Renders

Thanks to a new computer I just built myself, I've been motivated to revisit some old renders and create some new ones.  I can't say how great it is to have a new (read: FAST) machine!  I decided to go watercooled, since a lot of the work I do puts 100% load on the CPU and\or the GPU.  I've been impressed so far...the cost wasn't too high and the benefits are fantastic.  Sub-50C temperatures on my GPU when I'm rendering and sub 70C on my CPU when I'm rendering.  Part of the reason the CPU is hotter, I think, is that I've overclocked it and also the direction the water runs goes from Pump+Reservoir > External Radiator > GPU > CPU > Pump again.  So, in other words, the hot water hits the CPU after the GPU so it's warmer.

Anyway...on to the images!  They are a mixture of different renderers (including iRay, the new GPU renderer in Max 2012) as well as some digital painting.

Concept art

I'm working on some conceptual plans for a client.  They want a medium sized mountain style house with an arts + crafts vibe and large overhanging roofs to shelter the walkways from snow.  These are early days yet, but I thought I'd post my initial render for them.  It's a mixture of hand and digital techniques.

Doors

Welcome to the world of Carpitecture!  I do enough projects that I thought it might be rather fun to share some of them online.  I'm in the midst of trying to get my M.Arch degree and I also run (when I have time) a small carpentry shop specializing in high end millwork and furniture.

As a starter for my new blog, I'll kick it off with some images of some doors I'm building.  They are out of quarter sawn Western Red Cedar.  The client owns a fairly remote log house that sees some harsher winter weather than typical, so the stability that comes with QS Cedar will be a boon.  These doors were a pleasure to build not only because they were all new designs\layouts to me, but because the house they were installed in is particularly nice.