Architectural rendering is a way for architects to produce real, stunning 3D images to show off their design ideas to prospective clients. However, architectural rendering is just a tool, and tools can be misused.

Even the best renderer can make mistakes. Therefore, before you get into the architectural rendering game, it’s best to know some common mistakes that can happen.

1. Using Architectural Rendering Where It’s Not Needed

The first question that every architect needs to ask themselves is “do I really need architectural rendering for this project?”

Indeed, there are some cases where a render is unnecessary and the design can be conveyed through a simple sketch or blueprint. While beautiful looking renders might catch the eye, an architect must never forget the main purpose of a design – to tell a story. If a sketch or a simple blueprint can communicate the idea behind a design, then there’s no need for 3D architectural rendering.

2. Not Rendering People

So you’ve made your beautiful 3D render. You’re looking at it, and it seems empty. Why could that be? It’s simple – you haven’t rendered people in your design.

Adding a diverse group of people to a 3D render of a building adds a sense of realism to the design. Not only that, but it also gives the building a sense of scale. This is especially true when it comes to interior designing. People appreciate the placement of furniture but seeing a human being interacting with said furniture makes it more relatable.

3. Being Too Sci-Fi in Your Approach

Staying on the topic of realism, this is something that is becoming increasingly common in the architectural rendering space. While a “Sci-Fi” look to your designs might make them more impactful, going overboard with it can easily make people lose interest in it.

People know that what they’re looking at is only a design. When that happens, the render loses its story-telling power. And as we noted earlier, the main point of making these renders in the first place is to communicate the architect’s vision to the people. Keeping things real and relatable is the way to go.

4. A Lot of Detail but No Focus

This is something that affects all artists, not just those involved in architectural rendering. Giving your render a lot of detail is great, but the design shouldn’t lose its core focus. The detail shouldn’t take away from the main aspect of the render.

Conclusion

Architectural rendering, like a lot of art, needs to be done with tact and grace. Giving too much or too little can often take away from the impact of the final product. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you don’t make any of these common mistakes when it comes to the architectural rendering process.