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3D TUTORIAL. How to light up windows (with total control over your scene).

Sci Fi FunkSci Fi Funk Posts: 1,198
edited December 1969 in Carrara Discussion

How to show some windows as on and some as off in a 3D night scene. 3D Tutorial.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVIt6XlX_mo

The technique I'm showing here is to isolate the windows you wish to be on by cutting them out (and the immediate surroundings if you want that), and shining a bulb light onto the cut out (and only the cut out).

This gives you the ultimate control over where you light falls, and because you can assign a separate shader for the new model you can alter how the light interacts with the window pane.

You could even set up more than one shading domain and shader to have the windows behave differently.

This technique is not the quickest but I would argue its the most flexible set up.

more tutorials at
http://www.scififunk.com
http://www.facebook.com/scififunk

Comments

  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited December 1969

    I've like your tutorials so far, but I think this one may miss the mark in a couple areas. The main issue I have is duplicating the facade. The other issue is placing the lights outside of the building when it appears there is an interior geometry. Models will vary of course, but in this case wouldn't it be simpler to place the bulbs as you have them set with limited range inside the building, then go into the vertex editor and create shading domains for the "on" windows (as there are fewer of them) and make that a transparent shader and then apply an opaque shader to the "off" windows? I think you'd get more of a sense of depth and volume to the windows that have illuminated interior geometry.


    Just my thoughts. I think the subject is presented well as always.

  • HeadwaxHeadwax Posts: 10,005
    edited December 1969

    Sci Fi Funk said:
    How to show some windows as on and some as off in a 3D night scene. 3D Tutorial.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVIt6XlX_mo

    The technique I'm showing here is to isolate the windows you wish to be on by cutting them out (and the immediate surroundings if you want that), and shining a bulb light onto the cut out (and only the cut out).

    This gives you the ultimate control over where you light falls, and because you can assign a separate shader for the new model you can alter how the light interacts with the window pane.

    You could even set up more than one shading domain and shader to have the windows behave differently.

    This technique is not the quickest but I would argue its the most flexible set up.

    more tutorials at
    http://www.scififunk.com
    http://www.facebook.com/scififunk

    thanks scifi funk, very kind of you to share your knowledge, now I just need time to watch your tuts!

  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited December 1969

    That's what's great about Carrara. I may not wish to do it that way, but it is in no way wrong. The ability Carrara has to include or exclude objects in the lights is a great feature.

  • Sci Fi FunkSci Fi Funk Posts: 1,198
    edited December 1969

    evilproducer said:
    I've like your tutorials so far, but I think this one may miss the mark in a couple areas. The main issue I have is duplicating the facade. The other issue is placing the lights outside of the building when it appears there is an interior geometry. Models will vary of course, but in this case wouldn't it be simpler to place the bulbs as you have them set with limited range inside the building, then go into the vertex editor and create shading domains for the "on" windows (as there are fewer of them) and make that a transparent shader and then apply an opaque shader to the "off" windows? I think you'd get more of a sense of depth and volume to the windows that have illuminated interior geometry.


    Just my thoughts. I think the subject is presented well as always.

    Hi there.

    Yep I like your approach. I'd do it that way as well in some cases. Just shows there is no correct way.

    In defense of this method:-

    1. Duplication. Please note the actual duplication is minimal. Just the windows to be lit and some of the immediate surroundings (like window sills and a bit of the wall surrounding the windows.

    2. Bulb placement / transparency. In this case the windows are pictures of windows. There is nothing in the building which is pretty low poly (it's a big scene), so I'd rather just light up what is there. If I had stuff in the room I'd definitely go about it the way you describe - It would be more realistic and makes sense.

    Cheers!

  • evilproducerevilproducer Posts: 9,050
    edited December 1969

    Thanks for the additional information!

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