Vivid Vision - Storytelling, AI & Much More | Studio Tour #4 by Chaos

Arch Viz Artist
9 Aug 202317:51

TLDRVivid Vision, a thriving architectural visualization studio founded by two architecture students, has grown from a small rented room to a team of 22 talented individuals. The studio, located in a historic building in Poland, prides itself on a horizontal structure where each employee is responsible for projects from start to finish. Their work focuses on storytelling, greenery, and an atmospheric approach to visualizations. They have a five-stage process that emphasizes client choice and artistic freedom, often using AI solutions like Topaz and stable diffusion to enhance efficiency and quality. The studio's versatile portfolio includes still images, VR tours, and animations, with a preference for using Corona for rendering. They also use 3ds Max, Forest Pack, and various scripts to streamline their workflow. Vivid Vision fosters a culture of artistic growth and fun, with monthly competitions and feedback sessions to continuously improve their craft.

Takeaways

  • 🎓 Vivid Vision was founded by two architecture students and has grown into a successful company with 22 employees.
  • 🏢 The company moved to a historic building in Poland and renovated the office themselves, resulting in an exceptional space.
  • 👥 Vivid Vision has a horizontal structure with three partners and 19 employees, emphasizing responsibility for projects from start to finish.
  • 🏆 They have a strong track record in architectural competitions, which has shaped their approach and style.
  • 🌿 Key qualities of their work include storytelling, emphasis on greenery, and an atmospheric approach to visualizations.
  • 📈 Their success in competitions is attributed to focusing on community aspects, ecology, and activities, rather than just architecture.
  • 📝 Building a great story requires coherence, considering factors like time of day and the type of people and activities depicted.
  • 🎨 They do not pursue photorealism but use it as a tool to highlight strengths in architecture and to manage underdeveloped parts of projects.
  • 🛠️ Their process involves five stages, from initial white clay renderings to final images, with a focus on client choice and artistic freedom.
  • 🤝 Communication is key; 3D artists should use their artistic license to suggest new views and listen to client feedback.
  • 💡 AI is changing the industry, with Vivid Vision using it as a tool to upscale, denoise, and adjust renders, enhancing efficiency and quality.
  • 🌟 They use a standard pipeline with 3ds Max, Corona, and other tools, and have developed presets to speed up the creative process without losing creativity.

Q & A

  • Who are the co-founders of Vivid Vision and what type of studio do they run?

    -The co-founders of Vivid Vision are Thomas and Casper, and they run an architectural visualization studio called Baby Division.

  • How did Vivid Vision start and how has it grown since its inception?

    -Vivid Vision was founded by two architecture student friends six years ago, starting in a rented 16 square meter room. It has now grown into a prospering company with 22 talented individuals.

  • What is the unique structure of Vivid Vision's company?

    -Vivid Vision has a standard horizontal structure with three partners and 19 employees. What's unique is that everyone is responsible for the project from start to finish, which keeps tasks from being repetitive and allows for varied learning experiences.

  • What are the three key qualities or trademarks of Vivid Vision's work?

    -The three key qualities of Vivid Vision's work are storytelling, the importance of greenery, and an atmospheric approach to visualizations.

  • Why is storytelling important in architectural competitions?

    -Storytelling is important because city authorities often prioritize community aspects, ecology, and activities over architecture itself in competitions. Vivid Vision uses storytelling to highlight these aspects and create standout images.

  • How does Vivid Vision approach the creation of a great story in their visualizations?

    -To create a great story, Vivid Vision ensures coherence by building the story around a general idea, asking questions about the time of day, the nature of the day, and the crowd's composition to make the story strong and coherent.

  • Why does Vivid Vision not pursue photorealism in their visualizations?

    -Vivid Vision does not pursue photorealism because it can help highlight the strengths of a concept in architectural competitions, especially when projects are underdeveloped. It also allows them to focus on composition and readability.

  • What role does atmospheric perspective play in Vivid Vision's work?

    -Atmospheric perspective is heavily used in Vivid Vision's work to build a strong composition. It's commonly used in various artworks and helps in creating a realistic scattering of color and directionality.

  • How has the use of AI in greenery visualization evolved in Vivid Vision's process?

    -Initially, Vivid Vision used 3D for everything, but now they spend less time on 3D tools like Forest Pack, sometimes using greenery as placeholders in 3D, and rely more on post-production and AI solutions for greenery visualization.

  • What are the five stages of Vivid Vision's process with their clients?

    -The five stages are: 1) White clay renderings for different camera positions, 2) Art Direction to give an overall idea and test different lights and moods, 3) Full resolution image creation with post-production, 4) A round of comments from the client, and 5) Delivery of the final image to the client.

  • How does Vivid Vision use AI solutions in their daily workflow?

    -Vivid Vision uses AI solutions like Topaz for upscaling frames, improving efficiency, and denoising rendered frames. They also use stable diffusion for adjustments of renders and to apply client comments more efficiently.

  • What is the significance of the 'Image of the Month' competition at Vivid Vision?

    -The 'Image of the Month' is a competition within the office that allows team members to discuss and analyze their images, share feedback, and foster a sense of camaraderie and fun beyond work.

Outlines

00:00

🎥 Studio Tour Introduction

The video script introduces Thomas and Casper, co-founders of Baby Division, an architectural visualization studio. They extend an invitation to viewers for a tour of their studio, Vivid Vision. Founded by two architecture students, the company has grown from a small rented room to a team of 22 talented individuals. The studio is located in a historic building in Fratsworth, Poland, and has a unique structure where every member is responsible for projects from start to finish. The studio's trademark qualities include storytelling, greenery, and an atmospheric approach to visualizations. They discuss the importance of these elements in architectural competitions and their workflow, emphasizing the significance of creating a coherent and strong story for each project.

05:02

🌿 Greenery and Client Relations

The paragraph discusses the studio's focus on greenery and how it has become a significant part of their portfolio due to client demand. The process of creating visuals is divided into five stages, starting with simple white clay renderings and culminating in the final image. The studio emphasizes the importance of client involvement in the creative process, allowing them to have control over their project while also providing the studio with artistic freedom. They also highlight the use of AI for greenery in their projects and how it has evolved their techniques. The paragraph concludes with advice for 3D artists on maintaining artistic license and the importance of high-resolution final images for client satisfaction.

10:03

🖥️ Software and Workflow Efficiency

This section delves into the software and tools used by the studio, including 3ds Max, Corona, and various add-ons for rendering management. The studio's workflow is designed to be efficient, with a focus on speed and creativity. They discuss the use of presets to streamline the process, allowing them to focus on more important creative aspects. AI solutions, particularly Topaz, are highlighted for their ability to upscale and denoise frames, significantly improving efficiency. The studio also uses stable diffusion for making adjustments to renders, which can save time compared to re-rendering in 3D. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on how AI is viewed within the industry and its potential impact on the market.

15:06

📈 AI and Creative Process

The final paragraph focuses on the integration of AI into the studio's workflow, specifically mentioning the use of stable diffusion for adjusting images and landscapes. It discusses how AI can be a powerful tool for making quick adjustments based on client feedback. The studio also shares an example where they used AI to generate a stormy weather scene, which would have been time-consuming to create using 3D rendering. The paragraph concludes with the studio's practice of analyzing and discussing their work through a monthly 'image of the month' competition, fostering a sense of camaraderie and continuous improvement among the team.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Architectural Visualization Studio

An architectural visualization studio is a creative space where professionals use digital technology to create visual representations of architectural designs. In the video, Baby Division is described as such a studio co-founded by Thomas and Casper, focusing on creating images for architectural competitions and other projects. Their work is integral to helping architects and developers convey their design concepts to clients and stakeholders.

💡Storytelling

Storytelling in the context of architectural visualization refers to the art of creating a narrative around a design to evoke emotions and engage the audience. The studio emphasizes the importance of storytelling, as it helps to highlight community activities, ecology, and the atmosphere of the space, rather than just the architectural structure itself. For instance, they might feature people taking care of greenery in a courtyard to tell a story about sustainability and community involvement.

💡Greenery

Greenery is the incorporation of plants and natural elements into architectural designs. The studio's work often emphasizes the importance of green spaces, reflecting a growing trend in architecture for sustainable and eco-friendly designs. They may use AI and other tools to create realistic and appealing representations of greenery, which can be a significant part of the story they are telling about a space.

💡Atmospheric Approach

An atmospheric approach in architectural visualization involves creating images that have a certain mood or feeling, rather than simply aiming for photorealism. This approach can help to convey the intended experience of a space. The studio discusses using color schemes, lighting, and composition to create a strong atmosphere in their visualizations.

💡Photorealism

Photorealism is a style of art where the goal is to create images that closely resemble photographs. The studio mentions that they do not pursue photorealism, opting instead for a more atmospheric and storytelling-driven approach. This allows them to highlight the strengths of a design and create more engaging visuals.

💡AI Solutions

AI solutions refer to the use of artificial intelligence in the creation process. The studio uses AI for various tasks, such as upscaling images, denoising, and adjusting renders. This technology helps to streamline their workflow and allows them to create high-quality visuals more efficiently. For example, they mention using AI to generate images of natural elements or to make quick adjustments based on client feedback.

💡3D Artist

A 3D artist is a professional who creates three-dimensional models and animations using specialized software. In the video, the role of a 3D artist is discussed in terms of the artistic license and creative input they provide to a project. The artists at the studio are encouraged to offer their opinions and explore different views to enhance the final visualization.

💡Architectural Competitions

Architectural competitions are events where architects and designers submit proposals for new buildings or spaces, often judged by a panel that includes city authorities and the public. The studio has done many successful images for such competitions in Poland, which has helped them grow and refine their approach and style.

💡Post-Production

Post-production in the context of architectural visualization involves editing and enhancing rendered images to improve their quality and impact. The studio uses post-production to simplify color schemes, adjust lighting, and make other aesthetic improvements. This stage is crucial for finalizing images and ensuring they meet the client's expectations.

💡VR Tours

VR tours, or virtual reality tours, are immersive experiences that allow users to explore a virtual representation of a space as if they were there in person. The studio offers VR tours as part of their services, providing clients with an innovative way to showcase properties or designs.

💡Rendering Engine

A rendering engine is software used to generate two-dimensional images or animations from three-dimensional models by simulating the behavior of light. The studio uses Corona as their rendering engine for both still images and animations, which helps maintain consistency across their visual content.

Highlights

Vivid Vision, an architectural visualization studio, was founded by two architecture students and has grown into a company of 22 talented individuals.

The company moved to a historic building in Poland after starting in a 16 square meter rented room.

Vivid Vision has a horizontal structure with three partners and 19 employees, emphasizing responsibility for projects from start to finish.

The studio's work initially focused on architectural competitions in Poland, which helped shape their approach and style.

Three key qualities of Vivid Vision's work are storytelling, the importance of greenery, and an atmospheric approach to visualizations.

The studio often collaborates with landscape designers and urbanists, focusing on the space between buildings and community activities.

Vivid Vision's process involves five stages, from initial renderings to final client approval, with a focus on client choice and artistic freedom.

The studio uses AI solutions, particularly Topaz, for upscaling frames and denoising, significantly improving efficiency.

Vivid Vision emphasizes the importance of communication with clients, encouraging 3D artists to provide their professional opinions and suggest alternative views.

The studio's work extends beyond still images to include VR tours, animations, and various visual tools for real estate agencies and developers.

They use a standard pipeline with 3ds Max and Corona for rendering, and rely on AI for optimizing their workflow and post-production processes.

Vivid Vision has integrated stable diffusion into their daily workflow for making adjustments to renders and incorporating client feedback.

The studio holds monthly 'Image of the Month' competitions to foster a sense of fun and encourage discussion about each other's work.

Vivid Vision's office in Poland is located in a renovated historic building, reflecting the company's commitment to architectural heritage.

The studio's approach to architectural visualization prioritizes storytelling and atmospheric perspectives over photorealism.

Vivid Vision's process is designed to give clients a sense of control while also allowing the studio's artists creative freedom.

The studio's use of AI and technology is balanced with a focus on the human touch and artistic license in their work.

Vivid Vision's commitment to artistic growth and fun is evident in their office culture and the variety of projects they undertake.