The Benefits Of CGI Bottles Over Traditional Photography
Imaginar have been creating stunning CGI visuals for businesses and brands for well over a decade and one of our specialist fields is bottles. In this article we will discuss the benefits of using CGI to create 3D Bottle Renders, and the process we use in creating them
Are You Looking To Create CGI Bottles?
The benefits of 3D Bottle Images over traditional photography
If you work in the advertising or beverage industries, you’re probably familiar with the term “CGI.” CGI stands for computer-generated imagery, and it’s a special effects technique that’s used to create realistic images or animations. In recent years, the use of computer-generated imagery has become increasingly popular in product marketing and advertising.
At Imaginar, we are always looking to push the boundaries of what is possible and the creation of our 3D bottle images models is a really good example of this. We have a great team of CGI specialists who enjoy being able to push the boundaries, creating stunning, photoreal, hyper real and stylised 3D bottle render.
Why use CGI for your bottle campaigns?
The standard for product photography has always been to use real products and photoshoots. However, with the rise of CGI, that is now starting to change. In recent years, more and more brands have begun using CGI bottles in their advertising campaigns. Here’s a look at why this trend is gaining popularity and why we think it’s here to stay.
Consistency across all marketing materials
3D Bottle Images maintain a high level of consistency across all images, regardless of the angle or lighting used. This allows for an accurate representation of the product that can be used in all marketing materials. This accuracy also ensures that customers have a consistent experience when viewing the product, no matter what communication they encounter. Say good-bye to needing a whole new photoshoot each time a new variation of your product is launched.
Flexible assets
A 3D Bottle Render can be used in a variety of ways to create stunning visuals for marketing campaigns. They can be used to create 3D animations, product shots, and even out-of-home advertising. Additionally, because they are CGI assets, they are extremely flexible and can be re-used across multiple platforms. This makes them perfect for use in configurators on eCommerce websites, on print media, digital advertising boards, as well as social media advertising and other digital campaigns. Finally, the CGI assets are easy to update and customise, so they can be used again and again, which saves time and money.
More control over the finished product
CGI bottles give brands more control over the finished product. When working with real products, there is always the risk that something will go wrong during the photoshoot—a bottle might break, for instance, or the lighting might not be right, the cold and wetness of the bottle surface might be hard to achieve. With 3D Bottle Images, however, brands can create exactly the image they want without any potential for error.
Creativity
With CGI rendering creative boundaries can be pushed. Unlike traditional photography CGI rendering enables us to create images that would be impossible to achieve with real products. For example, 3D Bottle Renders can be made to appear weightless or suspended in mid-air, which adds a sense of mystery and intrigue to an advertising campaign. Additionally, cross sections and close ups can be created to go along with the original images.
A better experience for the consumer
CGI can provide a much more realistic experience for consumers, as they are able to engage more with the product. They are able to see it from different angles and perspectives, and even interact with it from the comfort of their own home. This allows them to get a better understanding of the product, and decide if it is something they would like to purchase.
Cost effectiveness
CGI assets can be used in a variety of ways across multiple platforms, making them an efficient and cost-effective tool for advertising. They can easily be updated to reflect new campaigns or products, and since they don’t require a photoshoot, they save on additional costs such as transportation, props, location hire, specialist food, product dressers and extensive retouching time. If your bottle is still in the production stage, CGI images can even be created before a real-life model, shortening the time to launch your product advertising.
As you can see, there are many advantages to using CGI bottles in advertising campaigns. Brands that are looking to create truly unique images should consider using this cutting-edge technology. Additionally, those that are looking to save on production costs may find that a 3D Bottle Render is the best solution for their needs, especially if there are multiple versions of the same product needed. Whatever your reason for considering this trend, we think you’ll be impressed by what 3D Bottle Images can do for your next ad campaign.
How is a 3D Bottle Render Made?
Modelling
We begin by creating the 3D model. This is typically done in one of 2 ways:
1) using CGI technology to hand model a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object, in this case a bottle, in a 3D software programme. This method can be used even before a physical prototype of your bottle exists.
2) By scanning an existing bottle and converting it into a 3D model which is often referred to a Photogrammetry.
Texturing
Once we have a 3D model we can then begin to work on the texturing of the bottle to give a more realistic look and feel. Texture Artists start by gathering reference material – photos or scans of real-world objects or surfaces, such as plastic or glass, that they can use as inspiration for their textures. They then use software to create the textures, which may be a flat image or a 3D mesh.
The Texture Artist’s goal is to create textures that look realistic and believable, while also matching the style and look of the project they are working on. To achieve this, they may need to adjust the colours, lighting, and contrast of their textures to match the scene they are working in.
Lighting
This next step in the process is one of the key components to achieving a photoreal finish to your CGI bottle. Just as lighting can create certain effects on a film set, the same is true for CGI images. By adjusting the size, number and direction of your lights, you can create different moods for your image. For example, you might want to go soft and bright. The way you choose and manipulate your lights will determine the final look and feel of your 3D Bottle Images.
Rendering
Rendering is the process of taking all of the individual elements that make up an image and compositing them together into a final picture, we call these elements render passes. This can be done in a number of ways, but most commonly involves using a renderer to calculate the lighting and shadows in the scene. The quality of the final 3D Bottle render depends on a number of factors, including the quality of the renderer, the amount of time it takes to render and the type of hardware being used.
There has been a huge shift towards GPU rendering in recent years as GPUs have become more powerful and efficient. This has led to a number of new renderers such as Redshift, V-Ray and Octane, which are specifically designed to take advantage of GPUs. Arnold is another renderer that is becoming increasingly popular due to its ability to produce high-quality images very quickly.
Refining
The more realistic the bottle models are, the better they will look on your website, point of sale or social media profiles. Therefore, once the image has been rendered the 3D artists begin to refine the image. This involves further editing of the lighting, texturing, and other aspects of the image to create a high-quality product that meets the client’s expectations. The 3D artists involved in creating the image work diligently to fine-tune its appearance so that it looks as good as possible, either photoreal, hyper real or stylised. Once this process is completed, the image can be used in a variety of applications depending on the client’s needs.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many advantages to using CGI bottles in advertising campaigns. Brands that are looking to create stunning, eye catching images, that are consistent and easily updated should consider using CGI. Additionally, those that are looking to save on production costs may find that CGI bottles are the best solution for their needs. Whatever your reason for considering CGI, we think you’ll be impressed by what 3D Bottle Images can do for your next ad campaign.
Get in touch today to find out how we can give your bottle campaigns the cutting edge.