Jacques Janoyer, Tropical Architecture
Jacques Janoyer is based in Tahiti, focusing on architectural renderings for for local agencies such as Pascal Beaudet, Benoit Rochet, and Amaramarama.
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How did you get started in Architectural Visualization?
A few years ago, I was in charge of “broadcast dressing” for a local TV show named “knack and tricks” on channel RFO. An architect friend asked me to make an project visualization, and the architecture work just gained momentum from there. My brother is a surgeon in the Carribbean, and I work with him on renders of medical devices as well.
What made you pick up Strata 3D? Was there a specific problem/need that caused you to seek out a 3D application?
I’ve tried a lot of famous software, but Strata 3D is the only one with a very simple interface and it becomes productive quickly. Its synergy with Photoshop is also very advantageous.
What other software do you use on a regular basis?
Photoshop and Silo.
You do a lot of work that depends on matching the render to a background plate. Do you plan colors and reflections ahead of time to match the plate, or do you adjust the render to match afterwards?
3D helped me join an architect’s team and allowed me to be present at the beginning of some projects in order to learn volumes and understand them in their environment, but also to take part in the promotion at the final step of the marketing.
My first aim is to show to customers how their project will look like in the real environment, and not only to make a “beautiful picture”. So I choose the best moment to take the background picture and few elements I’ll keep. Using Strata I adjust my lighting according to the angle and the shadow’s mildness. Usually sunshine is powerful in TAHITI.
What percentage of your scenes need to be created specifically for any given project, or do you pull the bulk of plants, cars and people from libraries you’ve collected over the years?
I model all plants in order to obtain a more personal result, local characters come from my own “picture bank”, vehicles come from various origins.
Do you think there’s a certain element of a rendering that really “sells” the realism, or is it just a combination of all the little details?
That is the question. Everyone has a different opinion. I have the feeling that there are two steps: first is an attractive composition, and then details to make the previous feeling last. What was valid yesterday may not be valid tomorrow.
What’s the most helpful feature in Strata 3D for your work?
Its “plus” is the simplicity and the possibility to choose all the parameters at the time of the rendering.
What kind of resources do you typically have to work with when creating a pre-vis image? Are you simply given blueprints to work from?
Some customers, such as architects, have a very accurate idea of the project, and I try my best to strictly apply their wishes, final display is usually “Zen”. A property developer has a more commercial approach and they give me a lot of freedom in terms of the final image.
Any advice for new users in Architectural modeling/rendering? (Any hard-learned lessons that could save them some headaches early on?)
Being curious about other’s works helps to put your work in perspective, and see where you need to improve. And we learn so much from others, so ask questions! (It’s a good idea to switch off your computer sometimes as well).
