Software · 17 guides
3ds Max guides
3ds Max is still the workhorse of architectural visualization: the modeling tools, the plugin ecosystem, and the muscle memory studios have built over twenty years. These guides collect the settings, camera moves, and post decisions that make 3ds Max renders feel photographed rather than made.
Tutorial · 14 min
Corona render settings for exteriors: the only setup you need in 2026
Denoising, tone mapping, and the three settings that quietly ruin most exterior skies. A battle tested Corona 12 setup, pulled from six years of production work.
Breakdown · 18 min
Hillside villa, clay to final: a full render breakdown with pass by pass notes
AO, Z depth, cryptomatte, and the twenty minutes of Photoshop that did half the work on this 3ds Max hillside exterior.
Interiors · 13 min
Interior daylight, honestly: an anti trick guide to sunlit rooms
Portals, wall bounce, and why your window light keeps looking like a stage set. A working method for interiors that read as photographed rooms, not renders.
Lighting · 12 min
HDRI lighting for arch viz: choosing, capturing, and cheating a dome
The dome light is the fastest way to a believable render and the fastest way to a fake one. A practitioner guide to selecting and shooting HDRIs that actually match your scene.
Workflow · 13 min
Realistic vegetation for arch viz: scatter, variation, and knowing when to stop
Scatter tools solved the geometry problem years ago. Believable planting is still hard because it is a design problem, not a plugin problem.
Interiors · 10 min
Drapery and fabric shaders that read as textile, not plastic
Sheen weight, translucency, and the mesh density that stops your linen curtains from folding like sheet metal. A working method for warm interior renders.
Interiors · 11 min
Wide plank oak flooring that reads as photographed, not scanned
Grain variation, plank offsets, and the two maps that make wood floor reflections behave. A practical shader breakdown for arch viz interiors.
Breakdown · 10 min
Board formed concrete that stops the render from looking like foam
Tie holes, formwork staining, and why your concrete keeps reading as EPS. A shader breakdown from an actual project brief.
Lighting · 11 min
Wet streets and rain: night city renders that carry mood
Puddle maps, neon reflection, and the exposure trick that lets shopfronts glow. A working setup for cinematic urban night shots in V-Ray.
Lighting · 11 min
Rendering snow exteriors: alpine cabins without the greeting card feel
Snow displacement, subsurface scattering on ice, and the fireplace glow that anchors the frame. A winter exterior breakdown in Corona.
Workflow · 12 min
Masterplan aerial renders that read as design, not surveillance
The 45 degree camera, the shadow story, and the entourage density that makes a masterplan look occupied. A top down workflow for urban design.
Lighting · 11 min
Night exterior renders: illuminated facades without the flare crutch
IES profiles, deep blue sky exposure, and the interior reveal that carries a night facade. A working guide for commercial night shots.
Interiors · 10 min
Bathroom interiors that photograph like editorial, not showroom
Skylight only lighting, stone reflection, and the fixture restraint that makes a luxury bathroom render feel expensive. A Corona interior breakdown.
Interiors · 11 min
Restaurant interior renders that sell the experience, not the fitout
Pendant clusters, warm wood shaders, and the empty chair problem that plagues hospitality visualization. A bar and dining room breakdown in Corona.
Interiors · 10 min
Retail store renders: display lighting that flatters product
Ceiling wash versus track spots, terrazzo reflectivity, and the empty rail problem in fashion retail visualization. A working boutique breakdown.
Workflow · 12 min
Blender vs 3ds Max for archviz: a working artist's honest comparison in 2026
Blender has closed most of the gap. 3ds Max still holds specific advantages that matter to studios. The real question is which one belongs in your pipeline.
Workflow · 8 min
Modelling landscape topography that doesn't look like a wedding cake
Most rendered sites look like the building is sitting on a stack of layer cakes. Here's how I actually handle hillside grades so the image reads as real terrain.