Interview with Mauritz Snyman who is a specialist in 3D architectural modeling, 3D renderings, 3D visualization and 3D animations

Introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi all. Thank you for the opportunity Simul. I'm Mauritz Snyman & the owner of Jireh3D, a company I started in 2008 focusing on 3D Architectural Modeling & Rendering. I'm based in South-Africa.

I love what I do. Only a couple of things get me away from my computer - one being fishing.

How did you start your career as a 3D modeler?

I studied Interior Design but never pursued that. Not long after, I moved to the UK and started out as a CAD technician in London. But did not find it creative enough, so I started online 3D modeling training after hours. My boss at the time created a position for me but unfortunately during the 2008 recession more than half the company were made redundant. And so my own company, Jireh3D was born.

What kind of hardware do you use?

At the moment - Apple Mac 8 core, 2.1 Ghz, 64 GIG ram & 2 x 24'' Screens to make life easier.

Then some other machines which are a lot smaller, but just a backup for rendering

Can you tell us about the software you use in the studio?

Sure. I use Sketch-up for all the basic modeling, then Cinema4D to add detail & rendering in VRay or Corona. Adobe Photoshop for the finishing touches.

Can you define the balance between Pure Render and Post Production in your work?

Post production is great, but i like getting renders in such a state that there is little Photoshop work involved in the end. It depends on the artist really.

I always use Photoshop to do final touches, but never to create the full image itself because clients change their minds very quickly & not many people wants to re-do everything again.

Can you tell us something about your firm?

My firm is running for about 9 years now. Jireh3D specializes in 3D architectural modelling, 3D renderings, 3D visualisation and 3D animations. We bring 2D plans to life in beautiful photo-realistic, 3D images. We create 3D models from CAD plans, sketches or simply ideas, supplied by the client. We are able to produce interior and exterior views of the proposed development. We can also create fly-through animations.

Tell us about your work with 3D architectural modeling.

For us, the modeling part is very important. If the modeling is bad, the renders will be bad. So adding detail is of great importance, as that is what helps create realism.

After modeling, texturing is just as important.

Sketch-up is great for modeling things very fast, and if the client changes his design, it can be changed very quickly unlike most programs.

Did you face any problems or technical issues along the project, and how did you solve them?

50% of the time we run into problems during projects. Most of the time it's a machine that can crash because the scene is so poly heavy...Solving that was to upgrade memory & to use a render farm as our backup.

Another problem is getting paid. What i have learned over the years, is to work with a contract & 50% upfront payment. I lost a lot of money because clients ran away, so very important to get a contract & proper payment terms in place.

What was the most challenging project you’ve worked for, so far?

The one I'm working on currently. Very big & difficult to work with because the model is so poly-heavy. It's for a few exterior renders, but the surroundings has tons of foliage which makes the process very slow and quite frustrating.

What’s the hardest thing about being a professional 3D designer?

Not getting paid enough for hard work and long hours. It's our bread and butter & lots of people take artists for granted.

Where is architectural visualization heading next?

Not sure, but because of the incredible technology, we are going forward really fast and it is difficult to keep up to date to the latest programs & plugins in the industry.

What suggestions do you want to provide for newbie 3D modelers?

If you want to do this full time, make sure you do it in excellence. Always give your best and be teachable so there will always be room for improvement.

How do you evaluate our magazine?

Very good. Lots of 3D Artists can learn from this & tons of info are available for anyone with many tips & tricks.

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.sketchup4architect.com

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