Any tips to make these renderings look better?

[Anonymous]

Hello, I'm fairly new to rendering with Lightworks in Archicad. One of the main issues I have is lighting - especially with lamps and how the lights leave visible areas or lines on surfaces. For instance on the first image, below the Macbook on the table, you can very clearly see a spotlight from the light above. How can you turn this off? I've looked in the settings but didn't achieve much. The same can be said in the 2nd image, with the light leaving a curved line along the far wall (where the kitchen island meets the wall). Any other tips to improve the general impression of these renderings? Regards[/img]

[Anonymous]

2nd image

[Dwight]

1: Turn off shadow casting from lights [many Archicad light fixtures operate poorly, always better to add a light source separate from the fixture.]
2: Lose the camera light - very glaring amateur effect even if a default setting.
3: Don't use white light, add color tints. No light is white.
4: Uplighting to prevent ceiling greyness. Add texture to ceiling. Avoid white or grey materials of any kind.
5: Don't expect lighting an illustration to be like architectural lighting, add general light sources to boost dark areas and enhance the room focus.
6: Aim camera down away from ceiling - minimize ceiling, like humans do.
7: Try to compose an interesting scene that engages the eye.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Dwight for your feedback - very useful.

If I remove the camera light, the image is a lot darker. What do you suggest to compensate for the darkness?

[Dwight]

You need more light.

You might add a strong general light way under the floor to uplight and 'illuminate' the entire scene. Our Dutch colleagues call this the "Hellezon" or "Sun from Hell."

Shadow casting 'off' makes the general light shine through surfaces. Play with it.

Float other no shado general lights in the space to erase poorly lit areas.

Also: Every illustrator knows that bright sunlite cascading through a space brings drama [and compensates for darkness that would otherwise seems sinister].

[Anonymous]

Thanks again. I've been playing around with a general light to help with lighting the ceiling and general scene and this has helped. I've also made sure shadow casting is 'off' for the down lights (light cone down 15), but for some reason the spotlights still show up on the floor (below the table etc). Playing with shadow casting 'on'/'off' hasnt fixed this situation. Seems like a simple fix but I cant figure it out! I've also tried playing with the height of the light etc...Any idea?

[Anonymous]

Spotlights showing on the ground

[Dwight]

Spotlight? Don't use the spotlight. It doesn't work right. I put that fact in my book but forgot. Try a really constrained light cone down instead.

[Anonymous]

My mistake, they are all 'light cone down.'