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If you’ve never worked with a 3D rendering studio, the process can feel like a black box. You send some files, wait, and mystically, photorealistic product images appear. Not to worry, in this guide we break down the furniture rendering process, giving you the info you need to budget and time your product launches.

 We’re sharing the ins and outs of working with a furniture rendering service from the first contact to last file delivered in your inbox.

What Happens When You Hire a Furniture Rendering Service?

Once you decide to work with a furniture rendering service, your project will go through a series of steps: a discovery call to gather a general understanding of your request, a reference collection to source reference images for your product, 3D modeling, a first draft review, revisions, and final delivery. Complex or numerous products will take longer. Some feedback takes longer than others. In general, most projects take 1 to 3 weeks.

The following is a breakdown of each of these steps.

Step 1: The Discovery Call and Project Brief

A good studio will want to know the details. They will ask questions like these:

– What are the images for? The website? Amazon listings? A catalog? Ads? Trade shows?

– What kind of images do you need? Do you want straight on, clean, white background images? Or do you want images of the product in use, possibly with other product, in a scene?

– What are the priorities? Which images are needed the most?

– Who is your customer? What kind of room would they see the image in?

Not all studios ask all these questions, but the more thoughtful the questions, the better the final product will be.

Step 2: Reference Material

After the conversation, the studio will ask for more information to aid in creating an accurate representation of your product. This can be in the form of:

– CAD files or 3D models

– Technical Drawings

– Photos of the actual product

– Material samples like swatches of leather, fabric and wood

– Mood Boards

The more detail you give up front, the smoother and more quickly the process will go.

Step 3: 3D Modeling & Scene Setup

During this step, artists make digital versions of the pieces of furniture you have selected. They build each piece by adding details like edges and joints. Then they add realistic materials to get the right look for the wood grain or fabric weave.

They also build or select a room setting. Then they add props and set up the lighting. You will not see much during this phase, but during this step, the artists really add the finer details that make the piece look as realistic as possible.

Step 4: First Draft Review

Before anything is finalized, you will get a ‘draft’ to look over. This is usually a preview in a format like clay or a low resolution version. During this step is when you can make the biggest changes, but keep in mind, this is usually a preview of a ‘first draft’ and there may be several small mistakes.

Tip: It can be beneficial to include your product team to review the drafts. The person most familiar with the product will notice the mistakes quickest.

Step 5: Revisions and Feedback Rounds

Keep in mind, many studios limit the number of revision rounds they are willing to do, and two is usually the max. There are a couple things you can do to help make the revision process easier.

– Consolidate your feedback. Do not send several emails over a few days with small bits of feedback. Send a complete, concise, list of feedback only once.

– Be specific. It’s easier to act on “make the walnut finish slightly warmer” than “it feels off.”

– Flag major alterations to design direction early. Once product design is modeled, any changes would potentially incur extra time and cost.

What Affects the Cost?

Various factors can impact cost. These include:

– The number of products requested

– The complexity of products (certain design elements like intricate carvings take more time to produce than simple designs such as a table)

– The type of images (a simple white background images vs a lifestyle image)

– The number of angles/images

– The resolution of the images

– Whether you have the 3D files or if the studio needs to create them

– Revision requests

– Rush requests

What Your Studio Will Expect From You

Studios expect their clients to give them timely and accurate information such as the correct measurements and finish of a furniture piece, and to be a single point of contact. Studies have shown that projects are more successful when clients engage in a working partnership with the studio as opposed to a drop-off service.

Questions to Ask Before You Hire

It is important to review studios’ work to gain a better understanding of their processes and services before making a hiring decision. Additional questions to ask before hiring include:

1.     Can you show me samples of furniture projects similar to mine?
2.     How do you work? Who will I be dealing with?
3.     How many revision rounds will you allow?
4.     What files will be given to me and in what format?
5.     Will I own the 3D files once the project is completed?
6.     What happens if I want changes to be made during the project?

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the prep work for contacting a rendering studio?

Not much! It’s a good idea to have some basic goals in mind, a few pictures of your product, and any dimensions or sketches you may have. The studio will let you know what else they need.

Can furniture rendering replace traditional photography?

For many brands, yes. Rendering allows you to showcase products in any finish or in any setting without having to ship samples, hire a photography crew, or build sets. Some brands do a combination of the two.

Can I make edits after images are finished?

Usually! Once you have the 3D model, it’s much faster, easier, and less expensive to change a finish than it is to shoot the product again.

What’s the furniture rendering process like the first time I use the service?

It’s a guided process with a briefing, the first draft, a limited number of edits, and final files. It’s also a process where the studio is learning your style, so after the first time, things move faster.

Input:  Do I need 3D files to get started?

No. If you only have drawings, photos, or a physical sample, a good studio can build the 3D model for you.

Final Thoughts

When you hire a rendering studio, you shouldn’t have to take a leap of faith. Once you have a basic understanding of furniture rendering services, from the initial call to the final images, you’ll be able to plan with confidence, give effective feedback and ultimately get images that help you sell your product.

Render Furniture is a 3D rendering studio that specializes in the furniture industry. Our team will walk you through every step of the process, keep things transparent and turn your products into images customers can trust. Contact us to talk about your project. You’ll get a clear quote and timeline.