3D Product Rendering: The Ultimate Guide 2023
Sep 26, 2023

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, creating irresistible product pages and ads is crucial.
Brand owners have been recently using more and more 3D renderings to boost sales because they know it can do one thing: increase trust through "wow" factor visuals that their competitors don't have.
It's no longer enough to just use basic product images, because well... everyone has those.
Therefore businesses are switching to 3D renderings instead to create uniquely branded product pages and ads that captivate customers and drive conversions.
But what's the difference between getting photos or renders of your products?

3D Renders or Product Photography, which one is better?
With product renders, you'll easily showcase your products from every angle, place it in any setting, and create an infinite number of content with it without scheduling extensive photoshoots or productions.
With the right 3D rendering service you'll have a content machine that can output multiple creatives and product content for your socials, website, emails, and ads.
Think of companies like Apple for example or any major brand, they all use 3D renderer for one reason:
They build trust through quality.
Therefore enhancing engagement, and ultimately increasing sales by having awesome looking images or animations of their products.
This also increases the barrier to entry for their competitors to duplicate.
By harnessing the power of product renderings you can grab customers' attention, showcase your products in the best light, and supercharge your sales.
But to fully harness this secret power for your brand you need to understand some basics of the what goes into 3D product images and animations.

What are 3D Product Renders?
3D renders is the process of using 3D models, textures, and lighting within a computer program that outputs an image or video.
Basically it's recreating your products into a computer that can photographed or filmed an infinite number of ways.
This is why 3D product renderings are commonly used for social media posts, website images, and ads.
E-commerce, real estate, marketing, billboards, etc. all use 3D renders to produce photorealistic results with maximum control over the look of the final image.
Making 3D product renders ideal for explaining and selling products or ideas to people.
However, not many people are able to get 3D done right
, leaving you with visuals that look cheap or something that looks out of an old videogame.

Good vs. bad 3D product rendering
Creating 3D renderings requires a combination of technical skills and artistic creativity.
The process typically involves several steps, including modeling, texturing, lighting, rendering, and post-production.
Mainly it comes down to the refinement of the process of creating such visuals through the selected rendering 3d software.
The 3D Product Rendering Process: How does it work?
It's up to a skilled 3D rendering artist to make sure all facets of the production are on point and locked in as the 3D model moves through the extensive 3D product rendering process.
Many amateur 3D renderings typically come from using free software instead of industry standard systems and services.
So let's go into more detail on what makes or breaks the 3D product rendering :
Modeling The 3D Product
Firstly, the 3D model of the product is created using specialized software.
This involves shaping and sculpting the virtual object to match the desired design by using photo and real life references.
This is the most important part of the process and where many people fail, because it needs to be done correctly to move onto the next stages.
Once the model is ready, the 3D model moves onto the texturing phase.
3D Texturing
3D texturing is the stage where material and surface properties are added to the 3D product.
This begins with a technique called "UV unwrapping" which "unfolds" the 3D model into a 2D flatten map, where textures can be applied.
Not only is color data applied, but also any micro details, reflection properties, and displacement characteristics.
The texturing phase is super important when it comes to dialing in that photorealistic look and keeping your product looking cheap or have that "CGI" look.
This will really begin to shine in the most exciting phase as your product will now see life in a new light
Lights and Cameras
This step is crucial in enhancing the visual appeal of the product and highlighting its features.
Advanced lighting techniques, such as global illumination and ray tracing, can be used to achieve realistic and natural-looking results.
Similar to photography or film sets, 3D product rendering actually uses physically based lighting properties such as light temperature, intensity, cone angles, fall off, directionality, and more.
There's spotlights, 360 lights, sun and sky systems, light bulbs, and soft boxes.
And just like lighting 3D cameras also have physically based properties like focus, f-stop, sensor size, etc.
With so many different ways to approach lighting, the 3D renderer can control the mood and feel of the scene easily, even creating multiple looks for a client.
Through utilizing classic and modern lighting techniques you'll have the power to creating an infinite amount of content, something that would normally be very difficult to do in photography.
3D Rendering and Post Production
After everything's is set up properly, the 3d product render is finally... rendered!
This process can be time-consuming, especially for complex scenes or high-resolution images, but some 3D rendering services can offer the use of render farms that out source the rendering to dedicated GPU/CPU farms for a fraction of the time.
Lastly, post-production techniques, such as color correction, retouching, and image editing, are applied to further enhance the visual quality of the renderings in a program like Photoshop, Fusion, or After Effects.
Typically professional studios use a compositing technique where each render pass is rendered separately such as the reflections, shadows, ambient occlusion, color, refractions, etc.
This is to give the 3D product renders even more control in the post production process.
This step ensures that the final product presentation is polished and visually appealing.

What's do 3D product renderings cost?
Because of the wide skill gap in the industry, the prices typically vary starting at a few hundred bucks up to the tens of thousands of dollars for higher level work.
So let's break it down.
3D product rendering can be out sourced for it's cheapest on Fiverr, however be wary about the results.
3D rendering only works when it's photorealistic and a lot of results from these cheaper marketplaces can often ruin your brand image due to poor quality 3D product renders done for a cheap cost.
For top notch 3D renders (the ones that actually get results), are actually more affordable than most brand owners think.
If you're looking photorealistic product renders the prices typically start at the high hundreds, and depending on complexity and quantity prices increase.
For 3D product animation cost (done right) it can start into the low thousands and up.
If you need a more specific ball park feel free to reach out to us to let us know what 3D product renderings you're looking to get done and we can send you an exact price.

What to look for when getting 3D renderings of your product
To create truly high converting 3D product rendering consider the following tips:
1. Focus on realism: Aim for high-quality 3D renderings that closely resemble the actual product. Pay attention to details such as textures, materials, and lighting to create a realistic and immersive experience for customers.
2. Highlight unique features: Use 3D renderings to showcase the unique features and qualities of your products. Whether it's intricate design elements that need visual explanation or innovative functionalities, make sure these stand out with product renderings.
3. Tell a story: Use 3D renders to tell a compelling story about your products. The canvas is unlimited! Create visual narratives that evoke emotions and connect with your target audience on a deeper level. You can create entire worlds around your brand with 3D through the use of digital sets and scenes.
4. Keep it simple: Avoid cluttering your product renderings with unnecessary elements that don't add to your brand's image. Focus on the key aspects of the product to present them in a clear and concise manner.
5. Optimize for different platforms: Whether it's a website, social media, desktop or mobile devices, ensure that your 3D renders are optimized for the best viewing experience for the appropriate resolutions and file sizes.
Examples of successful brands using 3D renderings for product presentations
Several successful brands have already embraced the power of 3D renderings in their product presentations. Let's take a look at a few examples:
1. IKEA: The furniture giant uses 3D renderings to showcase their products in various room settings.
They have each of their pieces recreated in 3D that allow customers to project the 3D renderings into their own spaces using augmented reality.
Customers can visualize how the furniture will look in their own homes, enabling them to make more informed purchasing decisions.
2. Apple: Apple has long been known for its visually stunning 3D product scrolling product pages.
They export out their 3D product animations into image sequences that are then triggered by a scroll function
This showcases their products in a captivating way that mesmerizes anyone that checks out their landing page.
3. Nike: Nike uses 3D renderings to create beautiful images and animations that draw customers in via their billboards, social media ads, and print marketing.
From customizable product configurators for their shoes to virtual try-ons, these renderings allow customers to engage with their products in unique ways.
These brands have successfully leveraged the power of 3D renderings to create irresistible product presentations that captivate customers and drive sales. By following their lead and implementing similar strategies, your business can also benefit from this powerful marketing tool.

What do you need to create 3D renders?
Our 3D rendering company, Viva Visuals, can recreate your products using just 4-5 images of your product from different angles.
Obviously we can achieve the best results if you can send in your product for us to have a better reference in creating custom 1:1 materials for your 3D product.
The following is a list of our preferred resources for us to give you the best results for your 3D rendered images and animations:
High quality Images: Front, Back, Side, Top, Bottom.
Tech Packs/Technical Drawings
Close ups of the surfaces of your product
Moodboards or examples of other work
Sending in your product (the best option)

Can you make 3D Product Animations?
Yes! Once your product is fully 3D modeled and texture, we'll be able to create any kind of creative you'd need!
That includes 360° Product Animations that fully showcase your product in every angle.
3D product render animations can be from very simple movements of a product or a very complex animation that requires more advance 3D motion design techniques.

How can I use 3D renders in my business?
There are so many advantages to 3D rendering that we can create an entirely new post about it.
So we'll just keep this concise and briefly outline the 3D rending advantages for e-commerce and SAAS companies.
3D Product Visualization
Prototyping: The last thing you need as a business is to spend thousands of dollars on bad inventory. So before manufacturing a product, create a 3D render to visualize design elements, features, and aesthetics. This can save costs by identifying design flaws early on.
Create New Product Variants: Create an internal mockup tool that allows you to see your products in various new colors, styles, or configurations, letting you or your team customize products.
Product Packaging: Get the best look at your products packaging through 3D rendering before placing a bulk order. See the look and feel of it to give you complete confidence on any branding changes you make.
Marketing and Promotion
Advertising: Use high-quality 3D renderings on Facebook ads, IG ads, Youtube Ads, print ads, digital campaigns, and television commercials to showcase your product in eye catching ways that stand out from people doom scrolling.
Organic Social Media Content: Share 3D renders of your product in any setting or environment on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest to engage your audience and boost shares by creating unique content consistently.
Interactive Customer Experiences
Augmented Reality (AR): Integrate 3D product renderings into AR applications, allowing customers to virtually place a product in their space using their smartphone or AR glasses.
Print and Merchandise: Create merchandise, posters, or printed materials using 3D artwork.
High Converting Web Design
Product Display Page: Use 3D product renders on product display pages to provide customers with a 360° view of products along with insanely detailed white background images of your products.
Website Images: Create banner animations, supplementary product content, animations and more with 3D rendering that will help the customer envision themselves using your products in their life.
Interactive 3D Models: Allow customers to interact with 3D models, zooming in on details or viewing the product from different angles with integrated 3D viewers.
Hiring a professional 3D rendering service
When incorporating 3D renders, it's crucial to ensure that they're of high quality, realistic, and align with your brand's vision and the message you want to convey.
Working with professionals skilled in 3D rendering can make a significant difference in the outcome and the impact on your business.
Professional rendering services can also offer valuable insights and recommendations based on their industry knowledge and expertise.
When choosing a 3D rendering service, consider factors such as their portfolio, client testimonials, pricing, and turnaround time.
It's also important to communicate your specific requirements and expectations to ensure that the final renderings align with your brand vision.
Conclusion
In an increasingly competitive marketplace, creating irresistible product presentations is essential.
By harnessing the power of 3D renderings, you can grab customers' attention, showcase your products in the best light, and supercharge your sales by building trust as a premium brand.
The benefits of using 3D renderings for product presentations are numerous.
From providing the "wow" factor in your product images/animations to offering practical advantages such as creating an infinite number of content without costly photoshoots, 3D renderings can revolutionize the way you present your products.
By understanding the process of creating 3D renderings and following the tips outlined in this article, you can create truly irresistible product presentations that captivate customers and drive conversions.
Look to successful brands for inspiration and consider hiring a professional 3D rendering service to ensure the highest quality renderings.
With 3D renderings, you can take your product presentations to the next level and boost your sales like never before.
So why settle for ordinary when you can have extraordinary with 3D renderings?
Need 3D renders done for your business?
Start creating irresistible product presentations today and watch your sales soar as you stand out from the ordinary.
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