How to market architectural illustration during a recession

Recession is when your neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose yours… Ronald Reagan.

Times are tough right now in the architectural world. No one is building and no one is investing in architecture. You drive down the street and see the four office buildings that have your 3drenderings in front of it, empty.  Is this the beginning of the end?

I think not. Even though development is slowing down, why should the need to market it. I would think just the opposite. Doing architectural illustration in Phoenix, Arizona for the past 7 years, we’ve seemed to have our work handed on a silver platter. There was so much construction going on that we never needed to do anything to get more than enough work to keep a zillion people busy.  I would say now would be a good time to strike. Just because someone isn’t handing you work left and right, doesn’t mean that there isn’t any. I think we just need to be a little more aggressive.  Here are a couple pointers to get you though a recession.

Stay focused, stay positive. I know in a recession people get really negative. You hear talk, your colleagues get laid off or go bankrupt. But seriously, does a negative attitude really help. Better yet, maybe we shouldn’t spend 23 out of 24 hours blaming the government. Lets be proactive people, not retroactive. Keep a positive attitude, no one has ever succeeded with a negative one.

Use Connections and networking. I found networking to be the most useful tool in a business. People aren’t going to freak out if you call up and get the 411 on there company situation or if you ask them if they need any 3d renderings, 2d graphics, elevations or colored site plans.

Maybe you should give a discount. Seriously, $3000.00 for one 3d rendering. We all know it doesn’t take that long for architectural illustration, and if you have a high overhead, maybe its time to cut back. Ive seen what some people charge in architecture, and although that seemed reasonable  in 2001, its not so reasonable now.

Bottom line, if you have a good 3d rendering that is realistically priced, you should be able to keep afloat in a recession. Put some elbow grease into marketing, pride into your work and a positive attitude.

Our website is: http://www.endisine3d.com

Starting a company in 3d graphics

My company is called endisine3d, Inc. We specialize in 3d architectural illustration, 3d renderings, colored site plans and elevations.  After working in an architecture firm that will remain nameless, I realized that it seemed ridiculous that I should be working for the man and making peanuts. I was seeing what was being billed to the client per hour and what I was making and so I figured, I can do this.

In 2001, I started my company while still working at the architecture firm. My game plan was to find some clients and then, when I couldn’t stand working 16 hours a day, I would quit the firm. This lasted about 4 months. After a triple shot latte and 5 hours of sleep, the boss called me into the office and asked if I was on something. I said, yes, a triple latte. I proceeded to tell him that I was starting my own gig and quiting his. This wasn’t going as planned. I jumped the gun and gave him my two weeks.

Crap, what did I do? I barely had enough clients to tide me over and now I quit my job. Anyway, to make a long story short, starting a business isn’t for everyone, I had to borrow, beg and steal to make it work and now, in 2008, I’m still doing well as a business owner.

I think that this is a good business because not many people do it and a lot of people need it. Also you don’t have to charge too much when you are starting out because its mostly your time that you are billing out. Yes, you do need software (which is expensive) and equipment but I think most people in this industry are overcharging. I also think you need to be really good at creating graphics and very detailed. It’s important to have pride in your work.

So that is pretty much where I am in 2008. Since the market is slow right now, I’m going to be writing about stuff I know in this business, software, hardware, tips, tricks, websites, etc, until we get out of this recession and start building again!

Our website is: http://www.endisine3d.com

A little history about my journey to 3D architectural illustration

Hello and Welcome to my first blog. Someone recently told me that while the market in architecture is less than hot right now, it might be a good idea to start a blog. Now I admit that when it comes to 3d rendering, Adobe photoshop, and Autodesk 3dsmax I feel I’m pretty good at technology. So when I had to ask what a blog was, I felt pretty dumb. Anyway, when I got the DL on the concept, I figured it would be a cool idea to write about my journey through the world of architecture.

Having started out as an architecture major at USC (go Trojans!) I find it ironic that a simple turn of events landed me right back where I started, in architecture. I always wanted to be an artist and convincing my parents that I needed to switch to the art department was not my shining moment. Needless to say after 3 majors and one transfer, I did graduate with a B.F.A in studio art.

I find myself 24, and no idea what I am supposed to do. I literally had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of my parents money with no jobs, no prospects and no money. My architecture experience starts here. I am sent on an interview from a tip someone had given me. A man by the name of Jon, half Kiwi, half English, half crazy attempts to interview me while running around his design studio working, panicking, and finally telling me to leave and come back another day because he had a deadline couldn’t talk to me. To make a long story short, we clicked right away. I ended up working for Jon for 4 years in the ever exciting world of systems furniture. Yes that cube you have to sit in everyday is system furniture. Don’t get me wrong, we did more exciting things as well. See Jon is an amazing furniture designer.. We would work on interiors for custom houses etc. Jon did all of his drawings by hand, they were works of art, I told him. And the artist side of me loved that unique side to design. But then I got introduced to Autocad….

Actually I don’t even think it was technically autocad but some other program that was way easier. I started drawing plans, elevations, sections. Soon I was onto axonometric, isometric all done in 2D of course. Then I found 3dsmax.

Hail! 3dsmax Release 1. This was hot. It was officially announced at Siggraph 1995 . Completely new interface, object oriented with modifier stacks and allowing for 3rd party plug-in renders and running on Windows NT 3.5.1.

I was determined to learn this program and Autocad LT. I knew it was going to be the future. Jon and I started doing 3d interiors with the few articles of furniture that they gave you on a Viewpoint disk (I wish I could have thought up Turbosquid.com) we added in his custom built-ins and used the fabulous materials they had in the application (not!) and rendered it out on a sweet 800×600 resolution, real high-def stuff.

The clients freaked. They couldnt believe how cool this was. I knew I had to move forward.
Release 1 turned into 2, 3, 4 and finally here we are. Max 2009.

Our website is: http://www.endisine3d.com