Overview

For those following the work of Brick, the tropical image below should be familiar. We created the image 8 years ago and ever since it got published online, it has gained a lot of views and popularity. Still today, we see many variations of it popping up, as artists worldwide seek inspiration from it.

What makes this overwater bungalow image so special is that most likely, it is the first visualization ever representing an underwater scene to such an extent - half of the image shows the flora and fauna of the sea.  

Back in the day, we used matte-painting heavily in the post-production phase to create this image. To show our followers how it was developed, we recorded a ‘making of’ video introducing the whole process which you can see below.

‍
Later, we did a small experiment - eye tracking to collect data on how viewers engage with architectural visualizations. More specifically, we traced the route of their vision on a given image, mapping what elements grab their attention the most. From all the images that we had shown the experiment participants, this overwater bungalow project was the image that best captured the highlights on a heatmap.

It helped us set up valuable knowledge on how to convert ideas into captivating imagery. To read more about this experiment and the outcomes, check out our article on CGArchitect.

Now you know why we deemed this project worthy of a remake. Let’s have a look at the ways we can bring it up to current archviz trends.

01. Update with adjustments

One option to shake the image up a bit is to take the old post-production file and enhance it with new matte-painting elements - which we did 2 years ago. To encourage you to hone your matte-painting skills at your own pace, Brick Academy has compiled a file for you which contains raw render passes, matte elements and even the final Photoshop file. Get the file right now by clicking here.

02. Follow the new approach

Based on our old workflow which we outlined above, we first set the camera, then create the render and apply matte-painting heavily in the post-production phase. In 2022, at the time of writing this blog, by starting this image from scratch, we follow a different artistic approach that takes the reference image as the base. After finding the reference (photo) that best matches our vision of the project, we set the camera accordingly (light set up, focal lens, depth of field, etc.). And instead of placing matte-painted elements, we try to create a perfect harmony between the photo and the rendered parts of the image. If this is done well, a first-time viewer will not be able to tell what is rendered and what comes from the photo. Can you? :-)

When creating a series of images these days, we aim to sneak in a detail shot or two, or a mood shot - like the last two ones you see below. Even though these don’t show the entire building, they convey the spirit of the place very well.

Want to share your version of the project with us and the online community? Upload your image to Instagram/Facebook/Linkedin with the tag #brickacademyhub. Excited to see your work!

Special thanks to the artists who worked on these images:
Márton Zoltán Tóth, Péter Horváth, Oleh Horban

‍