All Rendered Colors are NOT Created Equal... In the Cloud...

If you're like me and spend far too much time searching for seamless textures, cutout trees, and tweaking hue and saturation then you may have noticed a little issue when rendering in Revit.  The issue arises when using Autodesk 360 Rendering.  Hopefully, Autodesk will look to correct this inconsistency after I publish it here (like they did with a few other Cloud issues...).  But, until they decide to fix it I want to show you a work-around.

The issue involves inconsistent colors.  For example, if you want a solid red object.  Typically, you would create a new material and change the "Color" of the generic material, similar to this:

Unfortunately, if you render on the cloud the color never seems to look like the red you chose...  Usually its a grey of some sort.  Below is an image I rendered in the cloud.  Notice the differences between the red and brown columns... The red column on the left is supposed to be the color I set up above... Not quite the same, huh?

The columns on the right were created using the workaround...  Much more like it...  Continue reading to get your colors consistent...


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Are You a Student Using Autodesk's Cloud Rendering? Here's What You Should Know.

It is no secret that I am a huge proponent of Autodesk's 360 Cloud Rendering service.  Personally, I use it in the office almost weekly (if not daily).  The simple ability to send my views to the cloud and continue working without bogging down any computers is MASSIVE for me.

I have used it so much that I have created my own techniques on how to make a raw cloud rendering look similar to renderings produced with professional rendering engines (such as V-Ray).   If you are interested in my techniques check out BIM After Dark - Volume 1.

Example: Rendered in the cloud using the techniques I illustrate in BIM After Dark (Click here to see more).

If you are student, Autodesk was gracious enough to give you unlimited cloud rendering credits absolutely free.  This is huge!  I remember leaving my laptop on for days rendering a few scenes while I built a physical model (crossing my fingers hoping the machine didn't break or restart).  Throwing up 30 or 40 interior/exterior scenes to the cloud and being able to crank out floor plans, sections, and elevations while they rendered was life changing.

Well, with the release of Revit 2015 and a new cloud update, the word "unlimited" is key.  You will still have an endless supply of cloud credits at your disposal, but, you may not able to throw thirty up to the cloud and let it crank away...

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Another Cloud Rendering Issue

I posted about an ongoing cloud rendering issue back in February.  Well, here is another one that has bothered me and negatively affected some of my renderings...

If you use a material with self-illumination (such as "Light Bulb - On") and you rendering it in the cloud you may get an unwanted result.  I tested this a with a couple different settings and haven't been able to find a reason for it.  Here are the results...

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