A method of visualizing a building material is disclosed and includes visualizing of a building material on a color calibrated photograph of a building and providing a rendered image of the building material on the color calibrated photograph of the building. The rendered image has a color accuracy, ΔE, as measured according to a Color Test, of less than 10. Further, the rendered image has a shadow accuracy as measured according to a Shadowing Test, of at least 75%. The Shadowing Test compares a shadow fidelity of the rendered image to the color calibrated photograph at least partially based on luminance angle and intensity and one or more rendered shadows are measured for accuracy of size and luminance.