Don’t let your customers get confused! What should a good 3D design drawing of a sign look like?

Hey, when it comes to showing customers the signage design, I have a headache. You have been working hard for a long time, modeling and rendering, and come up with a 3D rendering that you think is very cool. After sending it to the customer, the customer replied in a long time.: “Hmm...it feels almost interesting. ”Or even worse: “I don’t quite understand the three-dimensional effect, it’s not quite what I want. ”

Yes, if a basin of cold water is poured down, the early communication cost will be in vain.

So today we are not going to talk about those vain "design concepts", but let's talk about it in a down-to-earth manner. What should a 3D design drawing of signage guidance that is truly useful and can efficiently promote the implementation of the project look like? It is not to show off skills, but to solve practical problems.

It needs to “speak human language” and not turn into a show of technological brilliance.

Many designers, especially those who are new to the industry, tend to fall into a misunderstanding: For 3D graphics, the light and shadow should be realistic, the texture should be as delicate as a photo, some artistic potted plants should be placed in the corner, and the clouds in the sky should be detailed. This is of course great, but for signage guidance, Over-rendering can sometimes be a distraction , customers come to see how the brand is installed and what the effect is, not to appreciate how awesome your rendering engine is.

The core of a good 3D design drawing is “communicate clearly”  , focusing on the sign itself: its Length to width to height ratio Right? Where and how to install (Whether it is attached to the wall, hung or erected independently) Do you understand? Material matching (Where is the brushed metal, where is the acrylic glow, and where is the solid wood carving) Can you tell them apart at a glance? The surrounding environment (for example, whether it is placed in front of the marble background wall of the hotel or in the outdoor green belt) only needs a simple gesture to set off the sign. Don't overwhelm the guest. Simply put, a person who doesn't understand design at all can understand it in 10 seconds.: “Oh, how big is this thing? If you put it there, it will have such an effect. ”

It needs to be a "communication tool", not a "final verdict."

When we send 3D pictures to customers, we don’t just ask them to say “it looks good” or “it doesn’t look good”. This picture should trigger a more specific discussion, and customers may point to the picture and say something.: “Are the sides of this illuminated character too thick? Appears bulky. ”or: “The brightness of the light at night, simulated from this angle, will it affect the windows of the residents next to it? ” even: “This support structure is hidden from the front, but the screws seem to be visible in the side view. Can it be optimized? ”

You see, a good 3D picture should be able to expose problems , instead of covering up problems, it provides multiple viewing angles (front, side, 45-degree viewing angle, installation upward viewing angle, etc.), and even simple animation rotation, in order to allow customers and producers to discover in advance those detail flaws that are not even thought of in the floor plan. It is a Visual query list , is the bridge that drives the project to the next link (such as structural deepening, quotation confirmation).

It needs to be "down to earth" and consider practicality.

Everyone likes unconstrained creativity, but signs must eventually "come out" from the computer and be established in reality. Good 3D design drawings will vaguely reveal the meaning of the design. Process and cost considerations , you have designed an extremely complex curved metal shape and rendered it with a bright luster. However, if your 3D model does not consider how the surface should be welded and polished in pieces, or the special mold required is extremely costly, then this picture will be a "castle in the air".

Experienced designers will not only present the aesthetics, but also hint at feasible process paths through the construction of models, clearly showing the different materials. Sewing line , showing Reserved space for internal lighting structures , identify Possible installation stress points , this allows customers and subsequent production factories to have a clear understanding of the product at first glance, knowing that this thing is not just a piece of paper, but can roughly estimate the cost and labor hours, and can actually be made.

It needs to have "a little warmth" and go beyond the cold model.

This may be a bit metaphysical, but it is very important. Signs are the eyes of the environment and the soul of guidance. An excellent 3D picture should not only express the object itself, but also Convey a bit of atmosphere and feeling , a hotel front desk background logo, in your rendering, is the color temperature of the light warm and soft? For a technology company’s orientation sign, are the overall lines, light and shadow calm and neat? Does the texture of a wooden guide board in a scenic area make people feel like they smell the scent of the forest?

This doesn’t require you to render photorealistic flows of people and swaying leaves; Precise light and shadow settings, ambient reflections of materials and just the right color tones To create a resonance for customers, "Yes, this is how it should feel when placed in our space." This is more effective than a thousand words of "high-end atmosphere and class".

Don’t think of the 3D design drawing of the sign guide as a simple “results display”, it is more like a Three-dimensional and visual project description , one serving common language ,one problem detector , and one Feel previewer .

Its highest praise is not "Wow, so beautiful!" ”, but - "Well, I understand. We need to change it here. There is no problem in other places. You can continue the process. ” If you can achieve this effect, the value of your 3D picture will far exceed the few pixels on the screen.

Before you publish a picture next time, you might as well ask yourself these criteria: Are my pictures "human" enough? Can it facilitate communication? Have you considered landing? Do you feel that way? By solving these problems, your communication efficiency with your customers will definitely improve a lot.