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lighting... how do you do it.....


DAN212222
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hi currently at uni heading towards architectural visualisation once ive completed my degree... got my modelling and texturing down to a near fine art.... but the lighting just cant get it right..... tried every light available spot area etc... im quite interested in global illumination or radiosity just dont know where to start asked my lecturer and he does not know of any courses.. bought digital lighting and rendering by jeremy birn????? but it not that specific any ideas on where i can start??

 

cheers for any help folks...

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I tell many people that time wise lighting can be the most consuming element of rendering. It can also be the most difficult if your not already a lighting engineer... Practice, patience, and resisting a 'heavy hand' would be my advice. If you have the resources a lighting design or lighting theory course would help too.

 

Best of luck! I think we are all still learing from experience on this subject. I find all the number values to be maddening in the CG world but, have learned from experience what the result will be...

 

Now there is radiosity... I'm still struggling to understand all the variables there...

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Ah, lighting.

 

It seems most people can get a handle on modeling and texturing, but lighting gets so complex and time consuming. You need to make the move to radiosity/GI if you can already use standard lights fairly well. It took me a few weeks to get okay results when I made the move.

 

What software are you using? Can we see some samples?

 

If its max/viz i can certainly help you out, and the tutorials are actually pretty good. I'm currently creating a flash tutorial for arch students as a directed study, It will be done by December....

 

 

Chuck

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Well since max is all i know....

 

Max 5/6

 

I'd start with GI. Global Illumination is usefull primarily for exterior renderings. I would make a new scene with simple geometry just to decrease rendering times. You basically need a few objects, usually on a plane- boxes sphere's, whatever.

 

It is really easy to set up in max, just create a skylight and drop it in the scene. It doesn't need to be above the ground, the "light" on screen is just a visual. Now go to rendering and select advanced lighting. From the dropdown choose light tracer and make sure the check box is turned on. I'd leave the settings alone for now, just hit render.

You should notice diffused shadows in the rendering now.

 

This is an easy way to represent a cloudy day, now just add a direct light to represent the sun (with shadows on).

 

If the indirect lighting (areas that are in shadow from getting direct light from the skylight or direct light) becomes blotchy, adjust the samples (or is it rays per sample?) in the advanced lighting menu under light tracer. This will increase rendering times though.

 

I've found this is great for mass models in the design stage, it gives a model more solidity and mass.

 

Let me know if it worked for you since I don't have Max in front of me...

 

Chuck

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