15. Creating Lights

Lighting is an essential part of creating a scene. Whether it’s photorealistic or heavily stylized, the light controls the look, warmth, mood, and visibility of the scene (Figure 15.1). Lighting in Maya holds many parallels to film lighting. The same techniques that aid painters and filmmakers will aid you in deciding how to illuminate your scene.

Figure 15.1. From dimly lit warehouses to bright fields, lighting controls the mood of your scene.

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Lighting in Maya has advantages and disadvantages over lighting in the real world. Lights aren’t visible in Maya, so they can be placed anywhere, even in plain view of the camera. Placing ...

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