Complete Guide to Enscape

Course overview and introduction to the Strom Architects-inspired residential model we'll render throughout. Adam discusses Enscape's position in the market compared to Lumion, D5, and Twinmotion—it's stayed focused on simplicity rather than adding weather systems and animated people. The same principles apply whether you're working in SketchUp or Revit.

Why studying precedents matters before you start rendering. The model is based on Strom Architects' high-end residential work, and Adam recommends bookmarking three CGI firms—MIR, Uniform, and Strive CGI—for quality benchmarks. Their attention to reflections, material authenticity, and photographic quality sets the standard you're aiming for.

Setting up views directly in Enscape rather than relying on SketchUp scenes. Adam explains why scene syncing between SketchUp and Enscape breaks down when using two-point perspective, and how the pan tool helps fine-tune compositions. A quirk of Enscape being a plugin rather than standalone software.

Enscape's keyword shortcuts—typing 'steel' or 'grass' at the end of material names automatically assigns attributes like metallic finishes or grass scattering. Quick for early stages, but limited control. The material editor dropdown gives you types like carpet, foliage, and self-illuminated for more precision when you need it.

Sourcing high-quality textures from Poliigon for the floor—searching for travertine tiles at 6K resolution—and Quixel Bridge for concrete. You'll download textures, tweak them in Photoshop if needed, and apply them with proper normal maps. The difference between a convincing material and a fake one often comes down to texture quality.

Interior staging using Enscape's asset library. You'll delete the placeholder books and furniture from the SketchUp model and replace them with detailed assets—kitchen accessories, plants, chairs—positioned to create realistic, lived-in scenes. The staging process mirrors how photographers prepare show homes.

Going beyond Enscape's library with external sources. The sofa, rug, and car get replaced with higher-quality alternatives from third-party websites. The detailed car dramatically improves exterior shots but adds significant file size—a trade-off you'll manage in a later bonus lesson.

Taking stock and comparing renders against the Strom Architects precedent. Adam walks through the exterior and interior shots, identifying what needs work—stone wall texture, timber cladding detail, concrete colour, aluminium framing. The difference between good renders and great ones is this self-critical iteration.

Before and after comparisons showing how texture refinements transform the image. The timber cladding and stone wall now look considerably more realistic. Adam adds invisible sphere lights as fill lighting to eliminate dark spots under the building and in interior corners—a technique borrowed from photography.

With the scene largely complete, focus shifts to visual settings and render presets. Creating separate presets for exterior and interior shots ensures consistency across the project. Adam discusses bevelled edges on materials—a small detail that adds realism by catching light along corners.

Creating camera movement videos in Enscape. You'll set up a video preset with 80-degree field of view, animate the camera through the space, and let trees and sun paths move naturally. The method isn't immediately intuitive, but once you understand how keyframes work, it becomes straightforward.

Compiling your rendered clips in Adobe After Effects. Nine clips at roughly four seconds each create a 36-second composition at 1920x1080 and 60fps. Basic editing covers clip ordering, overlaps, and adding a title card—everything needed to produce a polished architectural short film.

Export your project as a standalone EXE file that clients can explore without installing Enscape. You can also upload to your Enscape account for web-based sharing. Walk mode, fly mode, orthographic views—clients get full navigation control to experience the space themselves.

The detailed car model slows down SketchUp significantly. The solution: copy the car to a separate file, save it, then link it back as an external model. The car renders identically but doesn't drag performance while you're working on the rest of the scene.

Creating realistic overcast lighting with HDRI skies. Download a proper overcast sky, drop highlights and shadows to zero, remove bloom and lens flare, and reduce vignette. The result is soft, diffused lighting that's flattering for architecture and often more convincing than harsh sunlight.

IES files contain precise light emission data from real fixtures—including the optical distortions created by lenses and glass. Download free IES profiles from ieslibrary.com and apply them to spotlights for realistic wall wash effects that standard Enscape lights can't replicate.

Creating convincing rugs in Enscape—a surprisingly tricky task. Option one: high-quality textures with normal maps to add visual depth to flat geometry. Option two: the carpet material type, which creates a fuzzy, shaggy effect. Both approaches beat the placeholder rug that looked terrible in earlier renders.

Adding MP4 footage to TV screens using video textures. Download a cinematic clip from a stock footage site, create a new material called TV Screen, and apply the video. The technique works for weather effects, flickering fireplaces, or anything else that needs movement.

Creating see-through curtains and lampshades using the foliage material type. Apply it to a curtain model from 3D Warehouse and the light starts bleeding through. The same principle works for frosted glass, though it takes experimentation to get the balance right.

Testing the finished scene with a Meta Quest 2 headset. Connect via the link cable, download the Meta Quest app, and Enscape recognises the headset automatically. Cast to a TV via Chromecast so clients can watch what you're seeing. Navigate with the right controller trigger.

Enscape's energy assessment tool analyses your building's carbon footprint and energy usage. It's currently in beta and the absolute numbers run high, but it's useful for comparative testing—reduce glazing or subdivide rooms and see if the figures drop. A visual approach to sustainable design iteration.