Architectural Software

[Sanbar]

What would be the best software to get a good 3D exterior rendering with.

Thanks

Barry

[3D Peruna]

Can of worms...

You'll need to be far more specific about 1) What you're expecting the final result to be and 2) Your facility with 3D design software.

But, without that, I'd say sketchup.google.com is your best bet to start.

[Edgar]

I'd agree wholeheartedly. But his other questions will be valid if you want to do "photorealistic" rendering. Sketchup can do most of the 3D, it's fun and easy to use, but won't render worth a squat unless you take your finished work into another program (and for that you'll need to pay $499 for Sketchup Pro).

[Sanbar]

I believe the drawing was made in autocad. I'm looking for something that will give me more of a 3d sense of what I am looking at.

[3D Peruna]

If it's a 2D drawing, there is no program that will automatically make it 3D. If it was a 3D AutoCAD model, then just use AutoCAD (or an Autodesk product) to see it.

I still don't know what you're final intent is....

[Warm Worm]

Check out Sourceforge.net, which has a wealth of free software solutions.

[gruhn]

I've been exploring Prismacolor pencils lately.

Any modeler, I think AutoCAD is nice to start with then finish up in

3ds, but that's a lot of green and a lot of learning. Right now I'm very keen on the Maxwell renderer; the closest to single button first pass rendering solution I've seen, by far. Available standalone and with plugins for many modelers.

Some interesting work has been done with Piranesi, but not by me.