Discover Why FluidRay is Considered the Easiest Renderer to Learn

More and more designers are using rendering tools to showcase their work to current and potential clients.  Whether you are creating architectural designs, interior designs, jewelry designs or other product designs, FluidRay is easy to incorporate into your workflow with our tutorials, support, and online community.

Benefits to incorporating a rendering tool into your design organization

  • Creating more detailed designs: Clients can better visualize the entire project and sample different items like materials, fixtures, paint colors and lighting. Seeing the final design makes it easy for a client to visualize their future building, room or product and ultimately select you as their designer. 
  • Saving money: By examining the design details early, issues and needed changes become apparent early. Addressing issues before construction begins or materials are purchased keeps the project moving forward and avoids costly delays. 
  • Impressing clients: Your design presentations will highlight your abilities in an impressive, easy-to-view format. Design is highly competitive and design presentations must be attention grabbing. Renderings do exactly that. Because of the real-time nature of FluidRay, you can adjust designs on the fly; creating more excitement and winning over even the most demanding of clients. 
  • Changing options in real time or quickly present multiple design options: Clients are notorious for not knowing exactly what they want or they change their minds several times during the design process. This is natural and should be expected and incorporated into timelines. Using a rendering tool, like FluidRay, allows for multiple design options to be shared and details to be modified in real-time to better facilitate the process. When clients can see multiple options, decisions are made quickly and efficiently shaving time off a project.
  • Communicating ideas: Effective communication of design ideas and iterations is certainly one of the most important aspects of the relationship between designer and client. Because of FluidRay’s real-time nature, modifications are made in seconds enabling communication between you and client to move forward efficiently.

When asked about incorporating a rendering tool into their organization, many designers indicate they don’t have the time or (frankly) the interest in learning another modeling tool. They aren’t able to spend time creating renderings when a 3d model created in Rhino, Sketchup, or similar is acceptable. While taking it to the next level would certainly be ideal, it is simply not worth the additional time and money. However, once these same designers realize how easy FluidRay is to learn and consider the benefits, they do in fact begin to use a rendering tool. This is exactly what happened to THE small HOUSE CATALOG. After displaying rendered designs on https://smallhousecatalog.com/, the company saw more than a 20% increase in online sales!

What makes FluidRay so easy to learn? 

  • Clear tutorials: FluidRay offers free tutorials that describe the details on how to create and refine renderings. Check out these examples or view them all on our HELP page

Interior Rendering Tutorial

Interior Rendering in Rhino and FluidRay

Architectural Rendering Tutorial

Architectural Rendering in Rhino and FluidRay

Jewelry Rendering Tutorial

Jewelry Rendering with Rhino and FluidRay

  • Accessible costs: FluidRay offers a free 10 day trial to get designers up and running with no commitment. 

Once your free trial is complete, FluidRay offers an affordable monthly plan.

  • Available support: The FluidRay support team is available to help with issues and questions as you learn about the FluidRay features and create renderings. Simply submit a question and someone from support will get back to you quickly. Additionally the online community of FluidRay users posts questions and answers to help other users navigate the tool. 
  • Works on most Windows or Mac computers: FluidRay doesn’t require any special equipment or high powered machines. Simply download FluidRay and start rendering in minutes. 
  • Real-time renderings: You can see your work immediately and make real time adjustments as needed. No waiting to see if your design looks right. 

Are you ready to learn rendering for your next design project? Our pricing is inexpensive and we offer a free trial so you can see how fast and easy it is to turn your 3D models into realistic images that will inspire your clients. To learn how to create beautiful renderings in FluidRay, we provide a library of training tutorials. Experience the good side of rendering today!

Customer Spotlight: How THE small HOUSE CATALOG Uses FluidRay to Bring Designs to Life

Have you ever dreamed of owning a small house, living simply, and only with your essentials? Shawn Dehner brings this dream to reality. He runs THE small HOUSE CATALOG, an architectural design company that creates both custom and stock plans for clients located all over the United States, Canada, and beyond. 

“This is truly a great product that I’m excited to be using. It’s one of a kind!”

SHAWN DEHNER Owner, THE small HOUSE CATALOG

Architectural design is a very visual industry. Shawn had long been wanting to take his designs to the next level in terms of presentation for both custom design clients and stock plan customers. The simple schematic presentations were lacking the storyline he wanted to share. Additionally, feedback from his tens of thousands of blog subscribers was for additional interior and exterior images of the designs. This was one of the top requests from Shawn’s subscribers in 2019. It is clear that his followers wanted to be able to better visualize themselves living in a small house. Shawn determined it was time to learn rendering so he could share realistic images of his small house designs. 

Sommerhus

Every week Shawn is hired by a variety of client types. Homeowners make up most of his custom business but he also supplies builders and prefab construction companies. The stock plans found on THE small HOUSE CATALOG website sell daily to a mix of customers including individuals, builders and schools. With this diverse customer base, Shawn needed to find a rendering tool that could create many renderings that appeal to a lot of people with a lot of uses. The tool also needed to be capable of creating renderings quickly and easily.

“I have to tell you, FluidRay really just worked for me right out of the box. I’d struggled with some other top notch competitors and I could not get them to function well. I found FluidRay one night surfing for rendering reviews and came across videos created by the company. I thought the renderings looked gorgeous and every bit on par with other rendering engines I was trying – and better generally. Also, the UI seemed to make sense – and it does. I was sincerely thrilled and relieved to find FluidRay.”

Kukui

Shawn quickly discovered how easy it was to download and learn FluidRay using the intuitive interface and the tutorials available on FluidRay’s website. With Shawn’s renderings on his website, smallhousecatalog.com, visitors can now click through different home design images and tour each house. The renderings allow visitors to visually take in cathedral ceilings, look out large windows, check out flooring materials, examine storage compartments, and more. On top of the easy-to-follow tutorials, Shawn finds the customer support team responsive and helpful for anything he can’t answer on his own. 

“Whenever I have an issue it’s replied to and addressed quickly. I find this incredible in today’s world.”

Moschata

While FluidRay is a subscription based service, Shawn is delighted with how affordable it is, even for a small business. And because Shawn is the only designer at THE small HOUSE CATALOG, he has very little extra time to create renderings. Since FluidRay is so easy to learn and use, Shawn is able to create renderings, complete his monthly plan releases, and take care of his clients.

THE small HOUSE CATALOG has fully incorporated FluidRay into its business process and is now creating jaw-dropping renderings using FluidRay. Shawn prefers an “artsy” style to his client presentations and he is able to achieve exactly this with FluidRay. He is able to create renderings that add clarity to projects and help set a tone and tell a story about each small house design. Considering that THE small HOUSE CATALOG stock design sales are up 20-25% each month so far in 2020, FluidRay has become an essential part of THE small HOUSE CATALOG!

Are you ready to try rendering for your architectural designs? Our pricing is inexpensive and we offer a free trial so you can see how fast and easy it is to turn your 3D models into realistic images that will inspire your clients. To learn how to create beautiful renderings in FluidRay, we provide a library of training tutorials. Experience the good side of rendering today!

Jewelry Rendering Tutorial with Rhino and FluidRay

We just released a new tutorial video on how to render jewelry designs with Rhino and FluidRay:

Jewelry Rendering with Rhino and FluidRay

6 Reasons to Use a Rendering Tool in Your Next Architecture Project

What are 3D renderings and can they benefit your architectural projects? Architectural renderings are realistic computer generated images that are often created for presenting design ideas.  Starting with a 3D model created in a design tool like SketchUp or Rhino 3D, designers then transform this model into beautiful rendered images and videos that bring their design ideas to life. Renderings realistically incorporate textures, lighting, materials, backgrounds and colors to 3D models that enable clients to accurately imagine the final project. 

By eliminating issues and iterating on designs early in the design process, renderings ultimately save designers time and money. Clients can “tour” a building and explore its details even before the construction crew breaks ground.

Here are 6 reasons to use a rendering tool in your next architecture design. 

1. Create more detailed designs

Architectural clients appreciate and will focus on details. While a 3D model is a great starting point, it lacks details. A rendered model contains the details a client requires. These realistic renderings let clients see what the finished project will look like in the exact environment in which it will be built. Clients are able to visualize the entire project, sampling different items such as materials, fixtures, paint colors, and lighting quickly and easily. Seeing the final project makes it easy for a client to visualize their future building and ultimately select you as their architect for the project.  

 

Exterior render with pool

2. Save money by discovering issues early in the process

Renderings bring a design to life. Designers and clients can see what the final building will look like before construction begins. By examining the details of a building before construction begins, issues become apparent early. Eliminating issues early in the design process keeps the project moving forward and avoids costly delays. 

3. Impress clients with a leading-edge appearance

Give yourself an edge by using 3D renderings to demonstrate to your clients you are up to speed on the latest technologies. Your design presentations will highlight your architectural abilities in an easy to view format. Including renderings in your design presentations will enable clients to better appreciate your architectural abilities. Architecture is highly competitive and design presentations must be attention grabbing. Renderings do exactly that. Because of the real-time nature of FluidRay, you can adjust designs on the fly; creating more excitement and winning over even the most demanding of clients. 

4. Change options in real time & offer multiple options 

Clients are notorious for not knowing exactly what they want or they change their minds several times during the design process. This is natural and should be expected and incorporated into timelines. Using a rendering tool, like FluidRay, allows for multiple design options to be shared and details to be modified in real-time to better facilitate the process. When clients can see multiple options, decisions are made quickly and efficiently shaving time off a project.

5. Improve marketing of your firm 

Have you visited a website and known immediately that it represents an excellent firm? Potential clients visit architectural websites to view previous projects and to understand capabilities and specialties. Using renderings in your case studies, on your website, in your proposals, and in your marketing materials gives a professional, high-quality presentation to the clients considering you. These images can and should be shared across all marketing channels to showcase your capabilities to a large number of clients. A strong online presence is a low cost way to attract new clients and rendering will help get you there. 

6. Communicate ideas easily

Effective communication of design ideas and iterations is certainly one of the most important aspects of the relationship between architect and client. FluidRay plays an important role in this communication. FluidRay renderings are fast and easy to create. Simply import a 3d model into FluidRay, begin applying materials and environments, and adjust the settings until your rendering is complete. This process takes just a few minutes and the results can be shared easily either in person, over a screen share or electronically shared images. Because of FluidRay’s real-time nature, modifications are made in seconds enabling communication between you and client to move forward efficiently.

 


Are you ready to try rendering for your architectural designs? Our pricing is inexpensive and we offer a free trial so you can see how fast and easy it is to turn your 3D models into realistic images that will inspire your clients. To learn how to create beautiful renderings in FluidRay, we provide a library of training tutorialsExperience the good side of rendering today!

Architectural Rendering Tutorial with Rhino and FluidRay

There is a new tutorial video available that shows how to quickly render buildings and architectural exteriors with Rhino and FluidRay:

Architectural Rendering in Rhino and FluidRay

How to Create Realistic Interior Lighting with FluidRay

We are in trying times. No matter each of our specific situations, everyone has been affected by the global pandemic and we’ve all had to modify our day to day lives in order to keep our communities safe. The FluidRay team wishes everyone the best as we all adjust. 

Are you able to work remotely? Why not use this time to refine your rendering skills with these tips on how to use FluidRay to create renderings with realistic lighting? 

Proper interior lighting is crucial when designing an interior, particularly when working to create the ambiance of a room. Lighting adds both style and function and determines the mood of the space. Perfecting the lighting effects in 3D renderings enables designers to accurately communicate the intended mood for a room. Creating lighting effects in FluidRay is fast, easy, and produces beautiful results that will impress your clients! 

Keep reading for detailed instructions on how to bring your renderings to life with interior lighting. 

Step 1: Import Your 3D Model

Create your 3D model in your favorite modeling software. We used SketchUp for this example.

SketchUp 3D Model

livingroom.skp

 

Once your model is created, import the file into FluidRay. 

FluidRay Import Project

FluidRay works directly with SketchUp (.skp), Rhino OpenNurbs (.3dm), FBX (.fbx), Alias Wavefront (.obj), Collada (.dae), 3DS (.3ds, .ase), DirectX (.X), Stanford PLY (.ply), and STereoLithography (.stl). 

If your filetype isn’t listed here, simply export to an .fbx file within your 3D modeling software and then import into FluidRay. 

Step 2: Set Materials

Let’s begin by setting the materials in the model. By setting materials before adjusting the lighting, you can see how the materials will react in real time when adjusting the lighting. Select an object from the model and then from the drop down menu in the Materials tab, drag and drop the desired material into your rendering. FluidRay has a large library of high quality materials from which to choose and the ability to import additional materials. 

Step 3: Add Environmental Light

Environmental light comes from the outside, rather than from the inside. Environmental light is a global parameter, meaning it will affect the entire rendering, not only one part of it. 

FluidRay Drag and Drop

In this example, we start with the night environment and then we increase the light’s power. 

FluidRay

You can see the room in our model takes on light from the environment as if it is night time outside. Increase the light’s power in the right panel using the Environment tab.

FluidRay Increase Light Power

Step 4: Add Artificial Light

FluidRay

Artificial light includes overhead lights as well as table or floor lamps. We recommend applying the artificial light first without the environmental lights. Simply select the surface you want to emit light and tweak its emission power and color. You can also drag and drop an emissive material onto the surface. 

Emissive material

Go through these same steps for each of the artificial lights in your rendering. 

Step 5: Turn Environmental Light Back On

Turn the environmental light back on so the rendering includes both environmental and artificial lighting. This rendering is really coming together!

Step 6: Finalize and Adjust Your Rendering

In this final step, you’ll tweak the materials, environmental lighting, and artificial lighting to get to the final result. Thanks to FluidRay’s speed and ability to render in real time, you’ll immediately get an idea of how the render will look after each and every material or light change. 

Check out this video that walks you through how to do these steps in real time. 

Interior Rendering with FluidRay

 

FluidRay also offers training tutorials for more details on learning how to render images. You’ll create designs quickly and easily, freeing yourself up to focus on imagining interiors for your clients.

If you want to experience how FluidRay can help you inspire your clients, download our software for a free trial. Our pricing is inexpensive so anyone can experience the good side of rendering!




5 Reasons Interior Designers Choose FluidRay for Rendering

There’s nothing like walking into a well-appointed space that has been well planned out yet feels natural and comfortable. Interior designers have a talent for creating these environments but it takes a special dance of communication and coordination with their clients to get it just right. To support this level of communication, designers turn to FluidRay as their choice software for easy and fast rendering.

Here are the top 5 reasons why you’ll love FluidRay rendering software too:

1. Quick Learning Curve

FluidRay’s intuitive interface and straightforward training resources make learning 3D rendering effortless. Our engineers designed FluidRay with usability in mind and the workflow can be grasped in a matter of minutes. To make rendering even easier, FluidRay comes with a large library of environments, materials and backgrounds. Check out our training tutorials for more details on learning how to render images in FluidRay. You’ll create designs quickly and easily, freeing yourself up to focus on imagining interiors for your clients. 

Regardless of technical expertise, anyone can get up to speed on FluidRay in just a few minutes.  

I love how I can drag & drop materials, lights and furniture in my interiors and quickly see the results! I can produce different proposals for my clients in no time. I can even tweak the illumination and materials while they stand by my side!

– Evelyn G.

2. Lightning Fast

With many rendering applications, large images can take several hours to complete. However, FluidRay’s lightning fast technology allows you to create immediately visible images that can be edited as needed, streamlining your workflow! Our engineers use artificial intelligence to ensure super fast performance and there are no GPU limitations. 

I don’t usually have the luxury to spend time figuring out how to make a realistic material or set up a lighting studio for each new product; here’s when FluidRay comes to the rescue.

– Diego P.

3. Affordable

Our pricing plans make FluidRay accessible to anyone with no long term contracts or hidden fees making it the tool of choice for independent designers and firms alike. In fact, ALL3DP recently ranked FluidRay as one of the best rendering tools on the market, comparing it with rendering software that costs considerably more.  Learn more about our pricing options and find a plan that works best for you. 

4. Creates Stunning Designs

Did you know that FluidRay can take your 3d model and transform it into a realistic and beautiful image in a matter of seconds? While designers will review a 2d image and can imagine its full potential, many interior design clients struggle with 2d images and will imagine a space much more confidently with a rendered file. Using FluidRay to communicate by sharing realistic images allows you to better communicate with your clients both during the proposal phase and design phase to get plans exactly right. FluidRay also enables you to make changes to your rendered images on the fly so you can quickly communicate changes, impressing your clients and getting the job done.

Interior Rendering in FluidRay by Sekhar Roy

I downloaded FluidRay, played around with the settings (very intuitive) and in a few minutes I was able to show my clients beautiful images of my designs.

– Ian P.

5. Compatibility

FluidRay is compatible with your favorite modeling software and supports the following formats: SketchUp (.skp), Rhino OpenNurbs (.3dm), FBX (.fbx), Alias Wavefront (.obj), Collada (.dae), 3DS (.3ds, .ase), DirectX (.X), Stanford PLY (.ply), STereoLithography (.stl).

Simply open up FluidRay, click “import model” and select your file. You’ll be rendering in seconds! The included extensive library of materials, models, and lights all readily available in an easy drag & drop interface enables you to create any space you can imagine. 

FluidRay’s extensive features, easy-to-use interface, quick rendering capabilities, affordability, stunning designs, and modeling software compatibility make it the perfect rendering software for interior designers. 

If you want to experience how FluidRay can help you inspire your clients, download our software for a free trial. Our pricing is inexpensive so anyone can experience the good side of rendering!

Complex interior lighting with FluidRay

New interior rendering with FluidRay