Mon, Feb 13 @ 11:59 PM - Final lighting of entire bedroom
Summary
There are two distinct parts to this assignment. Both parts will be completed individually, not in groups. In the first part, you will be doing master lighting (a.k.a. background or set lighting) on a portion of a complete scene. The second will be to light a character for a specific mood. The skills for these two types of lighting are VERY different and we will cover with you in class how to approach these projects and how the skills differ. In the second part, you will use your completed scene with the master lighting already done. Your task will be to pose and light a character in this scene, using the knowledge you've gained in the previous parts.
After spending considerable time learning the lighting tools and types available to you, please remember that good lighting is an art not a science . . . We're not looking for a perfect physical replica of the "real" world. We're looking for believable lighting that presents your character and set in a well composed environment -- all in support of your compelling story.
Experience with the software tools, and the development of a critical eye is essential for those who wish to produce exciting CG lighting environments. You will be painting with light. Be sure to apply all of your experience with other art forms to this exercise.
This assignment is deceptively difficult, so please leave enough time in your schedule to complete it!!
Refer to the bedroom with lights image. The goal of this project is to light the bedroom scene matching PRECISELY the lighting in the provided image. The lighting here is considerably more complicated than the orange, so be sure to take the time to determine how to approach it. Again, you may find that you can match the look reasonably well, reasonably fast. We will be looking for perfection from this assignment. Please be sure to analyze the image you are given and work very hard to match it. You will be at a distinct disadvantage if you miss the demo in class, so be sure to be there.
Do NOT change the camera or any of the geometry in the scene. Work only with the lighting.
You must light the entire scene; however, two parts of the scene are of particular interest. The two "corners" which you must light are the following: The Nightstand and The Window. Each of them has special challenges, but generally they both have a LOT of good lighting issues to deal with. BOTH of them will force you to contend with the idea that not all the objects in the scene will be affected by all the lights in the scene. You will be using the concept of "linking" lights to objects to be able to accomplish this. For example, it is possible that a light from the right side of the scene may be affecting the wall behind the nightstand but not the nightstand itself, while the lights affecting (i.e., linked to) the nightstand may not be linked to the wall. Also, keep in mind that some lights may or may not influence different geometry so as to cast (or not to cast) the appropriate shadows on yet a different piece of geometry. For example, a light on the bed may cast a shadow on the nightstand, and/or a light may be shining on the bed but NOT casting a shadow on the nightstand. You can isolate the use of your lights by linking them. Try not to think too literally about lights. This is really more painting with light. You will add and subtract light from the scene through the clever and creative use of your selection of lights. The final scene, as it is given to you in bedroom_with_lights.jpg has more than 30 lights in it. Keep this in mind! Things are not always as straightforward as they seem....
The Nightstand's challenges lie in the multitude of objects which are all casting and receiving shadows and being affected by multiple lights in the room. The lamp is a light source in itself, and is also lit by other lights in the scene. You may find it challenging to get the light FROM the lamp to match the reference image while also getting the light ON the lamp to match. Other challenges include the many contact shadows (if you don't understand what this is, ask!), the subtle lighting variations across the flat surfaces, and getting the sharp definition of the edges without blowing out everything else.
The Window's challenges are: (1) the fog/mist that is coming through the window, (2) the objects on the bookshelf cast and receive shadows (including contact shadows!), and (3) matching the shape of the light shaft that appears in the scene and on the other objects in the scene. The moonlight is interesting, because it is coming from outside the scene (i.e., through the window), and there may be blockages and/or barn door techniques (these are attributes on spot lights) that can create this shape. In addition, controlling the effects of the moonlight and other lights in the scene that hit the bookshelf while still getting the necessary shadows and intensity on the books should be the focus of your work.
Thu, Feb 9
For this portion of the assignment, you will be using your character lighting to assist in conveying a story. You should NOT modify your set lighting. Import one of your PackageMan pose files from project 1 into your bedroom scene. You will use either the frightened pose or the angry pose, your choice. Once you import him, scale him by the root con to about 2.2 give or take. Then select the PM control and set his poly attribute to mid and his smoothness to 2 to get him into high poly mode. You should NOT modify the pose itself; but, if you are feeling adventurous, you can enable his facial controls by enabling the "GUI" attribute in his PM control. You will not be graded on any modifications to the pose or to PackageMan's face.
Be sure to consider the composition of your scene and the potential content of the story. You can make up whatever story you enjoy. Feel free to add other objects as needed. For Part 2 ONLY, you should position the camera to best compose your shot. Keep in mind, however, set lighting can end up being angle specific -- meaning that it only looks right from a certain set of camera angles.
The master lighting in this scene is FINAL. Do not modify the existing lights or do anything else that will affect the master lighting. Only light your character(s) and objects.
Tue, Feb 14
Finish off the lighting of the entire bedroom.
Turn in a render of your final bedroom lighting + a render of your bedroom with your Packageman character lighting. Render them at the same resolution as the images provided.
Tips & What we're looking for:
As a general rule, be cautious when using "flashy" lighting techniques such as fog and lens flares. While these tools can be useful, they are overused and are often distracting. Use them sparingly and subtly.
You can't light effectively without using the IPR render. Load the image you are trying to match in the render window so you can toggle back and forth and see how close your renders are to the target. Ask if you need help with this.
We are looking for perfection. Don't stop too soon.
DON'T FORGET CONTACT SHADOWS!!!!
For the character lighting step:
Make sure the main character looks good: not too flat, not overworked; not too shiny, not too dull; not too ruddy, not too sickly.
Make sure the main character does not fade into the background. You might do this with a kicker light, or by making the character lighter or darker than the area immediately behind it.
The main character should look like it belongs in the scene, as opposed to something that has been rendered separately and pasted in. The light colors and directions used for the character should match the background. Shadows help here.
Light the scene so that the main character stands out. Think of this as "hero lighting." Some standard lights that you might want to use include:
Key light - The brightest light and main source of illumination. Often comes from one side and above.
Fill light - Fills in the dark areas and softens shadows. Usually non-specular.
Rim or Kicker light - Illuminates character from the non-key side to define shape and contour.
Bounce light - Reflects up from the floor or other surfaces. Fills in dark areas on the undersides of the character.
