3d renders: Hyper realistic or artsy fartsy? A common topic of debate in the interiors industry, whether it's our clients or designers themselves.

With the advance in technology, 3d visualisation has inevitably become a staple in conceptualisation and presentation — and it has reached the point where choosing the right method and type of rendering could mean the difference between success or failure.

So which is better? How do you know when one is more practical than the other? And which approach do industry insiders & clients really prefer? These questions, among other musings of an Interior Designer, might seem relatively simple, but are actually quite difficult to answer simply because the terms 'realistic' and 'artistic' are subjective.

Before we really dive into answering the questions above (assuming there is one), we must first learn the differentiating factors between these two terms.

Realistic - in layman terms, it is a computer generated image made to look as real as possible with lighting, textures, shading, etc., its main focus is photorealism while still conveying the intended designs.

Artistic - wherein designers are given the creative freedom with visualisation. It can come in various styles, be it manual or digital. (hand sketches, digital painting, and other forms of rendering that may not be quite photorealistic) It's main focus is usually to impress, but at the same time create a stylised environment.

While we're constantly thinking of new ways to elevate our client experience, we've dabbled in various mediums, with hyper realistic visuals being crossed off at the top of the list. It's definitely no easy feat. The amount of time and effort put in to replicate the exact conditions of the space, lighting, shadows, textures , etc., the amount of training needed to achieve a certain level of standard. You'd have to be a trained & experienced 3d technician by this point. which we are most definitely not :| 

If you've already seen our renders (check out our Instagram feed!), you might be confused — realistic or artistic? I've received exclamations praising the realism of what I would immediately deem as an artistic render. Perhaps it's a little bit of both?

No matter, visualisation is just another tool for communication. What's most important is to be able to convey ideas effectively? We should be using technology to complement who we are as designers, not to define.

If you're a client reading this, our advice to you would be to seek a designer for their ideas & creativity rather than their rendering skills. Process above inconsequential aesthetics. Would you rather a beautiful, safe and secure home built? or an interior designer obsessed about just getting his/her 3D as realistic as a photograph?