Working with LightWorks - Questions, Tips, Tricks...

[Karl Ottenstein]

Mark B's C4D thread was getting cluttered with LW issues, so I thought I should start a new one to talk about LW issues in general as we all get used to the new functionality. Hopefully, Dwight will share more of his tips and images here! 😉

My minor frustration of the day involves the SunObject and SkyObject lamps, as I'm setting up a new project template for 9.0.

You place one of each of these in your project - location doesn't matter- to get a multi-light sun, for soft shadows, and a multi-light sky dome, for a nice ambient effect. The params let you control the number of lights, etc. Then, you UNcheck "Sun" and "Ambient" in the LW photorendering settings, so that these lights will be used instead.

Here's the rub: If I place the SunObject and SkyObject off to the side of my printable area (they can go anywhere, but figure out where to cast the light) ... then when in the 3D window, when I zoom extents, the location of these lamps is included in the extents (even though they are invisible), and the model is too small. Solution: put the lamps into a layer that only shows up in 3D visualization layer combos, and place the lamps within the model area. Now they don't interfere with plan views, and don't mess up 3D extents either.

Well, one down. Here's the more unfortunate things about using these 'lamps'. When using "Sun" and "Ambient", harsh as they are, they are always ON, regardless of layer or selection settings.

But, if using this LW methodology with sun and ambient off, if you select just some elements, or perhaps a floor, or perhaps display everything visible (but happen to have the LW lamp layer off) ... then you're in the dark. These lamps have to be on a visible layer, and part of the selection set to produce light. Kind of obvious when you think about it...they are lamp objects after all, but not that obvious when you're used to the old 'sun/ambient' behavior.

I frequently render marqueed areas of a building for example. Can't do this with these LW lamps, unless I move them into the marquee.

Am I missing something, or will I have to just keep turning 'sun/ambient' on and off depending on what I'm rendering? On the plus side, the values of these checkmarks are saved as part of a view.

Looking forward to stories of other people's experiences as you dig into LW. 😉

Karl

[Dwight]

Its not real. Think like photographer: Cheat:

1: shine some light on the ceiling. golden spotlite a favorite. pick darkest corner.

2: turn up ambient. make ambient mauve.

3: use window lite - upward from mid-wall height!!

post results.

[Anonymous]

thank's Dwight, the process is the same that in art*lantis 4.5

lamp+lamp+lamp....uff....so much lamps

i was thinking it was "just turn ambient on", but it's not...

thank's

[Dwight]

You are disappointed that something in total shade is dark.

Hmmm.

What would happen in the real world? Uplighting.

Certainly turning up ambient will lighten the ceiling, but lamps are best. Here's one image I just finished tonite.

Used a light window upward with no shadow casting.

Think like a cinematographer would.