Third place image from Podium Browser render contest by Gary Petrovski.
BREAKDOWN:
Gary's kitchen was impeccably executed from design to composition, lighting, and post-processing. We loved the feel of the image, and the fact that the whole scene was built around the Podium Browser "Kitchen 03" cabinet/island set. The material properties and lighting showcase many of SU Podium's greatest strengths, and the close attention to fine detail elevate the image to near-photorealistic levels.
Scene setup
Here are the Podium browser components used to construct the basic layout of the kitchen:
Kitchen 03 - Cupboard 01
Kitchen 03 - Cupboard 02
Kitchen 03 Island
Kitchen 03 Wall Unit
The kitchen 03 set is used more or less as-is, the only modification being a slightly different paint color. Gary also adds a Podium Browser sink and faucet to the Kitchen Island next to the range. Most of the other construction elements and appliances are also from Podium Browser:
Stairs 03
Kolbe Terraspan panel door
Window 04
Refrigerator Freezer 01
Ikea Bredskar 02
Tap 01
Podium Browser Materials:
Concrete 02
Concrete 14
Brick 18
Walnut 02
Wood Floor 07
Attention to detail: If you look closely, Gary has filled the built-in wine storage on the kitchen island with bottles of wine from Podium Browser. This sort of attention to subtle detail always helps sell an image and make the render feel more convincing.
Kitchen Island 03
Wine 01
Close-up wine rack
Completing the kitchen:
With most of the scene in place, it's just a matter of populating the space with items from Podium Browser. The Podium Browser kitchen category is one of the most fully developed in the library with over 750 items in 12 sub-categories.
- 160 Sinks
- 80 Taps
- 10 Diswashers
- 30 Kitchen Islands
- 91 Wall/Misc. Cabinets
- 112 Base Cabinet units
- 37 Cupboards
- 8 Countertops
- 20 Refrigerators
- 38 Cooktops & Stoves
- 25 Misc Appliances
- 173 Accessories & Food
Furniture and lighting:
Artemide Recessed W
Ceiling Lamp 36
Ceiling Lamp 18
Extremis Hopper Table
Vitra Hal Medium Stool
Cappellini MiniSteel
Kitchen items, accessories, foods
Coffee Pot
Bunch of Bananas
Eggs 01
Cups 07
Bread Box 01
Glass Jars
Plates 01
Tray 02
Fruit Salad
Fruit Bowl 03
Set of knives
Kitchen Towel 01
Electronics, plants, miscellaneous
Home Theater 05
Books 04
VP Table Decoration
Versace Plates
Samsung TV 02
Ikea Matilda Curtain
Books 08
EU Modular Outlets
Book 10
Dracaena
Pot 11 - White
Fredo Round Corner - Gary's image is an excellent illustration of what a difference Fredo's RoundCorner plugin can make in a rendering. RoundCorner gives you the ability to select an edge and apply smooth bevel or chamfer. Notice in the adjacent image how much extra lighting/reflection detail a beveled edge can capture—without RoundCornder the vertical column would not catch a strong highlight the way it does.
Render settings:
The scene has no artificial light, so rendering is just a matter of setting a shadow angle and choosing a preset. For a space like this, the final render would most likely be completed with Interior High though Interior Bright High could be used if more light was needed.
Gary is also quite adept at post-processing. He uses photoshop to make final lighting, color, and contrast adjustments, though the same fine-tuning could be done in Podium Image Editor.
