Introduction
Bringing design to life for stakeholders is vital in architectural visualisation (ArchViz). While buildings are the stars of these presentations, adding realistic, animated people can make a huge difference. These human elements can breathe life into a scene, helping clients imagine how the architecture will feel when in use.
Animating these elements from scratch is a pain. So, Anima ALL was born
Chaos Anima All is an innovative tool designed to simplify the process of integrating high-quality human models into architectural scenes. From a single person looking at a painting or a bustling crowd in a public space, Anima ALL has you covered.
Why Animated People Matter in Architectural Visualisation
Animated people are a subtle but powerful element in architectural visualisations. They transform static scenes into dynamic environments, enhancing clients’ experiences of the designs.
Here’s why they matter:
- Realism and Engagement: People models create a sense of life and activity, making spaces feel authentic and relatable.
- Client Impact: A lively presentation grabs attention and holds it, making your projects more memorable and impactful.
- Human Scale: People in the scene give a sense of proportion, helping clients better understand the space and its functionality.
What is Anima ALL?
Anima ALL is a standalone software application that helps ArchViz professionals add humans to their scenes. Anima ALL was developed by ArchViz for ArchViz. The creator was fed up with trying to find ways to create stunning visuals that captured attention. He wanted to improve the quality of presentations by delivering realistic human models without the need for complex animation skills.
So, he designed a more straightforward process.
Anima ALL is an application that integrates smoothly with popular 3D tools like 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, and Unreal Engine, making it a versatile addition to your workflow.
It gives you tools to pick characters from over 3100 models and add them to your designs. You can also create paths for characters to walk on or use the crowd tools, which create intelligent paths so that characters walk around each other.
The models are created using motion capture from real people, so the animations feel more natural than other 3D models on the market. One thing we love about Anima ALL is that the designers have thought about how light would fall on each character. This can lead to some beautiful scenes, especially in theatrical or entertainment venues where the lighting is a key part of the experience. Plus, it adds to the overall realism of the scene.
Introducing the 3500+ model library
Anima ALL provides a broad selection of people models, each suited to specific types of visualisations:
- Posed: These high-resolution models (up to 60k) are perfect for close-up, still shots. They come with various texture options and are ideal for highly detailed renderings.
- Ambient: These models include slight movements for idle moments, which makes them great for background figures in busy scenes without the heavy data load of 4D models.
- Rigged: Lighter models designed for real-time scenes are perfect for creating crowds and ensuring smooth animation performance in larger projects.
- 4D Humans: Detailed, animated meshes that loop in short sequences, offering hyper-realistic animations without manual adjustments.
- 4D Walking: Like 4D Humans but with the added ability to follow paths, making them ideal for creating lifelike walkways and paths through architectural spaces.
Other Key Features of Anima ALL for ArchViz
In addition to the vast library, Anima ALL comes equipped with features specifically designed for architectural professionals, allowing for quick, high-quality results. The UI is incredibly easy to use and fast to learn. You can be up and running in a matter of minutes. The program is also very lightweight, and the models are well-optimised. Anima ALL can handle complex scenes with multiple models without slowing down your workflow.
The crowd simulation tools deserve a particular shoutout. These help you easily populate spaces with large groups of animated people. You can manually set paths for the different groups, and the clever internal algorithms help the characters navigate around each other (so there’s no clipping through each other). This is perfect for busy urban settings or public events, such as shoppers walking down high streets or students walking through a school.
Anima ALL and Software
Anima ALL seamlessly integrates with leading content creation platforms and rendering software, including 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema4D, Unreal Engine, V-Ray, Chaos Corona, Chaos Vantage, Redshift, Octane, Arnold, F-Storm, and many more.
Step-by-Step Guide: Adding Animated People Using Anima ALL
Using Anima ALL is as simple as it is powerful. Here’s a quick guide to get you started:
- Set Up Your Scene: Open your preferred 3D software and set up the architectural environment where you want to add animated people.
- Choose Your People: Browse through the library of animated models in Anima ALL and select those that best match the project’s theme—whether it’s families in a park, business professionals, or casual pedestrians.
- Customise the Animations: Adjust paths and timing to ensure your models’ movements are realistic and natural within the space.
- Fine-Tune for Realism: Adjust lighting and shadows so the animated people blend seamlessly with the environment. Matching their animations with the space’s intended function is also a good idea.
Advanced Tips for Realistic Renderings
To elevate the quality of your ArchViz projects even further, consider these advanced tips:
- Control Lighting and Shadows: Proper lighting makes animated people feel part of the scene rather than separate entities. Pay attention to shadows and how they interact with the architecture.
- Blend Animations: Balance static and animated elements. For example, a mix of posed models for still images and walking animations for video renderings adds depth without overwhelming the scene.
- Match the Style: Use animations that align with the architectural design’s purpose. For instance, show children and families for a park or professionals for an office building, enhancing the narrative of how the space will be used.
- Use Storytelling: The animation library has some gorgeous models, such as parents hugging children or couples on a romantic date. When placing models, think about the story you want to tell with the space—this can really capture the stakeholders’ imagination and pull on their emotions.
Conclusion
Anima ALL is a game-changer for ArchViz professionals. It takes the pain out of adding animated people to scenes, giving designers more time to focus on what they do best—creating stunning architectural visualisations. By enhancing presentations with high-quality, realistic animations, Anima ALL helps bring projects to life, creating a more immersive and engaging experience for clients and stakeholders.
Buy Anima ALL on CAD Software Direct or contact us to find out more.