Rendering

Rendering is the process of color synthesis by which an image is created starting from one or more meshes contained within a three-dimensional scene. To be even more accurate, it is a probabilistic calculation of approximation and simulation of the behavior of light based on the angle of incidence of 3D models and the materials assigned to them.

Nowadays this technique has become more and more usual and of daily use; it often happens that in order to achieve modern visual standards, commercial pictures and movies are partially or wholly built on rendered images.
Their use on a global scale can be explained simply by the many creative possibilities they offer. In a project it is in fact possible to study which are the best shots, the most suitable materials, the most captivating lighting, keeping a degree of constancy and consistency that other visual techniques cannot simply match.

The practical reasons that lead to opting for a rendering should also be considered. In fact, it is often not possible to bring the requested objects on a photographic set or, more simply, these sometimes do not exist and have yet to be made.
In architectural works, for example, they can be a valid support in order to present a plausible image of an unfinished project, or in the preliminary study phase, to evaluate possible stylistic alternatives.

It is good to know that there are many factors contributing to a quality rendering: one of them is the management of the lights source (lighting), of how to make them look natural and at the same time pleasant, without the observer being induced to think that what you are looking at does not exist in reality and it is just not real.

Another component that should not be underestimated are the materials that in the professional environment are defined as shaders. They describe the behavior of light based on the incidence angle of the viewpoint with respect to the surfaces of the 3D models. The types of shaders can be countless and of the most varied; just think with how many types of different materials we come into contact with in our everyday life, their different optical characteristics, the irregularities and surface defects that may arise.

Certainly, knowledge of the physical properties of light helps to bring order to this ocean of possibilities and even traditional photography can be a further guide to follow. However, it remains crucial to know how to manage and balance all this information so that a rendering migth come to life.