Render your model scene
Render the model using the current renderer producing a color image in a separate display window.
Rendering overview
The process needed to render scenes consists of four basic steps:
- Add lighting
- Assign materials
- Set up the environment
- Render
Although the steps do not have to be done in this order, using this method seems to make setting up a scene more efficient. To improve quality, repeat these steps until the image looks right to you.
Set up materials
Assign materials to layers
- In the Layers dialog box, select one or more layer names, and click in the Material column.
-
In the Layer Material dialog box, set up material properties.
Type a letter to navigate to the first material in the list with a name starting with the letter.
Assign materials to objects
- Select an object.
- On the Edit menu, click Object Properties.
- In the Properties panel, on the Material page, set up material properties.
Set up lighting
- Add spotlights or other lights.
Set up the rendering environment
The rendering properties include environment settings like background color and image.
- Open the Environment Editor.
- Set up environment properties.
Turn on a ground plane
- Open the Ground Plane panel.
- Set up ground plane properties.
Render and save
- On the Render menu, click Render.
- In the Render Window, on the File menu, click Save As.
Set up and preview rendering
![](../image/command_icons/lights.png)
Lights
Open the Lights panel.
![](../image/command_icons/environments.png)
Environments
Opens the Environments panel.
![](../image/command_icons/propertiespage_material.png)
PropertiesPage, Material
Edit the material properties of the selected object.
![](../image/command_icons/synchronizerendercolors.png)
SynchronizeRenderColors
Change an object's material color to match its display color.
![Toolbar: Display | Popup](../image/command_icons/viewport_rendered.png)
Rendered viewport display mode
Shade objects with a simulation of the rendered view.
![](../image/command_icons/renderpreview.png)
RenderPreview
Renders the current viewport in the Render window with a rough quality for a fast preview.
![](../image/command_icons/_no_toolbar_button.png)
RenderPreviewWindow
Renders a selected area in the viewport with a rough quality for a fast preview.
![](../image/command_icons/_no_toolbar_button.png)
RenderInWindow
Render a selected area in the render window at viewport resolution.
![](../image/command_icons/_no_toolbar_button.png)
RenderPreviewInWindow
Renders a selected area of the current viewport in the Render window with a rough quality for a fast preview.
Manage libraries, previews, support, texture size.
![](../image/command_icons/_no_toolbar_button.png)
ShowRenderMesh
Display the render mesh for selected objects.
![](../image/command_icons/_no_toolbar_button.png)
HideRenderMesh
Hide the render mesh displayed with the ShowRenderMesh command.
![](../image/command_icons/_no_toolbar_button.png)
ContentFilter
Open the Content Filter dialog box.
Render
![](../image/command_icons/render.png)
Render
Render the objects using the current renderer.
![](../image/command_icons/_no_toolbar_button.png)
RenderArctic
Renders opaque materials, scene lighting, ground plane and background as if they are white.
![](../image/command_icons/_no_toolbar_button.png)
RenderBlowup
Render a selected area of the current viewport in the render window at the resolution specified in the Rendering panel.
![](../image/command_icons/_no_toolbar_button.png)
RenderWindow
Render a selected area in the viewport at viewport resolution.
![](../image/command_icons/_no_toolbar_button.png)
RenderInWindow
Render a selected area in the render window at viewport resolution.
![](../image/command_icons/_no_toolbar_button.png)
SetCurrentRenderPlugIn
Specify a rendering plug-in.