
    Brazilian architecture student.

    Reply
  126. You are a great inspiration for me at this stressful time, hope the best for you and thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  127. really creative and inspirational. this photoshop technique will be invaluable to me as beginner in photoshop.

    Reply
  128. Your website and tutorials are amazing! thank you so much!
    you dont sleep a lot, do ya? 🙂

    Reply
  129. Thank you posting such a wonderful site. Very helpful and inspirational!

    Reply
  130. hi Alex!
    Your creativity and peace are really inspiring for me wright now. I have a difficulty to express exacly what I have in my head in a big format sheet. It's really easy to lose the main idea while focusing on some time-consuming drawings in Autocad or other and forgetting there are other ways to present your work clearly. Thanks for remainding me of that 🙂 That's awesome you can share so easily.

    Marry Christmas, Gosia

    quick question: do you use Rhino for sections or is it always Sketchup? I am using 3ds max, but it is last time I guess.. cheers:)

    Reply
  131. @Gosia,
    Thanks for the great comment. I almost always use Sketchup. Very little is done in Rhino. All my sections come from Sketchup as well. Take care.

    Reply
  132. I just love your renderings……..I am studying Architecture in my 10th semester and I thank you for making my presentations look better. I don't know if you intensively use Revit or other BIM software…(I guess you do…) and I was wondering if you have some outputs from your works on other "power hungry' software. Just for comparison's sake.

    Reply
  133. I'm studying 2nd year architecture and was wondering, which rendering software s would you recommend for students?

    Nice blog by the way!
    Thanks for sharing 😀

    Reply
  134. Hi Alex
    Thank you very much for sharing your work and your techniques. your work is amazing . Cheers !!!
    Thejanee Shalika
    (Student- Part 2 Year 7 ,[ 2012/2013]- City School of Architecture- Sri Lanka)

    Reply
  135. Sos una bestia flaco!!
    I'm a young architect from Argentina and i think, we've got a Maradona, we've got a Messi, we've got a Papa, but we've not got a man that do the things that you do. i'd like to know you in person but "i´m from the end of the world".
    And like a lot of people tell you….
    "Thanks Alex for making these tutorials" …… "I just love your renderings"……"keep up the good work "….
    Y tantos otras frases hechas… nos vemos un abrazo!

    Reply
  136. Hi Alex…your work is always wow! just wondering if you noticed that the Kerkythea web site has been down all week…heard anything about this…

    Reply
  137. hi Alex,

    I found out about your website from YouTube, and like everyone else, I just wanted to tell you how amazing your work is! The tutorials are extremely helpful. right now, I'm an urban designer in China. Doing quick, yet clear, provocative, and powerful graphics are a must here. Thanks to your knowledge sharing, I can keep up with all the young bloods out here!

    If you ever write a book, which I highly recommend, I'll be one of the first to buy it!
    Cheers,
    popy

    Reply
  138. Just wanted to say that I greatly appreciate your willingness to share your rendering process — few people are this generous. The tutorials are incredibly helpful and your attitude is inspiring 🙂 Thanks!

    Reply
  139. I just fell in love with architecture again!! n AMAZING work… thanks a lot for making this blog!! really many many thanks…..

    Reply
  140. Hi,
    Thanks for this blog! I'm impressed andI learned a lot.

    Nice work!

    Nea Tuominen
    MArch from Finland

    Reply
  141. Wow, this is really inspiring. I didn't know such a high level of graphics rendering could be reached with such few tools in Photoshop. Everytime I look on here it makes me want to work harder on my rendering skills! Haha, please keep updating!

    Reply
  142. hi alex, thanks for sharing all this!
    i find your website extremely helpful, i also think your work is amazing! love the tutorials and portfolios.
    hope to see more of it.
    best wishes,
    mayte
    architecture student from montevideo, uruguay

    Reply
  143. Hi Alex!

    Thanks for all the tutorials! It's a very big help to have a resource readily available. Like, "I dunno how to do this.." then I think, "I'll look it up at Alex's". Great!

    Am just thinking, how are you able to do all these experimenting and blogging/explaining, photog and drawing? How do you have time for all that? And as I understand you still work in a firm (is that a 9 to 5)? I am just amazed on how you do it! I am working for a firm for a year now and boy, it takes all of my effort and time! So how do you do it?:)

    Great job! Keep inspiring!:D

    Seza
    Architectural apprentice (for a year now)

    Reply
  144. HI Alex
    i would like simply to tell you thank you very much for you are doing for us it 'is very kind and i'm very happy that people like you do existe
    thank you again

    Reply
  145. Hi Alex,

    I am currently 2nd year undergrad student majoring in B.S in Architecture in Chicago. I was trying find ways to improve my rendering and Photoshop skills. Sometimes I felt like rendering work takes forever and they are endless but these tips really helped me. I looked up a lot of professional drawings and renderings online like archdaily and in exhibitions and I had no clue how do produce anything similar but your tutorial blew my mind. Yet, I am not comfortable with Sketchup but I am used to rhino and autocad. Do you also use 3dsMax or Vray on rhino? I am so glad I can tips on making portfolios as well.

    Thank you for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  146. Thanks for sharing these methods!
    Good luck for you.

    Reply
  147. hi Alex!
    thx for all the great tutorials. They helped and encouraged a Chinese 3nd year architecture student a lot and im trying to recommend the website to more mates then. just wanna express my truly appreciation and expect to more your share!:)

    Reply
  148. hi Alex!
    thx for all the great tutorials. They helped and encouraged a Chinese 3nd year architecture student a lot and im trying to recommend the website to more mates then. just wanna express my truly appreciation and expect to more your share!:)

    Reply
  149. hi Alex!
    thx for all the great tutorials. They helped and encouraged a Chinese 3nd year architecture student a lot and im trying to recommend the website to more mates then. just wanna express my truly appreciation and expect to more your share!:)

    Reply
  150. YOU ARE JUST AMAZING… Your work… your blog….everything is Fabulous .. you are my true inspiratin Alex…Thank you for teaching others and puting your ideas online… Thank you from my heart….

    Reply
  151. Hi Alex, I have been obsessed with your site ever since I found an image of one of your projects online and just fell in love with it, so I searched and found this site, you have become my inspiration and I want to go in the same direction you are going. I am going to my grad year now so u see I am still a helpless student 😛 will surly donate to this site when I have the means to do it. Dont ever stop doing what you do, best of luck.

    A fellow architect 😛

    Reply
  152. Hi Alex,In a chance to see this site, it makes me shocked. It is so perfect. I am a student from China, hoping to talk to you, your blog gives me the motivation to study architecture, best wishes to you

    Reply
  153. Hi Alex! really really love your site. Thanks for making those 'god-awesome-crazy-looking' renderings so much easier to do! and you've proven that you dont need to have great softwares to get amazing drawings, rather use the commonly available ones to its best effect. 🙂
    thanks a lot for making life for an already worked up architecture student much easier 🙂
    was wondering if you could tell us more about your process of working as a student, to now, maybe..?

    good luck to you and please do keep posting 🙂

    Reply
  154. just like my favourite place on the web, thanks alex for creating this wonderful world of exchanging ideas!!

    Reply
  155. Alex, you have an awesome collection of work that has helped and will contineu to help plenty of students in the future. Congratulations on being a juror for the KRob competition. Please keep posting these great tutorials.

    Reply
  156. I am in between jobs or else I would have donated more. You should considering teaching architectural graphics somewhere, I'm sure there are amazing firms who would love to have you.

    Please keep up the good work. As soon as I can I will donate more- your site is an invaluable resource.

    Reply
  157. Hi Alex,

    You're SICK!! (in a nice way) You are super talented! Thanks for sharing your ideas and mind with all of us! Very inspirational stuff!!

    Reply
  158. Alex, thank you for your generosity for posting tutorials. They are great especially students such as myself who are constantly looking for ways to improve on my graphic techniques.Your talents are definitely apparent in your work. Keep up the beautiful work. Wish you all the success

    Reply
  159. Dear Alex, am a student n my final years of architecture.
    it is very impressive and motivating what you do. it is real guide to students like me who take a long time looking out for advice.
    wish u all the very best ahead…:)

    Reply
  160. You just saved my life! Thankyou!!!

    Reply
  161. My gosh. This blog is incredibly well-done. Keep up with the terrific work.

    Reply
  162. I just came across your site this afternoon as I am hoping to broaden my rendering and graphic skills during my winter break. I am actually a third year architecture student at Miami University currently and I was proud to see that you also went to Miami for your graduate degree! Your work is truly inspiring and I hope to achieve amazing work such that you have. Keep up the great work and thank you for your helpful tutorials!

    Reply
  163. Alex,

    I just wanted to personally (as possible) thank you for producing this blog. I have long been passionate about architectural visualisations both historic and modern. Since graduating into the profession I had lost my way with visualisations and been more and more led astray by people who focus on the render and not the quality of the end image. i.e I people who spend three days rendering water and forget to sell the architecture. Your work focuses on the architecture and the power of the image as the critical aspect. I have infant read every entry on your blog almost twice and I am still learning new things each time.

    Thank you for getting me passionate about creating my own visualisations.

    Kind regards

    Ryan

    Ps Hope you had a nice Christmas.

    Reply
  164. Hello Alex,

    I'm a student from the UdeM studying LA. You still helped me a lot to involve my graphic techniques and I much appreciate it. You are a very very talented person, and I wish someday I'll be able to be as good as you though my field of study.

    wish you good luck for the rest,
    your projects, works, life..

    David Larouche

    Reply
  165. If this is not inspiration then I don't know what it is…..Awesome

    Reply
  166. I am a big fan of your work Alex and always following your tutorials and trick on how to make a nice and impressive presentation, hope I can take a copy of your portfolio even if it's impossible to have 🙂 it's my pleasure… regards and God Bless.

    Reply
  167. Such Great inspiration. Keep it going!

    Reply
  168. Dear Alex, I have been the big fan of your articles for years, they are amazing and really helping me on many projects. I have been thinking if I am available to translate your articles and skills to Chinese so that your website and your articles will be much more popular in China. Is that possible to do that from your side? I will mark up your website in every article. Looking forward your replay.

    All the best.

    Reply
  169. Dear Alex,

    Feeling gratitude for inspiring me through your beautiful work.

    Reply
  170. Alex,
    Just found your website, and already left two comments in other streams. Now I see you are in Cambridge (yes, my favorite City), and look to be located pretty much where I had my first-ever architecture job (The Stubbins Associates on Mass Ave). Hope your firm is as successful as it should be, and thanks for providing all this awesome content for us struggling archists (architectual artists).

    Reply
  171. You are an inspiration to me. Learned a lot from your work and tutorials.
    Thank You!
    Architecture Student from IPS Academy, Indore, India.

    Reply
  172. Hi!

    I am struggling with photoshop and i was wondering if perhaps you could give me a tip! I have a photo of an existing building, where i want to add an exterior, glass elevator. I cant seem to find out how to create the glass in purely photoshop. I want the glass to be very transparant, so the existing building behind it remains clearly visible. I also want the glass to reflect the sky and/or trees.. For example like in this picture: http://www.cgarchitect.com/content/portfolioitems/2013/03/74445/BC_cam03_large.jpg

    Thanks and i hope to hear from you!

    Kind regards,
    Dirk Gevers

    Reply
  173. Hi Alex,
    Thank you so much for your blog! I am learning a lot in each of your video or tutorial. I have a request for you. Since I am a lighting designer I work a lot for night time visualization. Would you mind to make more video or tutorial about night time sky, make night time mood setting or drama, or make light effect for different light sources?? I am sure it will also help other people. Thank you in advance. Hope you will grant my request:)

    Reply
  174. Hi Alex,

    I wanted to share with you my collection of people drawings, which could be useful to your subscribers.

    Before I was a mom, I worked in a design firm where we were often in need of people art, or scale figures, to populate our design concept drawings. We found that if our scale figures were poorly designed, it had a negative impact on our design credibility. So I set out to create a collection of people drawings specifically for creative professionals or students to use in their projects.

    From photos taken at public events, my collection of 51 people images – called General Public – is created as vector art, so they can be used at any scale without losing resolution. Because they are vector art, they can be modified to add color, transparency, or turned into a simple silhouette. They can also be printed out for use in three-dimensional models.

    This collection is currently sold on Etsy, where it is available as an instant download in Adobe Illustrator and PDF vector format:

    https://www.etsy.com/listing/503192230/people-silhouette-vector-art-for?ref=shop_home_active_1

    Thanks for your time!
    Beth Davis
    PS. I grew up near Youngstown, OH 🙂

    Reply
  175. Hi Alex!

    Take a look back at the men and women who’ve inspired generations with their architecture and design. See their impact on our culture, technology and society.

    I’d love to know what you think: https://www.landmarkwales.com/iconic-architects/

    Many of the names in our gallery of icons are familiar to everyone, but some of the least-known architects have had the most profound impacts on our modern world.

    Not all of our icons were responsible for an iconic structure. Their roles in history have been of founding mothers and fathers – beginning movements and ideals, forging a world that speaks volumes about who we are as a people and who we aspire to be.

    I hope you like it.

    Reply
  176. You’re amazing and the reason why I’ll get through architecture school. Please don’t ever stop what you’re doing.

    Reply
  177. Keep up the good work Alex!

    Reply
  178. Hey Alex!
    Thank you for all the amazing tutorials! I’ll be transferring into an environmental design program as a 3rd term student, and for someone who has little to no Photoshop skills (I honestly don’t know how I got this far), these tutorials have been a lifesaver! Thanks so much for all you do, and please don’t ever stop!

    Reply
  179. Hey , i just want to thank you so much for your generosity and kindness.

    Reply
  180. Hey Alex,
    Thank you so much for all the videos, they are so helpful and so informative. Your software skills are just impeccable. You make softwares look so easy, that’s just great. Thank you so much for taking the time out and being so inspiring.
    I hope you keep doing this cause we look up to you.
    Thank you
    Appreciate it .

    Reply
  181. I’m looking forward to binge reading and implementing the tutorials you’ve put up.

    You have a way with words, making it easy to understand.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  182. Amazing website and very useful for all the people who want to improve their rendering and visualizing techniques.

    Reply
  183. Just WOW! I have been working as Structural Revit Technician for last 6 years, currently 2nd year student for Structural engineering.. looking at this makes me wanna switch to architecture!
    Keep up the hard work! BIG fan of yours! Next time I’m in Boston I will for sure drop by and get your picture with an autograph if you don’t mind mate. Absolutely talented from the Gods! good for you Alex.

    Reply
  184. Thanks for sharing your valuable post for us i enjoy this website – its so useful and helpful.

    Reply
  185. hello alex ,
    we would like to acquire the image “green” digitally from you to print a wallpaper. is that possible and what would the price for the file be?

    Thank you very much, britta konrad

    mit freundlichen grüßen
    britta konrad
    mediengestalter

    proform
    hauptstraße 151
    97320 mainstockheim
    deutschland

    fon 09321-23285
    fax 09321-23532
    info@bueroproform.de

    Reply
  186. Hi. I hope you’re fine. I’d like to know if you’d like to add my link to your site in an article or page if. This is the anchor text and link: 3d Renderings Services

    Let me know if it has a price or any condition.
    Thanks!

    Reply
  187. Hello!
    My name is Angelica.
    I want to write a guest post for your website.
    I want to write about the 3d exterior design.
    Can you give me any criteria for it?
    I’m waiting for your response.
    Best Regards,
    Angelica

    Reply
    • Hi Alex,
      I’m joining this huge list of comments. Could you check our website ?We would love to have an article with our website (prof related)
      Look forward to your thoughts
      Kate

      Reply
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  189. thanks for this great post.

    Reply
  190. I read this article. I think you have worked very hard to create this article. I like your work

    Reply
  191. I discovered you and your work in my Spatial Thinking class at Boston Architectural College, and you’ve been a huge inspiration to me and my design graphic ever since. I noticed you actually had a lecture at BAC, probably before I started(I’m in my 2nd year). Please come visit us again and share your work with us! Your graphics are a topic most of BAC students refer to all the time.

    Reply
  192. very nice post all love you satta king

    Reply
  193. Great Work on your post !! It’s Amazing.. Thanks For Sharing..

    Reply
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    • Thank you

      Reply
  195. really wonderful post thanks alot

    Reply
  196. Hi Alex. Your works is really awesome. Some renders looks very photo real. Thank you for sharing!

    Dmitri

    Reply
  197. Hi Alex. Good that you have a guest book and I can thank you for being true Inspiration in ArcViz industry so many years. For me and for many other artists you are standard of quality!

    Reply
  198. Hello Alex,

    I really appreciate your work. You create stunning visuals. I just recently finished working on my portfolio and I am looking for a company that I could use to have my portfolio printed. What company are you using for your prints? Could you be able to name a few if possible? Thank you I really appreciate it!

    Reply
  199. Hi Alex,
    I’ve browsed your website and admire your 3D rendering projects. Great work!
    Looking forward to seeing more.

    Jasmine

    Reply
  200. Great Work on the architecture visualization Alex!

    Reply
  201. Hello Alex
    You can’t imagine how your work impressed me!

    Reply
  202. This is where I started to Open My eyes

    Reply
  203. I really liked the post and your work. It really inspiring for my many beginners.

    Reply
  204. Thanks for sharing your experience. If you’re also looking for collaborations for 3D Architectural Visualization and Rendering, then Renderboxx Studio is the 3D Architectural Visualization and Rendering Studio in India and Canada. Renderboxx Studio gives the best satisfactory result and provides the best service.

    Reply

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