Virtual Upholstery with Cinema 4D and Octane Artist, visualization specialist and trainer Christoph Schindelar uses customized workflows in Cinema 4D to create challenging visualizations of interior furnishings.
Two things are important for Christoph when working: flexibility and speed. Flexibility is provided by Cinema 4D, whose straight-forward use serves as an uncompromising basis for his workflows. Speed is achieved during rendering with various plugins and third-party applications that are optimized for use with Cinema 4D.
When a client tasked him with creating visualizations for 360 sofas in 60 different virtual showrooms, Christoph immediately started developing a fitting workflow with Cinema 4D, which would let him deliver the desired results on time and within budget.
The basic showroom scenes were created in Cinema 4D and filled with objects obtained from 3D model suppliers. Other elements that weren't available for purchase were modeled according to reference images using photo modeler.
The focus of the project was the furniture that had to be presented in the showrooms. Christoph used Cinema 4D's Cloth Simulation feature to cover a standard framework with the respective upholstery. The Cloth Simulation feature works so precisely that the upholstery was automatically fitted correctly, including folds in the cloth. Cinema 4D's sculpting tools were then used to fine-tune the sofas stitching and other details.
After the furnishings had been modeled, sculpted and textured, and the scene arranged, Christoph began rendering using the Octane render engine. Octane is a GPU renderer that uses a computer's graphics cards for very fast rendering. Since Octane is an unbiased renderer that renders light and surface properties as accurately as possible, the rendered results were really impressive.
Christoph's decision to use the Octane Renderer for this project was based not only on the fact that it delivers such stunning results but also on the Live Viewer feature, which lets a scene be rendered dynamically in a special preview window while it's being edited in the viewport.
The variety of projects with which Christoph is confronted has shown that there is not a universal renderer for all jobs. "Each renderer has its own strengths and weaknesses, when creating automotive renderings, packshots or shots with image-based lighting. For VFX, volumetric effects and interior renderings on the other hand I would recommend the Arnold Renderer. If you take that extra step when using specific applications, render quality can be driven to unprecedented heights. If, for example, Cinema 4D is combined with the HDRI Light Studio plugin and the Octane Renderer you get the best workflow for product renderings, jewelry visualizations and packshots that I know of!" explains Christoph.
Websites that feature Christoph Schindelar's work:
www.artstation.com/artist/chris-3d
www.3dvisual.at
