Let’s start with some big words. Sketches are quick RENDERING OF IDEAS. It’s a thought you had in your mind, translated into something visual, something real. Basically, whenever an idea or concept strikes you, it’s the sketch that breathes life into it, converting it into a tangible form.

Sketches are fast and loose, and they help you articulate anything that’s in your head. And with a bit of practice (and the use of 3d), it doesn't take more than an hour or two to get stunning results like these:

The beauty of a sketch is that it’s fast and non-committal by its nature. This exercise demands little of your time, yet provides an invaluable workout for your creative muscles in return.

3d sketches could save you time from exploring images with no potential. That’s a key advantage. Also, if you’re a senior artist, you can create a basic sketch that would serve as a valuable starting point for your junior colleagues. A sketch is an excellent way to jumpstart production. If you run a business, a sketch can convince your client to commission more shots. Although that’s a route you need to exercise with caution.

The bottom line is 3d sketches help you optimize time management and earn more money in the long run. And that’s it.

Today, we’ll touch base on architectural 3d sketches and show you how they’re done. Our goal is to take you one step closer to mastering it.

If you are a beginner 3d artist, this article will guide you in crafting quick and efficient sketches. And for all the seasoned pros among you, perhaps you'll find a mirror of your own methods here.

The journey may seem daunting, but there’s no reason to be worried. We're here to show you all the elements that go into implementing 3d sketches.

We’ll begin with 3 essential things before you get down to business, followed by a 5-step action plan. So let's get at it!

The first crucial ingredient you need is… experience. That’s right, there’s no way around it. If you want to make cool and diverse sketches efficiently, you need a lot of practice.

Ok, but what does that really mean?

Actually, it all boils down to the right and mature mindset. To understand how things are connected in 3d graphics and beyond it. It’s about identifying the best features to accentuate and translating these into a tangible piece. You should have a wide and open mindset that allows you to focus your efforts where they make the most significant impact. That same mindset allows you to foresee how things may play out just by looking at the architecture alone in your viewport.

And if you're not in that place yet, just look at the example below. It usually takes just a couple of shapes in Photoshop, to visualize pretty much everything that’s coming up next.

That’s no surprise that 3D sketches typically are the domain of art directors and senior artists. This kind of perspective takes time and practice.

That doesn't mean it’s beyond your reach.

In just a moment, we’ll show you how this process works, so you can start implementing it into your routine. Just keep in mind you need to have a deep understanding of art to progress in it. Engage in personal projects, and talk to other 3d artists. Try to steer your skills and career in the direction of the generalist, and before you know it, you’ll be in the right place.

To help you open your “creative 3rd eye”, consider diving into these articles as well: “How to Become a better artist” and “How to do creative research”. We truly believe they will aid you in fostering a better mindset.

Now, let’s press forward.

If you want to produce images fast, you need to know your stuff. This means getting hold of different software, plugins, tools, tricks, and whatnot. That’s simply a must.

You need to know how to solve a wide range of problems technically. Most importantly, you want to master all the lighting scenarios. Everything from the day, sunset, overcast to night, and especially those epic volumetric scenarios. Sitting down to create 3d sketches is not the best time to be learning new skills. You want to use what you already know and quickly implement it. You basically need to have a 3d Swiss knife in your pocket, which translates to several essential skills:

• Software proficiency
  

  learning and using as many tools as you possibly can

• Lighting skills
  

  executing and/or recreating any lighting scenario

• Kitbashing experience
  

  modifying and creative use of premade assets

• Composition understanding
  

  arranging visual building blocks for artistic impact

• “Skilled eye”
  

  having color aesthetics, advanced use of color

And we know, we sound like a broken record, but we need to say it: engage in personal projects. It’s a wonderful process in which new nuggets of knowledge spontaneously come to you. It urges you to get out of your comfort zone and forces you to stop running on autopilot. All it really takes is small quick projects where you focus on new skills.

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the technical proficiency required, here are a few Youtube Channels to help you boost your skills (including a shameless plug from us)

• 01.

  Arqui9

• 02.

  CommonPoint

• 03.

  Chaos Corona

• 04.

  RenderRam

Immerse yourself in these, and before you know it, you'll become a true 3d ninja.

The last thing you should have is a 3d starter kit. Let it be your starting point for anything you plan to work on. This implies having lots of 3d models, scatter setups, nice trees, shaders, and whatnot. This way, you can easily drag and drop any of them into your new sketch. With a base like this, you’ll have lots of assets at your fingertips as you continue working on your sketch.

Each missing element is a speed bump slowing you down and potentially derailing your efforts. A task that should take 2 hours easily can stretch into an entire day, defeating the very purpose of the sketch.

Of course, it's hard to anticipate everything you might need, but there are some things you’re going to use over and over again. So make it a habit to save your grass scatterer setups for quick usage next time. Keep your favorite hdris. Compile a collection of trees, tall and medium plants - all ready to be dropped into the scene. Over time, your database will grow, and you will have everything you need to work efficiently. Simply put, accumulate all the assets and setups. You never know what you might need in the future.

Alright! With some experience under our belts, a few tricks up our sleeves, and a collection of ready-made assets, we can dive into the 3d sketching processes. Let’s get started!

3d sketching is designed to be a fast process. This means you have to make a lot of good decisions and execute them swiftly. But when you’re confronted with an empty viewport or a white canvas, it may seem daunting, as if you’re facing endless possibilities. But in reality, that’s not the case.

Firstly, you don’t think about everything at once but instead, make key decisions at key stages. What’s more, you narrow down certain options and impose constraints on your choices. This strategy will guide both your thought process and actions in a specific direction.

Everyone has a process of its own, but we structured this as a 5-step decision-making process, that’s a blueprint you can follow any time:

• 01. Design Exploration
  

  Decide what you want to emphasize, sell or experiment with. Take a good look at the building and figure out what's so special about it. Ask yourself: What aspects of it do I wish to highlight?

• 02. Blocking
  

  Compose your image on a very basic, geometrical level. Look for hidden compositional lines and establish a raw framework of an image that you can refine later on.

• 03. Technical Process
  

  Start introducing light and basic materials. Breathe more life into your idea, aiming to create a compelling image on a macro level.

• 04. Iteration and Refinement
  

  Take a step back and analyze your image objectively. Does it look good? Does it serve its purpose? If not - don’t hesitate to shake things up. And by this point your sketch should be near completion.

• 05. Production Value
  

  If needed, boost your sketches with additional details and flair. But remember to keep the time efficiency in mind.

Ok! So let's dive a little deeper into each of these steps.

Start by analyzing what you have on your plate, what you want to show, test, or convey. Are there any unique architectural features worth highlighting or construction materials worth noting? Maybe you want to emphasize a part of the building or a space around it. Stay openminded. Do an intensive, capital ‘R’ Research. Your goal is to identify key characteristics that will become the compass and backbone for your sketch.

Using your experience, you’ll identify the best ways to showcase each of these things. And whatever you pick, there will be a pattern for everything that you can quickly test.

Say you wish to feature a breathtaking balcony view; just merge a character into the scene and position a camera to have a typical over-the-shoulder angle. This approach gives you a solid anchor for all the decisions yet to come. Another example could be highlighting construction materials, such as stone or bricks. That already can make you think of a narrow lens and so-called dotted lighting scenario later down the road.

You will find a couple of examples of a rough idea later in the case studies section, but for now, let’s focus on one thing.

You should guestimate the potential winner shot(s) and decide if you want to go down that road. This is the moment when you use the ‘how things may play out’ experience. It’s not 100% committal yet, but when you feel something’s worth testing, just go for it, and you’ll find out soon enough.

Your objective here is to translate the idea into its first, tangible, but very loose form. That’s most often a freehand sketch on paper or in Photoshop. That can also be a basic arrangement of objects in 3dsmax. You might even don’t use 3d at all and employ photo bashing all the way instead. However, the best results yield when you mix different techniques. You can see a couple of examples below. At this stage, you think on a basic, compositional level, focusing on lines, shapes, form, silhouettes, and depth. Keeping in mind the principles of design and aesthetics, and doing your best to create an exciting image DNA.

Might sound confusing if you’re a beginner artist, but the bottom line is that you’re trying to come up with something attractive on a very basic level.

This is arguably the hardest thing to learn. Because what does it even mean that image is attractive?

We’ve covered some of it in this article about contrast. If you’re having difficulties with composition, try pairing big elements with small ones. Mix wavey, organic shapes with man-made, geometric lines.

Focus on how all the elements interact with each other to form interesting shapes, leading lines, and strong silhouettes. With time, your understanding of design, composition, and aesthetics will mature, leading you to a sense of what looks and feels right. This isn’t an overnight transformation but a constant journey of gradual progression.

Artur: “Bartosz once casually shared a trick that just blew my mind. Turns out, you can create virtually any architecture rendering, starting with an epic cloud photo. How to do it? Well, find a stormy cloud image and place it as a backdrop. Then, add the architecture and camera and start working on a scene like normal. The beauty of this approach is that you don’t need that many details in the foreground. It will stay mostly under the shadows. Clouds will do the job. Usually, we change the cloud at the post-production stage, but it can be totally the opposite. That's literally a life hack.”

Bartosz: “I have some background in traditional art and thus I am no stranger to the pencil sketches. In fact, I make them almost as frequently as 3d sketches but I must say the latter have some advantages. Firstly, having your subject in 3d space really lets you perform some deepened design exploration whereas when working with pen and paper, you tend to be much more biased towards certain solutions from the very beginning. Secondly, 3d sketches really allow you to jump straight into production after they „click”.”

This step is rather straightforward: Implement your pre-planned lighting scenario, apply basic shaders, and add any missing macro-level components. As in the previous stage, think about general forms, and bring them to life. Go for big and fast moves, and avoid endless tweaks. At this stage, you know what your image needs, so simply put it into action. If it works, it just works. Ah, and above all, don’t let details sidetrack you. Remember, the goal is to maximize efficiency, so avoid spending time on details at all costs.

This is when all your technical skills will become handy. Incorporate the sun and the sky and choose a viable lighting direction. Introduce the feeling of depth with the use of volumetric effect. Land colors in the right ranges and hues. Merge some ready-to-go assets and add a slight production value to the foreground. In general, focus on big moves, try not to overdo it, and remember you can (and often should) cut some corners.

And when you’re done, you should already have a pretty nice image. There are no details yet, but if everything goes well, you'll start thinking about it very soon.

Now, just because a shot looks cool doesn't mean it's a successful one.

You need to remember what you were aiming for in the first place. What was your initial idea, and is it closer to completion? Take a moment to assess if you're still on track. Look objectively at the image and honestly say to yourself: “Is this usable? Does my idea translate well? Can my junior colleague carry this forward?”

If so, then great! You can move on to the next step. But if not, don’t hesitate to implement some major changes. If you don’t like it, don’t be shy to shake things up, big time. Change the lighting scenario, and/or rearrange all the objects around. You really want to make sure you’re not missing the best possible version of the idea you had in mind.

Sometimes, letting go of a certain idea is the best course of action. And that's ok too. There will be times when you’ll have to throw an idea out the window and go back to the drawing board. But hey, you didn't spend like all day on it, right? It was just an hour or so, and you’ve learned a lot. If it didn’t go as well as you planned, you’ll know better next time.

Still, try to do your best to make that vision you had at the beginning a reality.

Now, keep in mind that your sketch won't look like a final image, and that’s perfectly fine. It’s supposed to be rough. You’ve already achieved what you tried to achieve, that is - test your idea. Your work is done.

You can now present it to your junior colleague or even share it with your client. But be extremely cautious with the latter. Clients might think it’s not worth the full price since it’s lacking “just a few details.” We don’t want to undermine our work and value. So be careful about sharing your sketches with clients, and try not to shoot yourself in a proverbial foot.

Now, there’s still one step that you might consider. If you do want to polish your project just for sport, by all means, go for it. You can mask little mistakes in the image, and add some detail here and there. Add as much production value as possible at a low cost.

Here are some handy tricks that can help you with that:

• Overpainting
  

  Try to give the characteristics of a hand-drawn sketch. Apply a painterly filter (e.g., topaz impression) and manually fix the elements/edges/details that need more attention

• Photobashing
  

  Add additional photographic elements and cutouts. Use layers masks and blending modes to blend the images seamlessly

• Color grading
  

  Pay attention to the color palette and remember, less is more. Remove unnecessary hues and keep the image consistent

• Microcontrast
  

  Enhance the perception of sharpness and fine detail. Simply use camera raw in Photoshop and the texture and clarity options.

• Generative AI replacement
  

  Improve the consistency of details across large and empty areas. Use Adobe Firefly and guide it with some basic selections and descriptions like “rocky foreground”.

And that nicely transitions to the elephant in the room.

There are lots of new AI solutions that can totally help with concept generation and 3D sketching. And to be clear, we understand this AI stuff can be overwhelming. We feel you, but it’s about time we start talking about these tools. In fact, we plan to dive deeper into this topic through our CommonPoint lens in the near future. We need to start somewhere, though, so let’s kick things off today.

We can use AI in a wide range of ways, where at one end of the spectrum, we let the AI take full control, and at the other - we keep the AI in check and use it for final touches. You can generate images from scratch or tweak some details at the very end. And there’s a time and place for both of these approaches. They have their advantages and disadvantages. Let's start with the case of a "relatively" small artistic contribution on your end.

Tools like Midjourney or Dall-e are pretty mind-blowing (and mind-boggling at the same time.) They deliver images that literally look like a divine revelation. But if you look at them through the lens of this article, honestly, they can serve the very purpose of a sketch. These images are a starting point for sharing and discussing your ideas or proposals. If you remember, “sketches are quick renderings of ideas.” And Midjourney output could do just that. We can, of course, discuss (and we eventually will) what value and implications it brings. But at this time, we want to point out that the image from Midjourney is just that, a sketch.

We can also use AI in a slightly different, more limited way. Though, still having a big visual impact on your work. For instance, using Stable Diffusion with a ControlNet allows for a reinterpretation of our image without changing its key elements (composition, colors, etc.). You can have a clay shot of an architecture and transform it into a sketch. We can use AI to add generic detail that doesn't fundamentally change the meaning of our work but definitely improves its perception. This workflow is in its infancy at this point, but it will certainly gain significance in the near future. Below, you can find some of the tests we’ve conducted in this regard:

We can also limit the use of AI to the post-production phase only. For example, we can replace or add details that would otherwise be time-consuming if done in 3d. It doesn’t have a great impact on the overall image but speeds up the process and adds some extra spice.

We reduce the use of AI to increase the perception of detail and add some production value. This is something you can use instead of photobashing. It’s definitely faster and gives you great freedom. In the case study below, you can see a pretty cute example of a deer adding some extra touch to the image.

Overall, AI solutions work well in the realm of 3d sketches, but keep in mind you can (and perhaps should) use them on several different levels. Ranging from almost 0% control to almost full control. We’ve just breezed through the topic, but we will write more about creative freedom, applications, opportunities, and threats of using AI in the future.

Ok, now that we got it out of the way, let's get back to our good old 3d sketches. There are 2 really fun examples with a full timelapse and in-depth description down below. Let's jump right to it!

Ok, it’s time to put theory into practice. We have 2 exciting sketches to show you. The whole 1-hour sketching session compressed into a 2-minute video, which you can check out below. There’s every step of the process from the beginning to the end. For a deeper dive into it, read the description below the videos. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy it!

At the beginning, we focus on the architecture. Right away, we notice that the building appears somewhat flat. Basically, it consists of two horizontal blocks. And it's these very horizontal lines that inspire us to turn them into a motif. We will introduce streaks of clouds, and craft a foreground that will repeat the horizontal lines. To break the pattern of all those parallel layers and add depth, we incorporate vertical rock elements as well.

This may seem like a trivial move, but it will limit our decisions in the following steps and make the modeling stage much easier.

With our concept in mind, we jump straight into blocking the scene. We use rock formations that are quite beginner-friendly when it comes to scene building. They provide a near-identical preview in the viewport to what we’ll ultimately achieve in the final render. There are no reflections, no refraction, no translucency, none of that “complex” stuff.

Hot tip: If you want to start your adventure with sketches, start building frames based on rocks. What you see in the viewport is what you get and that makes blocking the composition so much easier.

Moving on to the technical stage, we focus on illuminating the architecture in a way that will keep the rest of the scene in the shadow. We actually focus on the depth and landing the tonal ranges in the appropriate place for the sunset scenario (more on this in the 3D Exterior Lighting Masterclass).

A few small tweaks with the rock material in the foreground, some assets juggling, and we quickly move on to Photoshop. The image already works great, but we want to add extra spice on top of it. We use photobashing techniques to replace the sky and the foreground. It’s fairly standard photobashing move. If you've never seen it before, be sure to watch some speedpainting or time-lapse videos on YouTube. Lastly, we add some minor color corrections and voila. Less than 50 minutes, and we went through each step very methodically, one by one.

The 2nd example is an hour and 15 minutes packed into 2-minute video, and again, there's really no magic here. Just click on the video to witness the creative process in action. For further insights and details, please read the additional description below.

Let’s go through a similar analysis as we just did. In the initial design exploration phase, our primary focus was on the shape of the architecture, it’s silhouette. The idea revolved around constructing a composition with repetitive elements that draw inspiration from the architecture itself. Those elements should surround the camera’s field of view. And again, from an infinity of choices, we've narrowed our decisions down to very specific solutions. The first step is behind us, we can move on.

Before we started modeling, we highlighted (in red) how we envisioned the geometric core of the composition. We used the protruding pillars, just like we’ve decided in the previous before. But there’s a twist. Instead of having the pillars at the very same height, we designed their tops to form a half-circle. This semicircular motif would be repeated both in the foreground and the background clouds. It may seem strange in theory, but when the sketch is finished, it will all become clear.

Next up, the technical stage. This is straight-up night scenario, which we covered in one of the articles (night-time rendering). We also delved into it really deep in our 3d exterior masterclass so definitely check that out. We won’t go over it here, but just to sum up: in this scenario we illuminate the elements one by one, starting from the architecture and ending in the foreground. Step by step, very methodically.

The iteration step is another attempt to find the best possible composition, enhancing both color contrasts and size contrasts. We want to find the most impactful set-up. You can read more on this in the article “It's all about contrast”. It may all seem overwhelming at first, but with a bit of practice, you can get to a point where each of these issues is a walk in the park. At this point, our sketch looks good, but we want to add some production value to it.

So we go into Photoshop and use AI tools this time. We could look for pictures of interesting rocks and use photobashing again, but ‘generative fill’ is simply faster and more flexible. We want the columns to be something more than ordinary 3D geometry with noise applied. As you can see, AI helps us in the creative process, it’s just another tool in the box. Once we deal with all the elements, we fix the colors in the image and call it a day. Another hour, and we created something really cool from scratch.

Consider the art of 3D sketching as a bridge between imagination and reality. In just an hour, you can transform abstract ideas into tangible creations.

This practice hones artistic skills but also optimizes time management. It offers a playground for innovation without the burden of long-term commitment.

Think about the possibilities: your ideas taking shape right before your eyes. That's the true power of 3D sketching – it's a journey from concept to concrete manifestation. So, the next time creativity strikes, remember that just an hour can bring your ideas to life in ways you never imagined.