Before I begin the tutorial, let me say a few words about KeyShot.

KeyShot is a very user friendly

3D rendering application that allows you to create photorealistic visuals in a very short time. It's the
solution for many designers who don't want to waste time with complicate rendering software.
hen I first imported a model to KeyShot, my !aw dropped. "#, realtime reflections of the
$D% image on the model.&, I thought to myself. 'or those who create hundreds of test renderings
!ust to achieve the right angle for reflections, you'll understand how much time you can save with
that feature alone. (any designers have great models but bad renderings))a loss of *uality in their
portfolio that can affect !ob prospects or landing a pro!ect. KeyShot changes that completely,
putting the ability to create stunning imagery in the hands of every designer.
+ou may wonder what the ,ey is to creating great renderings. I will tell you. -he ,ey to a great
rendering is the *uality of light and use of material. -hat is e.actly where we see the power of
KeyShot. It offers presets environments /$D%I's0 as well as physical lighting, hundreds of
scientifically accurate materials and settings that are simple to ad!ust. 1ll of the changes and
ad!ustments to the scene happen right in front of your eyes. -his tutorial covers these features along
with the settings used for the rendering of the car you see in the image above.
2et's begin3
In your modelling software you have to give the same colour to those ob!ects that in Keyshot should
have the same material. In this way you 4%#56 the ob!ects for Keyshot. 1ttention, in older
versions of Keyshot it's the colour that you must choose, in the new version it wor,s trough
materials 7
1fter this step 896#%- the model /I use #B: files...but there many other choices0.
#nes you are in Keyshot ;I(6#%-; the model. +ou will see a nice real)time rendering in you view.
-his will allow you to understand what you should change.
%emember that in your modelling software you have to set)up the units. 'or e.ample (8-8%S7
-his will guarantee you to be able to import in a second moment other ob!ects with correct
scale<rotation<si=e compared to the already e.isting pro!ect.
-he two most important panels /buttons0 are the ;6%#:8>-; panel and the ;2IB%1%+; panel.
-he pro!ect 6anel shows you what you have in your scene. -he 2ibrary panel shows you what you
can add to the scene / for e.ample an other material on your car, or simply an other $D% image
etc...0.
2et's give a *uic, loo, to the 2ibrary.
+ou have this sections3 (aterials , colours, environments, bac,plates, te.tures, renderings.
(aterials3 here you can find a list of materials to apply /trough drag?drop on you model0.
8nvironments3 $ere you can find many great set)ups of $D% images to use as bac,ground and light
source /you can also import your own $D%I0.
Bac,templates3 -his are bac,grounds with different choices of colours or images /you can create
your own in 6hotoshop0.
-e.tures3 If you apply them on your model you can choose between3 it's colour, bump map, opacity
or label /it is a ,ind of material editor0.
-his for are sections that we use in this tutorial.
In the (aterial panel you have different sections. In our case I need a car paint material, so I search
in the 61I@- section a nice material.
1s soon you have applied /drag?drop0 the material you can of course change the settings of the
material to get other effects that you need. (a,e a double clic, on the ob!ect and you will see in the
6ro!ect panel the material with several settings. -hey have very self e.plaining names. 1fter
changing it you can S1A8 it to the library and use it again in other pro!ects.
+ou can change the location, resi=e and rotate all ob!ects in the 6%#:8>- panel under position. :ust
clic, on the ;parts; and use the slots writing down a number or use the move tool.
-he $D% images are really very different from each other. -here is one for every taste or need.
5nder environment you have the possibility to get light and reflection from the $D% and have a
very realistic result.
If you clic, on 8DI- $D% you have the possibility to add your own highlights or light sources. It is
really simple and effective. In bright renderings I would avoid to much of those e.tra lights. It loo,s
ama=ing if you have an dar, rendering and if you need an interesting atmosphere. If you ma,e a
;photo)studio; rendering remember that on your $D% reflections that are visible on your model
there should be no threes or other outdoor elements visible. Should you choose a outdoor image you
can ;blur; the $D% in the $D%)8DI-#%. -his ma,es disappear a bit the disturbing elements in
your reflections. If you have a too blue s,y, !ust D8S1-5%1-8 it in the editor, maybe not totally,
since a light blue can have a nice effect.
Should you @ot li,e a gradient bac,ground or the image that your $D%I is creating in the
bac,ground in your render, you can chec, the >#2#% slot and choose the color that you li,e as
bac,ground. -his will not change light or reflections, only the bac,ground. %emember that the
colour will @#- be reflected on you model.
-he $D% 8dit mode allows you to create light sources in a few clic,s. -he results are very good,
and sometimes necessary. 8specially if you have dar, scenes and your $D%I is not illuminating the
part that you li,e have a bit brighter. In this case it will really help to add a $ighlight or 6in.
-he 6in can have a colour of your choice. -his ma,es the scene for sure more interesting. I suggest
a very soft bright orange for 1%( atmospheres, and a bright B258 for cold atmospheres. Do not
colouri=e all the scene with strong colours,...!ust a little touch of colour /in my sample there is a
strong %8D, but !ust to show you the setting0.
Bac,plates are bac,ground images that you can choose to ma,e your render loo,ing more
interesting. +ou can create your own in 6hotoshop, or !ust use a photography to simulate a outdoor
scene. It is so simple to create ama=ing compostingsof cars on street with Keyshot.
$ere you have a blurred, de)saturated $D% as light and reflection source. -he bac,ground is !ust
grey. $ow can we improve significantly this sceneB -here is a small tric, that I recommend to use,
especially to simulate a photo)studio.
>reate a Bo., or any other shape /but the Bo. is the most used one in this ,ind of effects0, place it
above the car /or in a position that fits better to your pro!ect0, and apply a 2I4$- material.
-he difference is clearly visible.
-he last tip for this tutorial is to create a curved bac,ground, and import it as "wall)ground& for
your pro!ect. I suggest to ma,e the curvature veeeery soft and big, this will guarantee a very soft
gradient in the bac,ground of your render. hy should we import this ob!ect B If you go to use a
bac,plate or color, it will not be reflected on your materials<ob!ects. But as soon you apply now a
colour on this special ob!ect, it's colour will be reflected on your pro!ect 30
-his are the most used shapes that you can use as photo)studio bac,ground, should you choose to
use ob!ects instead of bac,plates or the $D%I in the bac,ground.
The Render settings are quite simple, and they do not really need to be explained. What I
recommend is to keep the samples around 16, and the shadow around 6! "this is a good
pro#ect$port%olio quality&. 'igher numbers will increase the render time really a lot. In ()**+*
there is the ,-.W/ pass which basicly is an alpha mask, but with di%%erent colours %or each group.
0ery use%ul in (hotoshop 1&.
*amples o% other '2RI1
*amples o% Realtime 0iew renderings1
I hope you liked this this tutorial.
I would thank Luxion %or making this use%ul so%tware %or designers.
3est regards
4ario 4alagrino
www.mariomalagrino.com
mariomalagrino5yahoo.it