Do you want to perfectly integrate your 3D house model into a real-world environment? In this tutorial, we will show you exactly how to create a photorealistic 3D visualization with the help of a background picture using cadvilla. First, we cover the essential project preparations, such as adjusting the terrain and hiding auxiliary elements. Furthermore, you will learn the rules for choosing the right photo, how to properly position your model, and how to fine-tune lighting and materials. As a result, you will be able to render a stunning, high-quality image of your architectural project.

Please note: The zoom functions demonstrated in the video are only valid up to version 5. In newer versions, you can zoom simply by scrolling the mouse wheel. For further details, please refer to our post on zooming in the 2D and 3D view.

Below is a detailed overview of the video’s content.

1. Preparations in the Project

[01:16] Adjust the Terrain Thickness

• First of all, hold down the CTRL key and left-click the Environment layer in the right-hand Projects panel to select it.
• Next, select the 3D terrain with the left mouse button directly in the 3D view.
• Perform a right-click and select Properties from the context menu.
• In the new window, uncheck the option Disable automatic thickness.
• Enter your desired value in the Thickness field (for example, 0.01 m) to make the terrain appear as a thin sheet, and confirm by clicking OK.
• Finally, press the ESC key to cancel the selection.

[02:31] Hide Auxiliary Elements

• To prepare a clean view, right-click on an empty space in the 3D view and select Visibility.
• Scroll down to the Visible categories section.
• Uncheck the boxes for Origin/North arrow to hide these helper lines, and close the dialog by clicking OK.

2. Insert Background Picture and Position Project

[03:16] Select a Background Picture

• Right-click the empty background of the 3D view and choose Properties.
• In the Properties 3D-View dialog, navigate to the Appearance tab on the left.
• Under the Background options, activate the Background picture radio button.
• Click on the Imagefile field.
• Browse your computer to find your desired background photo (e.g., bg003.jpg), select it, click Open, and confirm the properties window with OK.

[04:24] General Information About Background Pictures

• Resolution: Never use background pictures with a resolution higher than the one you plan to use for rendering your final project. Pictures with excessively high resolutions will consume unnecessary RAM and may cause software issues.
• Focal Length: When you take a background picture, you must use a focal length of at least 50mm (35mm equivalent). If you shoot with a wide-angle lens (e.g., 16mm), you will likely get converging lines that distort the perspective.
• Camera Position: For a standard frontal view of your modeled house, place your camera on a tripod at a height of approximately 80 cm. This is generally the best position for realistic results.

[06:04] Position the Project in the Picture

• You can position the project visually by matching the perspective. Simply rotate, tilt, and zoom the model using your mouse until the perspective perfectly aligns with the background picture.
• Note: For a cleaner alignment process, it is sometimes helpful to temporarily turn off the visibility of certain layers (like the basement or environment) in the Projects panel. Read the on-screen prompts for keyboard shortcuts (like SHIFT + Mousewheel) to navigate the 3D view seamlessly.

3. Optical Fine-Tuning

[08:25] Adjust the Environment Material

• Navigate to the top menu, select 3D functions, and click on the Edit material.
• Click directly on the green grass area of the terrain in your 3D view to open the Material Editor.
• To adjust the look, you can modify the Diffuse portion (e.g., to 0.9) or choose a different texture by selecting the texture path. Confirm your changes by clicking OK.

[09:43] Insert 2D Objects for Decoration

• To add realism, open the Catalog panel on the right side of the screen, expand the 2D folder, and select Plants.
• Press and hold the left mouse button to drag a 2D plant object (e.g., Tree01) directly into your 3D view.
• Tip: While placing the object, you can scroll the mouse wheel to turn (rotate) the 2D object exactly how you want it. Hit ESC when finished.

4. Lighting and Raytracing (Rendering)

[11:22] Define Light Sources

• Go to the 3D functions menu and right click on the Sun position.
• In the properties dialog, ensure the Calculate sun position checkbox is active. Here you can set a specific location, date, and time.
• Under Environment light sources, check the color (Whitebalance to White) and adapt the Light intensity to suit your scene (e.g., 70). Confirm everything with OK.

[12:16] Raytrace (Render) the Project

• Finally, navigate to 3D functions and click the Raytrace button.
• The Properties 3D-View dialog will open on the Raytracer tab.
• To ensure smooth edges, go to the Antialiasing section and select Strong Antialiasing from the dropdown menu. Ensure options like Smooth shadows and Create shadows are checked where appropriate.
• Click OK. The software will instantly start calculating and will present your finished, photorealistic image shortly after.

For detailed instructions on how to save the final rendered image to your computer, please refer to our related article on printing and saving 3D views.