MentalRay Settings

Download scene file here.

1. F10 to get into render setup and select MentalrayDaylighting High. Just click 'OK' if it ask for anything. 2. Enable Final Gather > choose your preset... low, medium, high

3. If you got a workstation, go for global illumination. Great fr interiors. If not, doesn't matter. I didn't select this option due to the long ass rendering time. ( which I can fix in Photoshop)

4. Check the options for memory management.

5. Close 'Render Setup' window and press '8' for Environment Control. In the ExposireControl, choose Logarithmic Exposure Control'.
6. Place direct light on target object and use the settings below.

7. You may wanna use sylight. You can try turning it 'on' first and do a test render after step12.

8. Go to Render Setup again (F10), Common Parameters tab > Area to Render > select 'Crop'.

9. Right click the 'Camera' or 'name of vewport', and enable 'Show Safe Frame' and 'Edit Render Region'

adjust render region to test render

10. You're done, press 'F9'

Okay it sucks... i know... that's where photoshop comes in handy

11. In photoshop, select Image > Levels, increase the brightness contrast input levels (the small little white arrow.

TA DAH~!!!~

Not great.. but hei... it's fast and simple.

Go here, if you want some simple Vray settings.

by the way..

3s MAX 2010 default settings for mental has a quality similar to Vray.

Tutorial: Digital Design to Fabrication_

This is a project guided by Bharat Dave from CRIDA (Critical Research In Digital Architecture) with the intention to explore the potential of digital technology from design to fabrication.

This project is tested with Generative Components (design) and 2D CNC machine (fabrication).

This tutorial uses a method which is similar to what Frank Gehry does in his design process.

1. Set site constraint. Location in x, y, z-coordinates.

2. Digital Design

3. Mock-up Test

4. Feedback rules + contraiants to digital model base on materiality of the physical mockup test

5. Unfold

6. Fabricate

7. Assemble

I guess what I've got most out of this project is the use of digital tools in the making of a design and the understanding of how through folding + unfolding of planes to create 'curvy' + dynamic forms from 2D planar shapes.

The choice of material must be determine from the start in order to fully utilize the potential of this new tool.

Most importantly, what you'ld see in the computer will not always be what it's like in the real world. However, through means of fabrication, geometry can be quickly tested out and overall form can be rationalized base on what you can learn from the mock-ups.