This blog has been idle for a while, but we want to thank those who emailed and commented on our Rendering and Things post. We are still trying to come up with a decent manual rendering tutorial for you. So please anticipate it.
Anyway, as we’re on the topic, I’ll briefly discuss how we do our Digital Rendering.
If our hands and project timetable permit it, we’d present with manual renderings all the time. Cause it feels more personal that way, as design ought to be. But since the society is always in a rush, we can’t do that. So to satisfy our desire for manual rendering, we use a watercolor plug-in. But when we want something a bit more realistic-looking, we opt for Ambient Occlusion.
We do not claim to be amazing at digital rendering. It’s not our strongest point. But thanks to Ambient Occlusion and post-rendering, that somehow we come up with good perspectives. (Side note: I do not agree with old architects who think digital is only for the rookie generation or with new architects who do not believe in manual work. –I say, learn every skill you need and quit whining.)
For those who don’t know what Ambient Occlusion is, it looks something like this.
It’s the black and white image that gives emphasis and depth to the rendered objects once you overlay it to your normal perspective. Its like the “smart drug” in the movie Limitless, but for normal rendering. After you put it in, the plain rendering becomes alive, sharper and better. Um, if you haven’t seen Limitless and you don’t have a clue what I’m saying, then here are the photos:
Without Ambient Occlusion
With Ambient Occlusion
Notice the difference?
Last year during my ‘sabbatical’ from work, I started doing crafts again. I made notebooks with hand drawn Manila structures on the cover and sold it under the name 23060. Somehow, it clicked, people liked it, so I made more. Continue reading 
It went many years, but at last came a knock,
