Hello there, and welcome to this video! Let's see quickly how to make
professional 3D rendering with AutoCAD 2018!
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In the previous videos of this guide, we have seen how to add color,
gradient and pattern filling to your objects by using the Hatch command.
However, this is suitable for 2D drawings, laying on the X-Y ground plane
or any plane parallel to it. You can still use it on 3D objects, but
these may be filled only partially.
There are several ways to color and fill 3D objects, depending on the
kind of view used and on the details you want to obtain. The most simple
way to fully color a 3D object, is to change its basic color. Click on
the object to select it, and go to the Properties section, under the
Home tab, to change its color. In case you use any Wireframe view, you
will see all the object edges with the new color.
Whereas, to apply several colors on the faces and edges of the 3D object,
You have to use the Color tools inside the Solid Editing section, under
the 3D Tools tab. Use Color edges to select the interested edges of the
object, applying with the Enter key, and then selecting the color you
like on the Select Color window. Here, under Index Color, you have all
the standard AutoCAD colors, and under True Color all the RGB colors if
you want to get one customized.
These colored edges are visible just in case a Wireframe view is used.
Whereas, you can use Color faces to apply these colors on the selected
faces of the object. In this case, remember to use a 3D View.
These tools can also be used multiple times to apply different colors on
a same object.
For more professional renderings, 3D Materials are applied on these
objects. With respect to a flat solid color, these Materials also give
other properties to your objects, such as brightness, reflectivity,
transparency and so on.
You can find the Materials inside the Visualize tab, which is usually
hidden by default. To show it, just right-click on a vacant space on top,
and go to Show Tabs, and then to Visualize.
Let's see how to import and apply Materials to your 3D objects. On the
Visualize tab, click on the first button inside the Materials section to
open the Materials browser. On top, you have all the materials imported
inside your project and, more at the bottom, all the Materials available
inside the Autodesk Library folder. At first, a single Material is
available, called Global, which is the default one used to render your
3D objects. You can import other Materials by selecting one from the
list, and dragging and dropping it on top. Once the Material is imported,
you can apply it on an object by dragging the Material on it.
If you want to apply the Material on specific object faces, make sure to
select them by holding CTRL down, and then click on the Material you
want to apply.
Consider that Materials affect only the object faces, so you won't see
any change to its edges at all.
Each of these Materials can be completely customized by double-clicking
on it. This opens the Materials Editor, containing all the Material
properties that defines its appearance, color, basic pattern, Glossiness
and reflectivity. Check a quick preview on top, and eventually change it
by using the small button next to it. To save all modifications, just
close the Editor.
You can also rename and delete a Material by right-clicking on it and
using Rename or Delete from the Materials browser.
The Realistic view shows a good preview of your project in progress, but
still it hides important details. To check an advanced and professional
rendering on your 3D objects, you have to use the Render tools, all
contained inside the Visualize tab.
Click on the Render button to open the Render Window. This shows the
final appearance of your project after rendering, by applying the same
identical point of view of your workspace. Use your mouse wheel to zoom
in and out, and check out the render progress bar at the bottom. All the
complete renderings are listed at the bottom, by clicking on the
down arrow on the left, from the most recent one from the top. Click on
one to select it and check its Preview again. Use the buttons on top to
save it and print it if you need.
Inside the Render section, you have several options.
The first bar is used to select the proper render quality. The higher it
is, the more time you may wait before its completion.
Right below the Render button, you can select the proper resolution to
use in pixels.
The second bar below the Quality is used to change the way to render your
project. For example, Render in Window saves your rendering results
inside the dedicated window as seen before, giving you the possibility to
save and print them. But in case you need a fast rendering, you may
prefer to render in Viewport or Region.
Viewport simply renders your project directly on your workspace. Whereas
Region renders the part of the project you specifically select on the
workspace, in order to save time. You can check its progress through the
progress bar inside the Render section. Consider that the rendering
results will vanish when you change the point of view of your workspace.
For more advanced rendering options, click on Render Preset Manager.
To enhance the rendering of your project, you can also add light, sky
and proper environment. Let's see how to do this.
To add Sunlight, click on Sun Status inside Sun & Location. Accept the
recommended settings, and a new panel called Render Environment &
Exposure opens. Turn on Environment, and adjust Exposure and White
Balance more at the bottom. Apply a quick Viewport or Region rendering
to see the final lighting on your project.
On top, on Sun & Location, you can also adjust the Sunlight source, by
setting location, date and hour.
Besides the basic Sunlight, you can also add secondary light sources by
using the first button of the Lights section.
Point applies a source that is placed on a fixed point, and spreads
light in any direction. Click on the workspace to fix it, and use the
Enter key to apply. Then click on it to select it and edit its properties.
Use the Lights section to adjust its light properties, and its Gizmo
system to move it through the three axes directions.
Spot adds a source that spreads light within a defined cone, just like
a torch. Fix a first point to place the spotlight, and then a second one
for its target. Use the Enter key to apply. To edit it, click on it to
select it, and use the Light section for its light properties, and use
the blue nodes to change the way to spread its light. For example, move
the squared node to move the target, the blue arrow close to it to define
the light range, and the external arrows to regulate the cone radius and
its feather.
Also the Spotlight will get a Gizmo system when it is selected, in order
to move it where you like. Consider that it will change direction
automatically in order not to lose its target.
There are also other lights, called Distant and Weblight, check them
out!
Additionally, you can also render a more professional environment by
adding ceiling or sky. If you switch to a Perspective view in the bottom
right corner of the 3D View Cube, and you have Environment turned on in
the Render Environment panel, you will get a ceiling in preview depending
on what you choose as Image Based Lighting. However, this is completely
independent from the Sunlight properties chosen. To realize sky, which
is dependent on the Sunlight, just turn off the Environment, and select
Sky Background from Sun & Location.
As for the ground or the floor, you may need to realize it manually,
by using 3D and Mesh objects.
From the Lights section, you can also apply shadows. Choose Ground
Shadows to show all shadows with respect to the Sunlight. Choose Full
Shadows to apply shadows coming from the secondary lights you have added
inside your project.
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