AI rendering workflows

Motif's AI rendering supports a wide range of input types and design stages. Below are the core workflows, each with guidance on how to get the best results.

Render from an image

Use any existing image as the input for an AI render — a view captured from a streamed or published Revit or Rhino model, an image from an external source like Google, or a site photo.

Steps

1. Place the image on the Motif canvas

2. Click on the image to activate the AI toolbar

3. Press Run (↑) to apply default rendering, or customize with presets and/or prompts before generating:

For more details, see → 📄 Generate an AI render from an image or view

Render from text to image

Generate AI images or videos from a text prompt alone — no view or source image required. This is useful for creating standalone visuals to combine with your model views, whether you're exploring material options, adding entourage and context, or trying out environment and lighting ideas before committing them to a render.

Steps

1. Click the AI button in the main toolbar to open the AI panel

2. Select Generate Image from Text or Generate Video from Text from the generation mode options

3. Type your prompt describing what you want to generate, then press Enter or click Generate

4. The generated image or video will appear on the canvas — move, resize, or place it alongside your model views

For more details, see → 📄 Generate an image from a text prompt

Reference Images

Reference images let you guide your render by describing in the prompt how each image should be used. For example:

• Apply a specific material to a building facade by referencing an image of that material

• Use a mood board to furnish or style a space

• Transfer the visual style of one image onto another

• Place a specific object from a reference image into a scene

These are just a few of the ways reference images can shape your output.

For more details, see → 📄 Image Referencing

Render a 3D model Saved View

Use AI rendering after streaming a Revit model into Motif for quick visual communication with your team or client.

Steps:

1. Create a saved view and place on the Motif canvas. See📄 Create Views for navigation and renders

2. Click on the image to activate the AI toolbar

Sketch Over a Saved Model View

Motif allows you to sketch directly in 3D on your model, and the AI rendering engine can interpret those sketch lines as part of the design.

Steps

1. Sketch over the 3D model in Motif and place the saved view on the Motif canvas

2. Click on the image to activate the AI toolbar

3. Describe in the prompt what the sketch should be

Sketch to Render

Use rough sketches for early ideation or detailed well-constructed sketches to render your ideas.

Steps

1. Draw rough lines in Motif or import a sketch from any other app

   1. Capture a screenshot of the sketch in Motif and place that image in the canvas

2. Click on the image to activate the AI toolbar

Physical Model to Render

You can photograph a physical model and use that image as the input for an AI render. This works with rough material models, foam models, and even everyday objects arranged to suggest architectural forms.

Steps

1. Take a photo of a model

2. Import the image into the Motif canvas

3. Click on the image to activate the AI toolbar

Next steps

• 📄 AI Rendering tips, best practices, & known issues

• 📄 Visualization styles

• 📄 Edit rendered images