This study examines the replacement of traditional studio photography with a 3D modelling and rendering workflow in product catalogue production. Using the case of Urnes, a manufacturer of wooden urns, we compared the two approaches in terms of time, cost, and visual fidelity. The 3D pipeline, combining Blender, Substance 3D Painter, and InDesign, reduced preparation time per variation from 179 minutes to 36 minutes—a 4.9-fold improvement. After an initial 50-hour setup, subsequent catalogue updates achieved time savings of 97.6%. An informal interview with 38 professional users confirmed that 3D renderings matched or exceeded photographs in colour and texture accuracy. Results demonstrate that 3D workflows significantly lower production costs, accelerate updates, and support product personalisation, positioning them as a sustainable alternative to photography in catalogue design.
Kolmanič et al. (Fri,) studied this question.