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Mastering Lumion 3D
Mastering Lumion 3D

Mastering Lumion 3D: Master the art of creating real-time 3D architectural visualizations using Lumion 3D

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Mastering Lumion 3D

Chapter 2. Creating a Project in Lumion

The first chapter was a swift overview of some fundamental concepts to begin working with Lumion and now it is time to start getting our hands dirty by creating a scene in Lumion. By now, we are so eager to start that we probably want to import the 3D model that we built with so much care and populate the scene with every single Lumion 3D model available. We can do that and this is one way we can learn software. However, a great difference between an ordinary Lumion project and a professional one is the preparation and planning we do prior to adding any content or even importing the 3D model.

However, even before importing a 3D model, we need to prepare the terrain to place the 3D model in a good light. Since we are talking about preparation and planning, we can also create some layers as well.

In this chapter, you will learn the following topics:

  • Creating a scene
  • Using the nine presets
  • Using a proxy or a low geometry 3D model to test the terrain...

Creating a scene in Lumion

A project encloses everything that we use to create the final image or video so that we can say that a scene is the heart of our project because it is the basis to import a 3D model and start adding content until we reach the final stage where we get the output, the result of hours of hard work. Let's see the different ways we can use to create a scene in Lumion.

Using the nine scenes

You will notice that each and every time we launch Lumion, the opening menu that appears is the Files menu with the New tab opened. The New tab is where we can find nine scenes or presets to start a scene, as shown in the subsequent screenshot:

Using the nine scenes

What is the difference between them? Is there any benefit of using the Hills scene over the Grass scene for example? After reading and testing this chapter, we will understand that the differences between each scene are merely the type of terrain and the weather used, thus there isn't anything special.

Are there some benefits of using...

Importing a proxy or a low geometry 3D model

What is a proxy? In simple terms, a proxy is a substitute for something. When working with applications such as 3ds Max, we can use proxies in our scene. The benefit of using a proxy is removing geometry from the scene and improving the viewport and the render speed. When the rendering starts, the render engine reads the proxy and knows that it is necessary to load the geometry. Although in the viewport, a proxy can be just a rectangle, but when we do the rendering, we don't see the cube, but the entire geometry.

Now that we know what a proxy is, let's explain why a similar concept can be used in Lumion and what the benefits are. Lumion is a powerful application and although there isn't any official number, we can import geometry with millions of polygons. Then, we need to add another big amount of polygons from the additional content, such as trees, plants, people, animals, cars, and water. For a scene, like the one we are using...

Sculpting the terrain

Finally, the section for which we were waiting so eagerly, adding hills and digging valleys. Preparing the terrain to get the 3D model should be our next logical step. Why? Let's say that we skip this stage and add not only the 3D model, but also additional interior and exterior 3D models. Then, if we start to sculpt the terrain, it is more than certain that our scene will be messed up because the 3D models use the terrain as the base and if that base is changed, we may need to tweak again the 3D models present in the scene.

For some, the idea of sculpting the terrain looks like a difficult task, but actually is easy, and the time it takes, depends on the approach we choose. And it may look somehow confusing having some options to change the terrain, but these are ways to accomplish different results. The options available to create the terrain are:

  • Lumion's tools
  • Modeling a 3D terrain
  • Importing a height map
  • Creating a 3D terrain with an external application

Unless...

Working with the Terrain submenu

The Terrain submenu is where we can find some useful tools to add some detail that is not practical with the Height submenu. Have a look at the following screenshot:

Working with the Terrain submenu

The first tool is Make Flat and we can look at this tool as a way to clean the terrain from any changes made. Then, if we are interested in adding a nice background to the scene, we can use Make Mountains to create a circle of mountains. If we place the 3D model in the middle, wherever we look, we can see mountains.

The next tool is Make large mountain, which could be your favorite tool in Lumion because it creates a nice, big mountain.

While moving the camera around, we may notice that some of the mountains are disappearing, but don't worry, because there is nothing wrong with our scene. The reason why this is happening is because Lumion uses this feature to remove detail from the background and improve the viewport speed. We can turn off this option by clicking on the Settings button and...

Workflow optimization (best practices)

There are a few things that we can do in order to improve the way Lumion works. This is something directly connected to the workstation we have or, in other words, if our workstation or system is powerful enough, perhaps we will never feel the need to follow some of the suggestions mentioned here.

Configuring Editor Quality

Editor Quality is something we mentioned briefly in Chapter 1, Getting Ready for Lumion 3D. So, if you had the opportunity to read the Quick overview section, you may want to jump to the next section called Using Lumion's layers.

To configure the quality we see while working on the Build, Photo, and Movie mode, we need to open the Settings menu. As mentioned in this chapter, the Settings button is found on the right-hand side. When we click on the button, the Settings menu appears, and for this section, we will focus our attention on just a few settings, as shown in the following screenshot:

Configuring Editor Quality

Remember that we can use our own textures...

Creating a scene in Lumion


A project encloses everything that we use to create the final image or video so that we can say that a scene is the heart of our project because it is the basis to import a 3D model and start adding content until we reach the final stage where we get the output, the result of hours of hard work. Let's see the different ways we can use to create a scene in Lumion.

Using the nine scenes

You will notice that each and every time we launch Lumion, the opening menu that appears is the Files menu with the New tab opened. The New tab is where we can find nine scenes or presets to start a scene, as shown in the subsequent screenshot:

What is the difference between them? Is there any benefit of using the Hills scene over the Grass scene for example? After reading and testing this chapter, we will understand that the differences between each scene are merely the type of terrain and the weather used, thus there isn't anything special.

Are there some benefits of using each scene...

Importing a proxy or a low geometry 3D model


What is a proxy? In simple terms, a proxy is a substitute for something. When working with applications such as 3ds Max, we can use proxies in our scene. The benefit of using a proxy is removing geometry from the scene and improving the viewport and the render speed. When the rendering starts, the render engine reads the proxy and knows that it is necessary to load the geometry. Although in the viewport, a proxy can be just a rectangle, but when we do the rendering, we don't see the cube, but the entire geometry.

Now that we know what a proxy is, let's explain why a similar concept can be used in Lumion and what the benefits are. Lumion is a powerful application and although there isn't any official number, we can import geometry with millions of polygons. Then, we need to add another big amount of polygons from the additional content, such as trees, plants, people, animals, cars, and water. For a scene, like the one we are using for this book...

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Description

This book is designed for all levels of Lumion users; from beginner to advanced, you will find useful insights and professional techniques to improve and develop your skills in order to fully control and master Lumion.

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Publication date : Dec 29, 2014
Length: 286 pages
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ISBN-13 : 9781783552047
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Publication date : Dec 29, 2014
Length: 286 pages
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Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781783552047
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Table of Contents

11 Chapters
1. Getting Ready for Lumion 3D Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Creating a Project in Lumion Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Importing 3D Models Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Applying and Creating Materials Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Creating Your 3D World Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Lighting in Lumion Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Creating Realistic Visualizations Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Non-photorealistic Visualizations with Lumion Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Animation Techniques Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. Creating Walk-through Visualizations Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

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Tristan Bendixen Mar 31, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
I have to be completely honest and say that I hadn't even heard of Lumion 3D before this book was presented to me. Due to my on-again-off-again relationship with Google SketchUp, I decided to check it out.Lumion 3D is mainly targeted at professionals and others who would like to visualize their architectural dreams and projects, and I have to say that it does this very well. But had it not been for this book, I would not have known how good this program is at what it does. While the book goes in depth about some of the more advanced aspects of Lumion 3D (hence the "Mastering" part), it also explains a lot of the concepts, including how to get started with the software.Will I be using Lumion 3D in the future? I doubt it, as it lies outside of my general need. But IF I should ever have the need to look into it again, I know that I'll be using this book to brush up on my knowledge. So if you have an interest in architecture and you use one of the many modeling tools that Lumion 3D supports, I can definitely recommend picking up this book from Packt Publishing.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Amazon Customer Mar 17, 2015
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The Lumion interface is quite sparse, clean and austere, on first acquaintance, and can lead some, including myself, to underestimate its considerable capability.What I really loved about Mastering Lumion 3D was how the author drew my attention, very clearly, to a host of lesser-known features and fixes, of which I was unaware. This was particularly welcome for me regarding Imported Terrains, which are comprehensively dealt with in Chap. 2. Another "weak" area for me was Materials & Textures, expertly covered in great detail in Chap. 4.There are not many books on Lumion available, and I have Mr Cardoso's two earlier books, but I find this one to be the most inspiring of all.Seamus Baynes
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Anshul Joshi Mar 18, 2015
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Lumion doesn't come with a manual. It is pretty straightforward to pick up but what if you want to go beyond the basics?Or there are moments where you find yourself in situations like - "Why is this damn selection tool not working... Why can't I move this tree? What just happened? Why can't I aaaaaaa!"This is where this e-book (which I found after searching like crazy for Lumion training) comes in.You can read one of the sample chapters but trust me that is barely scratching the surface of what's in store for you. As a basic example - after reading this book I've learnt to use layers for organizational purposes in my projects.Cardoso's tone is chatty for the most part and doesn't read like a boring manual. I would recommend buying all the three books he has written on the subject. Sure, some of the topics may overlap a bit from book to book but picking up useful nuggets from each of the books is priceless. You've invested so much in the program, it's time to invest in yourself!
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Robert Madsen Apr 01, 2015
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Mastering Lumion 3D is an excellent book that teaches you everything you need to utilize Lumion 3D, a 3D modeling program for architecture. I am not an artist or modeler, yet I was able to understand the book and create useful designs. The writing style is accessible and the examples are useful and real-world. I recommend this book for both professionals and hobbyists interested in 3D architectural design.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
NJM May 02, 2017
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Good primer.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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