Want2B3D

I have decided to pursue a career in archviz.

GOAL: My goal is to become a master and produce the type of work that is posted in the galleries on this site (awesome).

I have 11 years of autocad experience but it is not 3D or architecture-specific. I am familiar with architectural dwgs but I have been in no way formally trained.

Would it be beneficial to take couses in architectural drafting and design as a foundation before attempting to make it in the career in archviz?

Have most of the established contributors on this site gotten to where they are with a technical background or have they bypassed the technical and went right for the artistic?

This would effect the software I invest in to train myself and the decision on whether to enter the architectural drafting work environment on my way to my goal...do I learn architectural desktop, or go right for 3DS Max etc...

Any insight on this would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Want2B3D
Tampa, FL

ihabkal

you have come to the right website/forum for advice on this matter. I'm, sure someone here would have some advice for you.

gipper51

I'll throw in my $.02 based on my experience in the Architecture field (which isn't much

I would say most people who do arch viz for a living have some previous experience either as architects or drafters. Viz seems to be an evolution of the architect, as most didn't start doing just Viz but migrated toward that end of the field. The viz part of architecture is a tough area to break into for a lot of reasons, especially starting from scratch. I think some schooling in architecture and design would be essential as it's like any other field, the schooling can open doors and teaches you the essential basics. Knowing how buildings are put together is extremely important for correct modeling. Plus you will have to know how to read and interpret architect's drawings.

With no experience in architecture it might make finding a job difficult, as viz jobs are already far and few between in most states. It's not really a hot job market. If you plan to go freelancer the lack of credentials might make it tough to convince clients to use you, since most of your competition would have an architectural background.

Viz artists are a very small niche market. I think the way to go about getting into viz would be to get a job in architecture as a drafter and learn viz and graphics while working in the field. You may need a technical degree or something equivelant to break into architecture offices though. This will let you gain experience in architecture while also developing viz skills.

Viz is a great field, but to be a good artist you must fully understand your subject. Hope that helps some.

ihabkal

but the hiring situation is improving. 5 years ago, no positions. today, over 30 positions on this website, and another 30 on monster.com. Even RTKL is hiring.
it is booming right now. will it still be booming next year? the chinese and indian market is expanding too, which means I expect it to slow in the next 2 years while outsourcing booms.
one thing is sure it's hard to find GOOD artists. you get 30 repondants to an ad, and one of them is good. we are a lot and we compete, but the good ones are not much worldwide. and the best ones have their own business or freelance and make three times the income, which leaves less competition for those who want to work long hours of unpaid overtime for a giant firm.
On another note, I know people who quit, and I heard of two who killed themselves (suicide not a joke) because of the stress of the biz, and they were employed at large arch firms where I used to work. tons of work on their backs and no vacation time. Jeff talked about these matters in the last two issues of 3D world magazine. go get them and read there are many articles in the last few issues about these facets of starting out, money, business, stress, overtime (many times unpaid)...

carlangas

Hi Curtis,

I also have some 10 years of acad experience, actually I come from a mechanical engineering background, when I relocated here 2 yrs ago I coulnt get a job because there are no mechanical jobs here, so i thought i could get a job doing arch drafting. so I did and slowly learned about architecture and eventually started doing viz work in acad, later I bought a bunch of 3d studio books and learned to use it (sort of). well I just quit my regular job and are doing real well freelancing. my suggestion to you is, try to get an arch drafting job, there you will get a lot of valuable experience that you may not get in school, dont know if you can afford to earn what an entry level drafter makes, i think from 8-10 bucks an hour, but if you can do that and also try to go to a community college and take a few semesters of multimedia clases, they might teach 3d studio.

hope this is helpfull to you

__________________
Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work.

mbr

I am going to have to respectfully disagree about needing architectural training. I've got 7 years of it (4 undergrad 3 grad), and not much is used on a daily basis. I had a few basic computer classes, but nothing I couldn't have learned gonig through tutorials.

The best way to learn in any field is study the best. Look around for the best out there (the current competition is a great resource) and study their work. Read all the forums, the comments, etc., etc. Buy some books on Max, but know that the web is a far better resource for the artistic side (and if you ahve patience gathering tutorials, great for taht too).

Some of the best I've seen out there have no architectural experience. You will need to learn to read CDs (construction drawings), and it does help to say if you have architectural background, but I've rarely been asked. Basically, it will always come down to whether it's a good image and your marketing.

I'd go right to 3D (Max) if I were you. I'd say Max only because it's everywhere. Personally, I think it's too expensive. Maybe look at Viz. But don't rule out Cinema4D, either - there are some great resources here for that, too, and it's much cheaper than Max.

Most of all, study, be patient, look for inspiration, and don't be afraid to post and ask questions.

Good luck.

jophus14

I have 3 years of 3DS Max experience, i'm also slightly knowledgable in AutoCAD, photoshop, combustion, flash & illustrator. I want to work in the architectural rendering field, but i have NO architecture experience, will this be a problem? I have an Associate of Arts degree and a certificate in Computer Animation as of now. Any advice for someone just starting to get into the field? Is the knowledge of AutoCad a must?

Want2B3D

Thanks for the input so far everyone.

I have a lot to think about. I sent my first resume out and got an offer from a company that does archviz. I would have to start by doing basic production cad details and work up to the renderings there. The only problem is that the most they would be able to pay me is 35K. I want to get my foot in the door but not that bad. We did have a good conversation though. She was familiar with your site here and said that for the type of work I see in your galleries, I could expect to make a salary in the 50K range. I couldn't believe my ears! Is that true or is that just that bad here in Florida?

Unless they were just a low-paying firm, it looks as if I'll have to train myself and try to get some freelance stuff working on my own. If that's the case I think I would jump right to 3DS Max.

ihabkal

many firms pay low salaries. the first job for me in the US was for 35K too. I ended up quitting in a year, got 42K at another company. stayed there for three years. some firms pay better but where and who?

chuck

i agree with MBR. i have learned more in 1 year of work than i did for my 4 yr degree. experience seems to be the best teacher in this field. i'm planning on becoming an architect, so i need it, but learned little while i was there.

i got hooked on MAX in school then taught myself. the depth that my univeristy taught MAX was sub par at best (i took 2 classes of it) , so when i spent the time learning out of class it really benifited at hiring time. you can learn so much more on your own.

i also think VIZ/MAX is a good platform to start, but that's what i've been using for the past 5 yrs or so. it's widely accepted and "easy" to use. VRAY is a must for me, it's faster than max for GI, and it's easier to use. i still use VRAY free at work.

our firm has about 80 people in it, architects and engineers, and it doesn't have enough projects to require an illustrator full time. i bounce around a lot between IDP credits and rendering. i'm not sure how large a firm would have to be to need someone fulltime.

chuck