Getting under the hood of Lumion 2023.3
Explore the highlights of the latest software update
A wealth of new additions
Lumion 2023.3 introduces a versatile set of new functionalities designed to enhance every aspect of your design process. It also adds 100 new fine-detail nature items and 50 new high-quality 3D static characters into the library.
Want to take a closer look at what's inside? This short guide covers the highlights and should help you understand the exciting array of new features, content, and improvements. Whether you want to speed up the scene-building process, tailor your renderings to exact specifications, or effortlessly demonstrate a design concept, we’ll show you how to achieve the best results with the latest additions.
Take a quick look inside
Watch our tutorial video to get a quick insight into what's included in Lumion 2023.3, then read on to take a closer look at the features covered.
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If you want to explore the latest version of Lumion 2023 but don't have a subscription, you can always try Lumion Pro for free! Get your 14-day trial now to start playing with the latest features and content.
A smoother scene-building experience
Ready to build your scene? Welcome to the fun part! The latest version of Lumion is packed with features and enhancements designed to give you more control, save you time, and improve the quality of your renderings.
Here are a few ways to achieve a superior scene-building experience with Lumion 2023.3.
Get the lay of the land
OpenStreetMap is an invaluable tool for situating a design within its real-world context. It lets you import entire urban or suburban areas by simply searching for a location and downloading the map and satellite imagery directly into Lumion.
In Lumion 2023.3, the process has been streamlined – the download time has been significantly reduced, and the satellite texture resolution has been significantly improved.
For detailed steps on how to use OpenStreetMap in Lumion, head to this Support guide.
Transform landscapes in seconds
18 fresh, high-quality landscape texture presets have been added to Lumion to provide you with greater options when building outdoor environments.
Access them from the paint tab in landscape mode for a seamless way of adding some personality to a scene. Choose from grass, gravel, rock, sand, snow, and more.
Populate scenes with ease
Mass placement has been given an upgrade - and a new name. Now known as line placement, this handy tool now features several enhancements for faster and easier asset placement. Objects are now placed along a spline, which can be effortlessly manipulated using the control points and gizmo.
Need to place multiple assets on a surface that isn’t flat? No problem. The new ‘Conform to ground’ button enables objects to inherit the angle and orientation of the surface they’re placed on, making it a breeze to add plants on a hill or position cars along a slope.
Cluster placement also boasts new functionality and a fresh UI.
You can now select up to 20 different asset types and randomize their placement by controlling the radius of their placement, the number of objects placed, and the direction they face. Plus, there’s also a toggle for conforming items to the shape of the landscape for the ultimate flexibility.
Get the lighting just right
As a designer, it’s important to be precise in how light is cast on your design. In Lumion 2023.3, you can be, thanks to the introduction of omni light IES profiles.
To make use of them, simply select omni lights, load the IES profile, and adjust the brightness to the manufacturer’s specifications. Plus, 10 new IES presets are now available for omni lights for a simple way of creating your desired ambiance.
If you're curious to explore more of Lumion 2023's lighting capabilities, make sure to check out our guide to achieving realistic interior lighting.
Explore a new environment
Last year, our talented users were tasked with creating a new example scene as part of our autumn competition. The winning project, ‘House of Time’ by Kenta Miyakawa, now takes pride of place among the other Lumion examples on the welcome screen!
This comprehensive scene encompasses the interior, exterior, and surrounding environment of the project, which means it can be utilized in multiple different ways and for a variety of design types. Use it as a base for your own design, to test ideas in, or simply as a source of inspiration.
Present ideas with clarity
Showcasing your design to a client is an important part of the process, whether it’s in its final form or the early stages. With the recently introduced stylized assets, you have more options to create compelling conceptual explorations of interior, exterior, or landscape designs with Lumion.
Convey the essence of your design
We all know and love low poly models. Lumion now has its very own set, which were created to assist the demonstration of your design’s concept by stripping it back to its most important elements.
These stylized characters, cars, and trees can help you show context and scale, without distracting from the core aspects of your designs.
You can easily find these in the Lumion Library, in the 'Stylized' category.
Let a design speak for itself
The design showcase template has been overhauled to make it even easier for you to present your buildings, furniture, or products to the relevant audience.
To make use of it, all you have to do is go to ‘Create new’ from the welcome screen, open the template, add your model, and then click ‘Render.’ The studio showcase template automatically creates the perfect lighting conditions for displaying your design.
Add a personal touch
When a rendering embodies your personal style, it doesn't just showcase a building or space — it tells a story. This personal touch not only sets your work apart but also establishes a deeper emotional connection with clients. By effectively conveying a distinct design intent and vision, you're able to evoke specific emotions and responses, making designs more memorable.
Lumion's effect stack can help you experiment with an array of settings that influence the overall style and mood of your renders. From the breathtaking realism of real skies, to nuanced color correction, you'll find even more customization options to create something truly unique.
Customize your sky
Create the exact atmosphere you envision for exterior scenes by loading your very own HDRI sky.
Simply add the real skies effect, click the ‘Load’ icon, and select your chosen image. Your custom file will replace the existing sky map and become the main light source and texture for your scene.
The sliders will affect the custom sky in the same way as they do the existing presets.
Find a signature look
If you're aiming to achieve a consistent and unique look across a series of renders, LUT color correction provides an easy and efficient way for adjusting color tones, while capturing a specific mood.
You’ll now find a choice of 12 LUT color grading presets in Lumion, which are ideal for conveying a specific visual feeling in an image, video, or panoramic with certain color palettes.
To find them, open the color correction effect and select the dropdown list. You can choose anything from ‘Crisp morning’ to ‘Twilight dream’ – have a play around and find an appropriate aesthetic. If you’re after a stronger or subtler effect, there’s also a slider for adjusting the intensity of the selected LUT preset.
Want to further customize your signature look? Easy – you can also load your own custom LUT file.
Get down to the details
Details like nature, characters, lighting, and textures can help clients and stakeholders more easily understand your vision. By providing a comprehensive view of how the final project will look and feel, they’re better equipped to make informed decisions about the relevant design elements.
With the new range of fine-detail nature, realistic static characters, and PBR landscape textures, you have more choice in creating visualizations that are one step closer to how your designs will be experienced in the real world. So make sure to explore the latest additions to Lumion 2023.3 and don't hesitate to share your work with the Lumion Community.
If you're curious to try the latest version, don't forget that you can request a free 14-day trial here.
More to come…
We’re constantly working hard to enhance existing features and add entirely new ones to the software. If you have any suggestions for what you’d like to see next, we’d love to hear from you – see what’s in the development pipeline and give your input over on our product roadmap.
For more information on the full selection of Lumion 2023.3 features, check out the release notes and read our latest news article.
See what others have to say about this update
Lumion 2023.3 has been making waves within the Lumion Community. Take a look at what some other content creators have been saying about the latest version.
Testing Lumion's best new features
Experimenting with Lumion 2023.3
