INTRODUCTION
Hello, and welcome to the e-book: “Become
a true artist. The core system behind every
fabulous visualization”.
Presumably, you are a 3d artist (or perhaps
want to be) and you are keen to know what
makes some images better than others. You
are able to indicate the ones that draw your
attention but cannot find the connective
between the best ones.
Let’s stop here for a moment.
We have all been there. You were searching
through some architectural visualization
websites or scrolling through your
Instagram page. An amazing visualization
caught your eyes. Such a gorgeous image
may have even seemed a bit unattainable
for you. Sounds familiar?
Now is the time to change this!
Our Black Balance team believes that each
person carries some important message. An
artist with a brush, camera or computer
mouse in his hand has an amazing
opportunity to influence reality through his
image, photos or graphics.
He can affect dozens of people at one time
and make a big difference. Maybe you want
to show the world something more than
just visualization, maybe you want to convey
some fragment of the story that your
recipient will be able to interpret in their
own way.
That’s why in this e-book we will look at
what is the core system behind every great
visualization and what are the steps you
need to follow in order to create such
fabulous images.
When you wield the power of this system…
IT’S LIKE HAVING YOUR VERY OWN
SUPERPOWER…that gives you a possibility
to create images you are willing to. After
reading this, I hope you will be ready to take
on the Arch Viz - world and have confidence
to create some incredible images!
Hopefully, this e-book will give you some
useful insights into becoming a true artist!
 AB OUT AUT HORS

AGNIESZKA & ADAM KLICH

Black Balance Studio

NUMEROUS JOURNEYS AND EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE GAINED IN AUSTRALIA, THE UNITED

STATES AND EUROPE HAVE SHAPED OUR VIEW OF THE WORLD, GAVE A HUGE DOSE OF
INSPIRATION AND DRIVEN US TO ACTION. WE FOUNDED BLACK BALANCE STUDIO WITH
PASSION FOR CREATING, EVOKING EMOTIONS AND CREATING VALUE. THE PERSONALITIES,
THAT COMPLEMENTED EACH OTHER, FORM OUR TEAM IN ORDER TO MEET YOUR
EXPECTATIONS IN THE BEST WAY.

WE TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE GREAT SKILL SET CAN TAKE EACH ARTIST TO THE NEXT
LEVEL. THAT IS WHY WE DECIDED TO SHARE THE KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE LEARNT OVER
THE YEARS TO HELP ARTISTS LIKE WE IMPROVING THEIR SKILLS.

DURING THIS TIME, WE HAVE GAINED A LOT OF EXPERIENCE, WE HAD BEEN ABLE TO
WORK OUT SOME GREAT METHODS WHICH GIVES US POSSIBILITY TO CREATE IMAGES IN
THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY.
 T HE ONE CORE
S YS T E M B E HI ND
E VE RY F AB UL OUS
I MAGE …

8 STEPS SYSTEM
ABOUT THE SYSTEM

We’ve been sure that 3d artists who make
outstanding images aren’t doing it by
chance, luck, or coincidence. That’s why we
have spent a lot of years looking for the
answers on how to create great images…
THE SYSTEM CONSISTS 8 STEPS:
1. COMPOSITION - The balance between the essentials and the
minutiae in the image.
2. CAMERA SETUP - Setting up the camera angle that influences
the viewer.

…AND FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT.

It’s the system that has helped us get the
attention of the viewers, present our work
at the highest level and use software as an
artistic tool. The most powerful, most
proven route to achieving the results you’re
dreaming of.
3. LIGHTING - Affecting emotions through the different lighting
scenarios.
4. COLOR PALETTE - Using the power of the colors in order to
convey the message.
5. MATERIALS - Creating high-quality and photo-realistic
materials.
6. ASSETS PLACEMENT - Arranging assets to show the character
of the place.

7. STORYTELLING - Creating an additional value through the

story.

8. POST-PRODUCTION - Enhancing the image as a professional

photographer.
 STEP 1
USE THE RULES OF
COMPOSITION

THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE ESSENTIALS

AND THE MINUTIAES IN THE IMAGE.
COMPOSITION
Step 1

The composition is one of the most important rules in creating a perfect image for any
purpose.Some of the tricks can be used to draw a viewer’s attention for particular things
(what you think is important in your project, what do you want to show your target audience).

Well, if it is so important, let me explain how it works.

Composition describes placement of visual elements in an image. It is all about putting

together objects in a way which emphasizes the parts you want to by making them stand
out.

Our studio always starts from the basics in order to interest your potential clients and then to
keep the attention as long as possible. If these are right, you have more chances that
somebody will see your building, product or an idea instead of others!

IMPORTANT! 
HERE ARE THE TECHNIQUES USED BY THE ARTISTS TO
EMPHASIZE THE MOST IMPORTANT BITS OF AN IMAGE:

Using strong saturated color.
By creating a really toned and
unsaturated image with one very strong
and colorful element, the viewer’s
attention is automatically directed to
this object.
A camera focused on the part that the
artist wants to show.
if you want to drawn attention to a
specific element of the scene, the easiest
way is to use really shallow depth of field
wit focus on this element.

High contrast where the important Creating a movement.

things are.
By using the high lighting contrast
between parts of the scene, you can
emphasize an element you want to
expose to viewer’s eyes.
By adding the movement to an element
of a scene, you can are directed the
viewer’s eyes to the particular part of the
visualization.
Placing figures and faces.
Figures and faces arouse interest
immediately and draw the viewer’s
attention in their direction.
STRUCTURE
There are a lot of types of composition, however, I am
explaining the three main ones below.

SYMMETRY The theory behind this is to place the

This is a perfect example of balance - one
half (top/bottom, left/right, diagonal split)
of an image is identical (or nearly identical)
to the other. Symmetry makes the
buildings looking powerful - that’s why you
can find a lot of photography of churches
or governmental buildings using these
rules.
points of interest in the intersections or
along the lines.
GOLDEN RATIO
The Golden Ratio is a mathematical ratio
which allows an artist to perfectly balance
a composition. You can find a lot of
examples of this rule in nature (shell,
plants, human body, etc).

THE RULE OF THIRDS

Imagine that you are breaking the images
down into nine equal pieces ( three
horizontally and three vertically).
 #QUICK TIP

COMPOSITION SCRIPT

If you are struggling with the rules of composition, or you

just simply want to make your life easier, check the
Composition Script. You will be able to see the
composition arrangements in the viewport . This way you
will be sure that the camera you’ve set up is in line with
the rules.

You can read more about composition in the article "WHY

WE LIKE SOME IMAGES MORE THAN OTHERS? – PART 1 –
COMPOSITION" on our blog.
 STEP 2
CAMERA SETUP

THINK AS A PROFESSIONAL
PHOTOGRAPHER WHEN CHOOSING THE
ANGLE TO INFLUENCE THE VIEWER.
CAMERA SETUP
Step 2

Think as a professional photographer when choosing the angle.

Selecting a camera angle, most of the time, is the first thing we do during the process of
creating the visualizations. This is an integral part of creating each image and it could
potentially be the most challenging one. The details, architectural highlights and
surrounding context change the perception of the image based on the camera angle. Some
angles focus on one object, while others show the full context of the space.

IMPORTANT! TRY NOT TO SHOOT ONLY FROM THE

MOST OBVIOUS ANGELS

That is why we need to think about this a
little more. Don’t just do the easiest
camera angle, the one that always works.
Take a couple extra minutes and think
about where your subject can look
fabulous from. Move your camera around,
move to the right, move to the left, go to
the back and front.
Point the camera up slightly and then
point it down a little. Try to think as a
professional photographer, try not to shoot
only from the most obvious - eye level
position. Test some different heights,
maybe imitate shooting from the waist
position or from the knees.
 #QUICK TIP

INTERIOR VISUALIZATIONS

In the interior visualizations, try to position your camera

much lower then eye level.

From experience, we observe that the height between 0.9

and 1.2m from the ground works best in most cases.
 STEP 3
LIGHTING

AFFECTING EMOTIONS THROUGH THE

DIFFERENT LIGHTING SCENARIOS.
LIGHTING
Step 3

Lighting is the most powerful tool to capture emotions. Lighting can change the mood,
atmosphere, and depth of any illustration. That’s why choosing the lighting during the
process of creating an image is so crucial. There is no scene without the light, there is just a
black render. By changing the lighting we change our perception of things.

DIFFERENT LIGHTING, DIFFERENT EFFECT - LET ME

EXPLAIN WHAT ARE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES FOR
NATURAL LIGHT DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF DAY.

GOLDEN HOUR This period of time works great with urban

The period shortly after sunrise and before
sunset. Lighting during this time of day
adds warm color, texture, and depth to the
scene. It creates dramatic and artistic
images with a gentle mood and subtle
atmosphere. It works really well in both
interior and exterior images.
BLUE HOUR
Also known as dusk or twilight, the period
before sunrise and after sunset. During the
blue hour, contrast is low and the light
casts a cool palette tone. Images occur to
be more subdued.
and city scenery where soft natural light
contrasts with artificial lights coming from
street lights and buildings. Excellent idea is
to use the blue hour lighting in the
interiors where cold natural light is
balanced by warm light from the room.
MIDDAY
Between 11 am and 1 pm, it is possibly the
worst time for images because of harsh
light from the sun. In the images created
during these hours, the sunlight that is
high above the horizontal line is strong and
the shadows are harsh.
Photographs wake up before everybody
and go back late for a reason. The most
beneficial moment from the photographic
point of view is when the sun is close to the
horizon. In the midday, you should look for
photos composed with a few simple
elements. It is not impossible to find a
unique image during this time but it is not
a simple task to come up with the
outstanding illustration. When it comes to
architectural visualization and you have an
opportunity to choose whatever lighting
you want, selecting the midday time seems
unsupported.
TYPE OF LIGHT
Another important issue is defining the
qualities of light. Below I will briefly explain
the differences and purposes of this. It can
be used both natural and artificial lights.
DARK LIGHT
Conceals information from viewers, making
an image appear mysterious, refined and
moody. It works well for instance with
high-end interiors with additional use of fill
lights.
BRIGHT LIGHT
Adds lightness and cheerful mood. If your
goal is to create a happy, optimistic, and
airy atmosphere, the bright lighting will fit
perfectly.
NIGHT
During this time, you can create a unique
nighttime image of the city with the
colorful lights around or an impressive shot
of the interior with exposed indoor lights. It
makes the image really special, creates a
dramatic, mysterious, and glamour look.
HIGH CONTRAST
The high contrast images attract attention,
look punchy and vibrant. Strong contrast
makes an image look dramatic and
outstanding. It works well, for instance in
interior with bright, warm light during the
evening.
LOW CONTRAST
If you are looking for a more gentle,
intimate and subtle atmosphere, low
contrast image can be a good choice. Low
contrast images don’t draw attention as
the high contrast ones, but well - used can
create a subtle, muted, and relaxed mood.
 #QUICK TIP

TIME OF DAY

To make your renders look better instantly create sunrise or

sunset lighting.
Photographs wake up before everybody and go back late for
a reason. The most beneficial moment from the
photographic point of view is when the sun is close to the
horizon.

You can read more about lighting in the article "WHY WE

LIKE SOME IMAGES MORE THAN OTHERS? – PART 2 –
LIGHTING" on our blog.
 STEP 4
COLOR PALETTE

USING THE POWER OF THE COLORS IN

ORDER TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE.
COLORS
Step 4

sing an adequate mix of colors and people
arrangements during the process of
creating the illustration is extremely
important and can significantly change the
viewers’ perception.
Why colors are important?
1. Colors stimulate emotions, affect mood.
2. Colors draw a viewer’s attention.
3. Colors can guide the viewer’s eyes where
it’s important.
4. Colors emphasize a uniqueness.
5. Colors can bring out the message.

Warm colors remind us of things like the sun or fire. 

They are associated with heightened emotions, passion, joy,
and playfulness. They make spaces look cozy and more
intimate.  

Cold colors remind us of things like water, sky or grass.

Cool colors recede what affects the perception of depth. They
make spaces look calm, relaxed and refreshed.

COLOR HARMONY

The relation between colors remarkably influences on our perception. Some of the colors
work great together, they give a pleasant visual reaction, others quite the opposite.

Below, I am going to show you some color schemes and the use of them.

MONOCHROMATIC

Various shades, tones, and tints of one color.

ANALOGOUS

Any three colors which are side by side on

the color wheel.

TRIADIC

Any three colors that are evenly spaced

around the color wheel.

COMPLEMENTARY

Two colors that are opposite each other on

the color wheel.

SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY

Any color on the wheel plus the two colors

adjacent to its complement.

DOUBLE COMPLEMENTARY

Two complementary pairs.

 #QUICK TIP

COLOR HIERARCHY

If you are not sure how to choose the colors depending on

the hierarchy, this page can be really useful. You can set
the type of hierarchy there, and you can see on the color
wheel which colors you should use.

You can read more about lighting in the article "WHY WE

LIKE SOME IMAGES MORE THAN OTHERS? – PART 3 –
COLORS" on our blog.
 STEP 5
MATERIALS

CREATING HIGH-QUALITY AND

PHOTOREALISTIC MATERIALS.
MATERIALS
Step 5

It’s the next big thing: producing high-quality visualization. You need to be a cautious
observer of the surrounding world. Creating photorealistic materials is a key if you want to
compete with the best.

IMPORTANT!

The good practice is to look at the real materials every day and analyze what features they
have - what is the reflectivity, refraction, if they are mat or shiny. If you understand materials
in real word you can easily recreate them in the software. The goal is to make a viewer have
difficulty distinguishing if the graphic he is looking at is a photograph or computer
generated image.
 #QUICK TIP

WHITE COLOR

Pure white color (255/255/255) doesn’t exist in the real

world and it creates unrealistic results in the software.
Keep albedo of your materials under RGB200.
 STEP 6
ASSETS PLACEMENT

ARRANGING ASSETS TO SHOW THE

CHARACTER OF THE PLACE.
ASSETS PLACEMENT
Step 6

It’s the next big thing: arranging assets across the images as the sign of the owner of the
property. Can viewers who are looking at the residential image in the catalog identified with
people living at this place? Do they relate to people working in the commercial space shown
in the advertisement? Might they find themselves in the render of the public space which
they are seeing on the billboard walking through the city? Do they want to spend time in the
new shopping centre which they have just seen in the news?

IMPORTANT!

The assets you will choose in your image determines the character of the place - you instruct
your viewer who’s the space belongs to. Adding the proper assets is one of the best ways to
reach the right customer. And this is what your clients goal is...
 #QUICK TIP

USE PINTEREST

Great way to look for and collect all your assets'

inspirations is to use Pinterest website. You can create
various boards for different type of assets and come back to
them every time you will need.

Additional tip: If you not sure what to use, keep it minimal.

Less is more.
 STEP 7
STORYTELLING

CREATING AN ADDITIONAL VALUE

THROUGH THE STORY.
STORYTELLING
Step 7

Stories are absolutely essential in our lives. At the beginning of architectural

We all enjoy good stories, whether it comes
from a movie, a novel or an image. Good
narratives make us feel and think - keep us
engaged. They stick in our minds, help us
remember ideas, make our ideas more
persuasive. Storytelling helps to
emotionally connect with people, convey
our values, beliefs, and purpose.
visualization art, the role of a 3d artist was
to simply help viewers to understand the
idea which was created by an architect in
the form of 2d drawing. Nowadays, the
best architectural visualization companies
know that it is getting to be more about
the story the artist says through the image,
and architecture becomes the background
for this narrative. Visual storytelling, when
done correctly, engage viewers, strengthen
relationships with customers and increase
awareness, and much more.

LET ME EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKS WITH

ARCHITECTURAL VISUALIZATIONS. 

Above, you can an image of the balcony of a nice, new apartment. In this example, our target
audience was a group of young people looking for the first apartment to move in together.
We decided to show the romantic mood and a cozy atmosphere here. Our goal was to
engage young people in love, evoke their emotions and desires. The soft, sunset lighting and
a gentle palette of colors play a great role in creating a place from their dreams. By using the
roses and spilled wine, we evoke specific emotions related to intimacy and sexual desire.
There is no need to always show everything directly. Through the architectural visualization,
we give our viewers some elements of the story which they can experience in their own way.
 #QUICK TIP

ASK YOURSELF A FEW

QUESTIONS:

Who do you want to hit with this project? 

What is your target group? 
What is the demographics?
What story do you want to convey?
What atmosphere suits your place best?
What mood do you want to enter your recipient in when
she/he looks at your project?
Do you want to emphasize any element?

Answers to these questions are a great base to start a

creating process.
 STEP 8
POSTPRODUCTION

ENHANCING THE IMAGE AS A

PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER.
POSTPRODUCTION
Step 8

All professional photographers post process their photographs, so we as 3d artists has to do

the same. You get get much more out of your image when you do postprodaction correctly,
You have to be carfull though, it is very easy overdo this.

KEEP IT NATURAL, DON'T GO OVERBOARD

It is very important to not overdo some of the effect. You have to make the image look
natural. Keep in mind how the materials you used look in real life, because it's easy to make
the colors look odd.

Also be careful with effects and LUTs. If you use them on full opacity, there's a good chance
that your image will look artificial. Try to keep opacity between 20% and 70% depending on
the LUT you are using.
 #QUICK TIP

FRAME BUFFER

Take a use of Frame Buffer and keep your post -production

process in 3ds max if possible.

This will save you a lot of time on revisions.

WHEN YOU WI ELD THE POWER OF THI S
SYSTEM…

I T’ S LI KE HAVI NG YOUR VERY OWN

SUPERPOWER…

THAT GI VES YOU A POSSI BI LI TY TO

CREATE I MAGES YOU ARE WI LLI NG TO.

IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ALL IN AND OUTS OF

THIS SYSTEM, YOU CAN BECOME OUR SUTDET.

VISIT THIS PAGE TO LEARN MORE!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTI ON!