RENDERING IN REVIT
February 6, 2023
Rendering in Revit is an excellent way to create images that are closer to the real result, because it offers greater details and provides a better understanding of what was set out in the project.
Revit has a native renderer in the program, but it is possible to resort to plugins or other rendering software that can provide very realistic results.
In this publication I will present the main renderers available on the market and also teach you how to generate realistic images with Revit's own renderer.
Check it out!
Rendering is a digital processing of a 3D (three-dimensional) model into a 2D (two-dimensional) image, resulting in an image with a high degree of realism.
By default, your 3D model is displayed at a low or simplified resolution, saving your computer's processing and memory, but you are free to generate rendered images of your project.
Revit has a native renderer already which --by the way-- offers very good results.
Especially if we take into account that the focus of Revit is not rendering but the BIM process, where rendering is just another resource among several tools.
But if you need ultra-realistic results, you can resort to plugins or specialized software, each of which offers a series of features and advantages.
Let's find out about the most used rendering software in Revit!
Lumion is a software developed by ACT3d, offering support for importing models produced in various modeling software.
The rendering is done outside of Revit. It is required for us to export a model to Lumion, where the integration with Revit takes place partially, so it is necessary to synchronize the file with each change.
As of version 8.3 of Lumion, this synchronization occurs automatically, thus improving the integration between programs. The bad news is that the plugin, responsible for the integration, is only available for the full version of Revit.
Lumion's differential lies in its vast library that includes vegetation of various species, decoration models for indoor and outdoor environments, in addition to the possibility of making all adjustments in real time.
With a simple and intuitive interface where all changes are performed in real time you have a very clear perception of the result,reducing work time significantly.
V-ray is developed by Chaosgroup and is one of the most traditional rendering plugins on the market. It is available for several other software -- from the most varied segments-- such as architecture, product design, animations, among others.
The big difference with V-ray is the fact that it is a plugin that works integrated with Revit, this means that to open the file in a separate program isn't needed, since when v-ray is installed a new tool tab is displayed in the top menu.
V-ray has a simple interface, with large icons and good organization, in which it is possible to get very realistic results to render in Revit in very little time.
For those who already use v-ray in other software, the adaptation will be very quick and if you have never used this plugin, rest assured, it is simple, intuitive and has a large library of materials configured and ready to use.
Enscape is developed by Enscape GmbH, focused on architectural visualization, offering excellent rendering quality.
It works in an integrated way, therefore, it allows rendering in Revit, allowing a better control of editing and synchronizing the updates carried out in the project, saving the work of synchronizing the project.
Its differential is the possibility of exporting an executable file to be viewed without having Enscape or Revit installed; or even creating a web version, which can be viewed in any internet browser.
These executable files can be viewed both on computers and on virtual reality glasses, which is a differential in any presentation.
It’s interface is simple and changes can be visualized in real time, offering fine control of the project with impressive results.
Twinmotion is developed by Epic Games, a major gaming company, which has expanded its range of action with an architecture-oriented renderer.
The rendering process is performed outside of Revit, where you need to synchronize your file with Twinmotion so that your project is configured and rendered
Twinmotion has terrain modeling tools, vegetation library, decoration models for indoor and outdoor scenes, vehicles, people and a series of resources that work in real time.
It is also possible to generate 360° panoramic images and is even compatible with the HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and Gear VR virtual reality glasses, offering real-time experiences within your project.
Regardless of the chosen renderer, what guarantees a good result are the details of your project, so don't forget to use quality families such as those from Blocks Revit.
Check out the library of parametric families now to help improve your architectural design!
Although there are several rendering software on the market, it takes time to make all the necessary adjustments and often a robust computer so that the rendering doesn't take too long (in some cases, it can take hours!).
Let's not forget that it's possible to render in Revit without the need for plugins or other software, which can save you valuable time!
The Revit renderer ends up being underestimated, but it is possible to get very good results with it, as we have two ways to work: Render in Revit and Render in the Cloud.
We will learn how to use each of these processes below.
Rendering in Revit is a very simple process, where with just a few steps we can get our image, just carefully follow the steps below.
In order to render in Revit, what is most recommended is to create a camera, this way we can leave a frame of your project saved, so that we can access it whenever we want a rendering from the same angle.
With your project's floor plan open, go to the View tab and in the Create panel locate the 3D View button.
Clicking on the 3D View button you will have access to other options, including the Camera option.
Positioning the camera is very simple, it's basically two clicks, the first one to determine where the camera will be positioned and the second one to determine the direction the camera is pointing.
The camera view will immediately appear and you will be able to use the handles (blue polka dots) to adjust the framing.
All cameras created have their views saved in the Project Browser, within the 3D Views option. You can rename the view as you like.
To render your scene in Revit, just go to the View tab and in the Presentation panel click on the Render button.
You now have access to the Rendering window where we can make a series of adjustments to the image you are going to render.
To generate your image just click on Render. When finished rendering you can access the Adjust Exposure button and make the necessary corrections until you reach the desired result.
The image above was rendered in Draft quality, so you can already get an idea of the quality we can achieve.
Of course, according to the quality defined for the rendering, the computer will take a longer time to get the result, so the tip is to do some renders in low quality to check framing, materials and so on.
After checking everything, then yes, go ahead and do a rendering in a higher quality. Take the opportunity to test other settings and get different results from the same scene.
In addition to rendering in Revit, you can render in the cloud, where your project is sent to the Autodesk server --which takes care of rendering-- and returns the rendered image to you.
Cloud rendering is a great option for those who have a less powerful computer, as they don't use their machine for this process. The process is super simple, let's understand how it works!
The first thing is to make sure you are logged into your Autodesk 360 account. To do this, just go to the top menu and locate the InfoCenter field. If you are already logged in your name will appear, if not, just login.
Then go to the View tab, in the Presentation panel click on Cloud Rendering.
In the Render in Cloud window we can make some adjustments such as: selecting the view that will be rendered, image type, quality, size and exposure.
Depending on the selected settings you will need to use credits that must be purchased (which are paid).
To find out when the render is ready you can select the last field to receive an email notification.
After clicking to confirm a window will appear informing you that the data required for the rendering is being collected.
When the process is complete, you can go to InfoCenter and select the View Completed Renderings option.
Another option is to go to the View tab in the Presentation panel and click Render Gallery.
Either way you will be taken to the Autodesk 360 website and will be able to view your rendered image.
Select the desired project to display the result of the renderings.
At the top of the screen it is possible to make some adjustments to the image so that we get the desired result. Have in mind that these are the same options available in the rendering process directly in Revit.
The average rendering time in the cloud is a few minutes (depending mainly on the number of requests received by the Autodesk server), plus the advantage that the rendering takes place outside your computer, meaning you can continue working while the rendering is processed in the cloud.
Rendering in Revit is an amazing feature, allowing you to create images with great richness of details and realism, making it easy to understand how the project will result when it is executed.
In addition to the various renderers available on the market, we can generate realistic images directly within Revit, either by rendering directly on your computer or using Cloud Rendering.
Interested in learning how to render in Revit? Get ahead using the Blocks' family library, which, in addition to parametrics, is ready for rendering.
Join the Blocks Club!
.png)
