I wanted to have some fun with this image and create something that conveyed the scale of this project. Sort of a grand finale image. I have already generated a lot of close-up vignettes, but nothing really showing the project its totality. I chose a view that would grab some of the horizon, but also show the cliffs crashing into the water below. Because of the parameters of the view, I didn’t have an aerial image that I could just patch my project into. I had to create something from scratch by stitching many context images together. Below is a quick break down of the illustration.
1. Sketchup Model
Above is the Sketchup model showing the full height of the cliff to help me scale textures properly in Photoshop.
2. V-Ray Base Rendering
Above is the base rendering straight out of V-Ray. I dropped in a few omni lights to light up the interior and highlight some of the exterior facades. The final rendering had a resolution of 6,000px X 3,333px. The resolution is a little higher than I normally render because I wanted to maintain as much detail as I could with the architecture being so small in the image.
3. Context
The first step in setting up the context is collecting a ton of images. I collected about 50 images of the Iceland cliffs that covered all of the different scenarios in my scene. I spent more time looking for images than I actually did piecing them together in Photoshop.
4. Foreground Cliff
I started with the foreground cliff since this interacts the most with the architecture and will inform how the rest of the image would be composed. The hardest part was finding an image at a high enough resolution and at the correct angle. I ended up using three different images and distorting them quite a bit to match the perspective.
5. Background Cliffs and Water
A very important part of this image was the waves crashing at the base. Again, it was difficult finding something at the correct angle and with the right amount of wave energy the same as tadalafil effect. I combined two different images of the ocean to get the look that I wanted. I also added some background cliffs to break up the horizon line and give some depth to the illustration.
6. Grass and Sky
The grass was added towards the end to tie all of the different cliff textures together. The grass itself was made up of three different images copied and cloned many times. A simple dusk sky was added to complete the context.
7. Darken
After completing the context, I could start adjusting the overall tones. I added a grey/blue overlay to darken everything except for the sky. I also adjusted the levels of the base rendering architecture to darken the exterior and punch up the light in the interior. A better description of this darkening technique can be found in this Post.
8. Details
In this step, I spent some time tweaking facade tones, and manually adding in new lights. This helped to highlight slits in the ground as well as activate important spaces such as the grand stair going down to the lookout platform. I also added people, the garden on the balcony, more texture to the interior, and paths leading off into the distance. More on the technique of manually adding light can be found HERE.
9. Atmosphere and Color
With the details in place, I experimented with different atmospheric conditions. The key here is to be subtle. It’s easy to overdo it with the fog and clouds, but with this image, I just wanted to give the hint of some fog rolling in from the ocean. I also inserted more color overlays and moved away from the purple tones to blue tones. I go into more depth with techniques of adding fog and atmosphere in my Foggy Wharf Post and my Atmospheric Fog Tutorial.
You should do a time lapse of your renderings!
I second Kevin’s remark!! That would be incredible!
good,it’s my style,i like!
Your ability to composite images is outstanding! I have a great deal of respect for your design and visualization capabilities.
I call first dibs on AH portfolio 4.0!!
THIS IS MIND BLOWING ALEX!! I’VE FOLLOWED YOUR TUTORIALS FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS NOW AND I MUST SAY YOU’RE SUCH AN INSPIRATION. THIS IS JUST TOO GOOD
Really Imma, really?
OMG!!! You are so great!!
I love you man!
I always look into your blog weekly or even every other day to see if there’s an update and it’s always worth it. Awesome!
Hi Alex,
your images are always a great reference for me.
Thanks!
As usual, this is so beautiful, Alex! Also, thank you for the links that refer back to other posts. Great job!
Superb!
Thank you for this amazing tutorial. Its very good.
Well…
That is epic. Mad Photoshop skills Alex.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!
i support the “time-lapse video” suggestion. great work Alex.
Must you defile every naturally beautiful place on earth? Do you really need toput a fucking house there assholes?i hope it fallsin the water along with the pretencious snobs that have to live there
While I understand your sentiment, this is (i believe) a fictional project. A practice and exercise in rendering techniques and matte painting.
But you do bring up an important architectural discussion. Ultimately should we be celebrating these types of moments? Real or not? Not quite sure.
BRA-FREAKING-V0!!!!!!
INCREIBLE que alguien quiera vivir ahí.
X(
I would love to make a VR model for iOS and Android for This project!
Contact me: Ingmar@bricksandgoggles.com
Hi Alex,
This is very impressive. I am writing a story on designs for cliff face houses, would I be able to use your images?
I am happy to link back to your site and provide a credit. If you have a chance, it would be great to chat about this design.
Thanks,
Danielle
Just Great
The photoshop or composition skills are very good. You have a good eye. no doubt about it!
Felicitaciones, el diseño es una maravilla.
Quisiera que viajaran a Colombia donde hay muchas montañas hermosas para constriuir
Absolutely love your work. You’re an inspiration!
Inspired by your work, I have created my version.
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c148/s3075031/Cliff_Master_2_Nhat.jpg
Have fun!!
hello there !
i think you ve done a pretty good job as well !
i am a beginner at this and i m despertly trying to recreate a rendering like this one for a similar project of mine , can you please tell me what are the sketch up vray settingd you used ?
thank you so much !!
Finale Image is very creative .
You Rock
Thanks for sharing a lot. Learned many things from your tutorials & comments. I’ve a request for your attention. It would be very helpful for me if you could provide a tutorial for setting sky & lighting in sketchup.
I’ve always added sky in photoshop. But sometimes sketchup seems much easier & I also want to learn it. I’ve seen many tutorials for sky but results are often not quite what i expect. Your tutorials are very easy & well polished. So your help would be much appreciated.
Thank you 🙂
Amazing!!! Thanks!!!
Your strong images are quite dark lately, which is the vernacular vogue of the moment imo. You seem to be quite settle in your creative solution, experience seem to take over risk and wildness of a young buck lolz. Great work tho. U ve been an inspiration. lots of luv <3<3
It took you 6 months to from massing to visual completion. At Uni we have just 6 weeks from design idea to project submission, it’s incredible pressure. I want my visuals to be as great as yours! I’m trying, you’re an inspiration.
You are changing the world by changing the way how architectural students works
Nice work, Alex!! I really appreciate you sharing your methods.
Interesting and bold design, amazing illustrations, and the kindness of sharing your knowledge. I just want to thank you and wish you more succes in what you love to do. Greetings from Ecuador.
Its great!! I have to give a class for some students, and I want to show your work as an example, but the only thing is missing to make it happen is a sketch of what you wanted to do at first… Do you have it?
Thank you and awesome work.
Denis from Argentina
You wouldn’t happen to have the SketchUp model to share would you?
When the nature decides to create a fajã, the house will become history.
WOW that’s innovative and unique but a bit scary too.
AMAZING
Hi,
Just found the cliff house on youtube.
I guess they didn’t ask !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny4Gb8E9XL8
Thanks for sharing a very nice blog post amazing for 3d rendering designs.
To: Architect Alex Hogrefe
Dear Alex,
I have just finalized the text of my book entitled “Design of structures: an illustrated approach”. The book written in greek, has been submitted for edition to the university press office of the National Technical University of Athens.
This book, result of a long writing effort, is addressed to the young students of technical universities, aiming to a simplified presentation of the basic principles of their field.
The photos used in the book (some of them of the everyday life), have been selected from various sources, either from books, or from printed / electronic press. The photos are commented from an engineering point of view.
Among the photos selected for the book, for the domain showing new trends of architecture around the world, I have distinguished an internet photo, representing your project (Cliff Retreat in Iceland).
In view of the book publication, I am expressing to you my intention to use this photo in my scientific – educational book, kindly asking your permission to reproduce (copy) it.
All photos will be introduced in the book with the best possible quality while, for each one, there will be in the book a detailed reference to your source, as well as an acknowledgement of your offer.
On this occasion, I want to express to you my congratulations for your pioneering work.
Thank you in advance for your kind cooperation.
Athens, November 18, 2018
Sincerely Yours,
Costas Syrmakezis
Professor Emeritus
National Technical University of Athens
Great architectural rendering post by Alex. Thanks for sharing!!