Adehus

There seems to be enough viz work out there to the point that even those with relatively modest skills (like me) can find their niche. I'm all for people seeking their happiness however they choose, but the realization that a very small industry has gotten ever so slightly larger seems like an awfully poor excuse for being unhappy, and perhaps an awfully convenient excuse for avoiding the efforts necessary to distinguish yourself in an ever so slightly more crowded marketplace.

Arnold Gallardo

Hmmm That must be how the people at 'newspapers' felt when they saw 'radio' happen then it's what the radio folks felt when they saw the 'television' happen then what those folks felt when they saw the 'internet' happen. Strange tho since (SORRY!) those only insecure about their skills do feel this way. Kind of the same for people who are very 'selfish' about what they know and refuses to impart it for fear of losing their 'edge' or 'advantage'. If you are secure about your skills and knowledge and creativity you would welcome something like this as another bridge to cross and another place to explore...

I for one shows that it is a affirmation fo what this industry is as a valid endeavour and not just some 'push button' automaton thing that's happening; altho I wont comment if Ashton is or not an automaton'

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Arnold Gallardo
Visual Content Creator
Technical Writer

Author:'3D Lighting: History,Concepts
and Techniques'

Dibbers

I think what he's really saying, is that he enjoys being a specialist working in a specialised field, and now architectural visualisation has lost it's specialism too.

I definately have sympathy with that, but whilst it can piss off the specialists, it's an increased opportunity for others.

Hey, how many of us fill our own cars with petrol, do our own secretarial services like writing letter using Word, or create our own web site, recording proffesional quality music from your bedroom etc? These skills were once done by others (specialists).

Specialism is dead.

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Hard boiled eggs and nuts....Mm!
www.idenby.co.uk

Sindala

I don't believe our profession wil ever loose it's specialism, there are so many things that software simply can't do for you, composition, color use, good textures etc.

For instance lot of people, including nitwits like me, now have impressive digital camera's, i have an eos 350D, and it's very easy to take a good photo. But there will always be professional photographers too.

The only thing we loose is people saying WOW simply because something is CG. And think about it, i'm sure the guy who made the animations for the televisionshow did not do it for 5 bucks an hour, you could have had that project too.

martin walker

Only difference from now and 10 years ago is the accesibility to software / hardware....but that doesnt necessarily mean a mass growth in talent.

Any of us can buy a £5 soccer ball....but I doubt any of us will be scoring for Chelsea in the near future ! ....weak analogy....but you get my drift

I welcome more people doing it....it keeps us on our toes....and it amazes me everytime I look at a building magazine, or architects journal how much poor CG work is still around

Dibbers

Absolutely right, but unfortunatly, it does mean that mediocrity fills the market, and if it's cheap enough clients will say 'it's good enough'. The good talent will alwayd be there, but doing less and less work.

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Hard boiled eggs and nuts....Mm!
www.idenby.co.uk

Bwana Kahawa

It's gotta be a good thing in a way - the more CG is used as standard, the less people are wowed by it. So the images that really stand out and still make people go 'wow' will be the really good ones - images with artistic integrity as well as the technical skills.

If it means you've got to do better work to stay in the industry, that has to be a good thing for arch viz! It'll keep us all on our toes...

jccloutier

I'm truly blown away at how incredibly patient, understanding, humble, and positive everyone is regarding this issue. If in 26 posts not one person concurs with me then I must be certifiably nuts.

I do appreciate your opinions and feel better about it already.

aaron-cds

So what's wrong with that? I was lucky to be born here in America. I've been given opportunities that few would get in many other countries around the world. If someone has the drive and determination to rise above their current environment and compete with others who live in more developed places, then more power to them. We've got people here who are doing renderings in countries that are war torn and poor. There are people who are doing work in countries that have recently joined in the internet experience. If you think that it's bad that someone in a poor country has the audacity to own a $4500 boxx workstation and do renderings, then you're just an ignorant jackass.

I think the problem you should worry about is all the people out there using pirated software to compete with us. Then again, most of them do terrible renderings, so I'm not worried. The good clients will want to work with professionals. I don't want clients who consider using the overseas renderers who charge $200 for a rendering that I would do for $3000. Fortunately, not every client is jumping at that opportunity. I used to be worried about that when I first heard of it but decided it was futile to worry about things I can't control. I just have to do my best and demand payment that's fair. I have architecture to fall back on though if the market is undervalued too much.

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Aaron Coon, Conceptual Design Studio

Ernest Burden

Few things are as simple as the labels we give them.

How's this for a statement to someone "you're an ignorant ass, so where do you get off signing up for classes?"

We have one world.

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Ernest Burden III
AcmeDigital
architectural rendering