Introducing Autodesk Maya 2014: Autodesk Official Press

Chapter 10

Autodesk Maya Lighting

Light shapes the world by showing us what we see. It creates a sense of depth, it initiates the perception of color, and it allows us to distinguish shape and form. For a scene to be successful in CG, these realities of light need to be reproduced as faithfully as possible. The trick is learning to see light and its astonishing effects on the world around us.

Learning Outcomes: In this chapter, you will be able to

• Understand basic concepts for setting up CG lighting
• Choose the appropriate Autodesk® Maya® light for a scene based on light attributes
• Control which lights illuminate certain objects through light linking
• Create mood and realism with shadow maps and raytraced shadows
• Illuminate and render a scene ...