February, 2020 - DAZ 3D New User Challenge - Lighting and Light Effects

0996ps

 

Kismet2012 said:

I understand the headaches that come with monitors.  My rendering computer has a bright monitor so when I make images darker on it they are too dark on other monitors so I constantly have to remind myself to make the image brighter when rendering.  I then check it on my laptop to see if it is too bright or too dark. 

From your screen shots the gobos looks good.  I really like the blue swirl.

You can convert the surfaces on 3DL products to Iray using the Iray Uber Shader that is included with DS if you prefer using iray.  3DL has the advantage of being able to turn the shadows on and off on lights.  This is not an option with Iray.

Nothing i can do about hardware but after changing monitor and nvidia desktop setting i think i have gained some minor improvement. Uber Shader are good and i have been using it from from a month and recently i bought couple of Sickleyields Scripts for converting 3DL products to Iray which is what i used on that Night lounge before working on it and It does good job but there is some areas which is missed by the scripts but regardless  i am content with it because i can fix the leftover manually and working with surface shaders i get to learning more about them which will definitely help me when i start working on models in blender and shading in daz in hope of selling them one day if they turn out good but that is long way to go..

Here is some progression render for today. Hopefully i am done with Basic Light Challenge 1 and Gobo/Gel Light Challenge 1 by 25th. Second version of these two will be simple portaits this time. No extra work.

wmiller314

@TrisValentine Thanks for the advice. The HDRI is a bit tricky to use. I'm still getting the hang of positioning figures. But thank you for the link to free HDRIs! My boyfriend will thank you too. (He bankrolls my little art projects. tee hee). I'll have to look into the camera settings because I know even less about that than I do about lighting. 

0996ps

  ↵

 

wmiller314 said:

@TrisValentine Thanks for the advice. The HDRI is a bit tricky to use. I'm still getting the hang of positioning figures. But thank you for the link to free HDRIs! My boyfriend will thank you too. (He bankrolls my little art projects. tee hee). I'll have to look into the camera settings because I know even less about that than I do about lighting. 

There is a whole thread listing free HDRI Sites
Also don't worry about cameras until you feel your render is close to final.

wmiller314

So I downloaded a few free HDRIs but how do I use them in DAZ? Anyone know?

Kismet2012

TrisValentine said:

 

Kismet2012 said:

I understand the headaches that come with monitors.  My rendering computer has a bright monitor so when I make images darker on it they are too dark on other monitors so I constantly have to remind myself to make the image brighter when rendering.  I then check it on my laptop to see if it is too bright or too dark. 

From your screen shots the gobos looks good.  I really like the blue swirl.

You can convert the surfaces on 3DL products to Iray using the Iray Uber Shader that is included with DS if you prefer using iray.  3DL has the advantage of being able to turn the shadows on and off on lights.  This is not an option with Iray.

Nothing i can do about hardware but after changing monitor and nvidia desktop setting i think i have gained some minor improvement. Uber Shader are good and i have been using it from from a month and recently i bought couple of Sickleyields Scripts for converting 3DL products to Iray which is what i used on that Night lounge before working on it and It does good job but there is some areas which is missed by the scripts but regardless  i am content with it because i can fix the leftover manually and working with surface shaders i get to learning more about them which will definitely help me when i start working on models in blender and shading in daz in hope of selling them one day if they turn out good but that is long way to go..

Here is some progression render for today. Hopefully i am done with Basic Light Challenge 1 and Gobo/Gel Light Challenge 1 by 25th. Second version of these two will be simple portaits this time. No extra work.

Very true about the hardware...all I do is try to remember that the monitor is bright and compensate for that.

 

I like the middle image.  It has the feel of a club at night to me.  Pools of light over tables and darker shadows that create an intimate feel.

 

0996ps

.

wmiller314 said:

So I downloaded a few free HDRIs but how do I use them in DAZ? Anyone know?

Check the images.

1. Under Render Settings there is an option called Environment.
2. In Environment Settings tab you can browse Environment Map which is basically HDRI.
3. Browse, Locate and Select your HDRI.
4. Turn Draw Dome option On.

Kismet2012

wmiller314 said:

So I downloaded a few free HDRIs but how do I use them in DAZ? Anyone know?

You will have to manually load them into DAZ Studio.  I see @TrisValentine beat me to it.

You might also find the Light Probe Tool helpful.  It can help to fine tune the orientation of the HDRI.  They can be rotated using Dome Rotation, which you can see in TrisValentine's first jpg image.

 

 

0996ps

Kismet2012 said:

wmiller314 said:

So I downloaded a few free HDRIs but how do I use them in DAZ? Anyone know?

You will have to manually load them into DAZ Studio.  I see @TrisValentine beat me to it.

You might also find the Light Probe Tool helpful.  It can help to fine tune the orientation of the HDRI.  They can be rotated using Dome Rotation, which you can see in TrisValentine's first jpg image.

 

 

I did a sloppy job, you can show how to use light probe tool cause even I don't know how to use it. It's on my mind from somedays. Edit: oh you did! Sorry I didn't notice. Edit: it's simple too, prob with Daz library is it becomes hard to find stuff when you end up having lots of products. Never saw light probe tool in library even when I had it installed.

Kismet2012

TrisValentine said:

Kismet2012 said:

wmiller314 said:

So I downloaded a few free HDRIs but how do I use them in DAZ? Anyone know?

You will have to manually load them into DAZ Studio.  I see @TrisValentine beat me to it.

You might also find the Light Probe Tool helpful.  It can help to fine tune the orientation of the HDRI.  They can be rotated using Dome Rotation, which you can see in TrisValentine's first jpg image.

 

 

 

I did a sloppy job, you can show how to use light probe tool cause even I don't know how to use it. It's on my mind from somedays. Edit: oh you did! Sorry I didn't notice. Edit: it's simple too, prob with Daz library is it becomes hard to find stuff when you end up having lots of products. Never saw light probe tool in library even when I had it installed.

That happens to all of us.  We find stuff we forgot/didn't know we owned.

marjoemartino

So after rcbcgreenpanzer made the suggestion of using an emission profile to help separate the flashlight's light from the background I did try using them but I still don't have them working yet, so I used a smoke plane to help draw attention to the fact that she is holding a flashlight.  This will be my last update for this challenge due to my schedule and the fact that this image takes over 25 hours to render

bastian2560

Hi all. The more i uped the emissives the more orange every thing went, i didn't like how the room was light it took away the emphases from the light bulb and alien so i striped out all the lighting.anyway this is what i came up with. Alien makes his own BOGO so i guess this gose in challenge two.

Edit: Had to redo the skin as well did not like the way it looked ether.

 

bastian2560

@marjoemartin. i like what you did with the torch it looks great. What clothing is the girl wearing?

bastian2560

TrisValentine said:

bastian2560 said:

Hi Sueya. You clould add a prop as a base for your figers to stand on like a big rock or somthing. In this render the marble and figers are props and every thing behind her is a LBI. I hope this helps.

 

Not for the challange.

That is a very nice picture.

Yeh my atempt at doing a sexy render, it's alright i geuss.

sueya

Man and Dog in park version 2

The Dog in my original image was a labrador, but for some reason the lighting I was using made him look grey instead of brown. I tried changing him into a Golden Labrador and found that he now looks more realistic and less shiny. I have turned his head so that he is now looking at the man.

Fishtales

You now need some grass/flowers on the ground 

NOT AN ENTRY 

2020-02-18 21:38:57.726 Total Rendering Time: 1 hours 20 minutes 14.44 seconds

 

wmiller314

@marjoemartino Her hair is super cute! Can you tell me which hair you used? Also that is a great picture. Hope I'm that good one day. What outfit is she wearing as well?

rcbcgreenpanzer

Furtive Firekeeper Mk4

Tweaks and adjustments; it's an iterative design.

The Princess Ensemble dress was balking at the pose, so I swapped it for the Mischievous Nymph dress. I played around with adding another light, but it didn't seem to add anything, so I turned it off. The change from mk3 to mk4 was simply remembering to turn her makeup off, and then letting iRay work for 8 hours instead of 2.

A few more tweaks and it should be good. In particular I plan to experiment with the ember / spark / fireball / glowy thing to see if I can give it more shape. It might be cool to give it multiple layers, or a bit of a trail.

CarlCG

Lighting/Emissive Effects/Rendering with Daz. Gobo lighting and emissive masks were made in photoshop (mostly using Ron’s Brushes) and placed into the emissive channels. Character and accessories made with Zbrush and Substance Painter. Environment made by another modeler with the env lighting done by me.

marjoemartino

bastian2560 said:

@marjoemartin. i like what you did with the torch it looks great. What clothing is the girl wearing?

 

wmiller314 said:

@marjoemartino Her hair is super cute! Can you tell me which hair you used? Also that is a great picture. Hope I'm that good one day. What outfit is she wearing as well?

Sorry it took so long to get back to you guys, I need a job that doesn't keep me away from home for 14 hours a day.

As for bieng good, I've only been using DAZ Studio for a year now, and I still have a lot to figure out yet, like the lighting for one thing.

To answer your questions:

Hair: Georgina Pin-Up Hair for Genesis 8 Female(s)

outfit:

top is from X-Fashion War Girl Outfit for Genesis 8 Female(s)

shorts are from Yuki Outfit for Genesis 3 Female(s)

jacket,gloves, and boots are from The Major for G8F - 100% FREE by squarepeg3d on renderosity

 

Kismet2012

bastian2560 said:

Hi all. The more i uped the emissives the more orange every thing went, i didn't like how the room was light it took away the emphases from the light bulb and alien so i striped out all the lighting.anyway this is what i came up with. Alien makes his own BOGO so i guess this gose in challenge two.

Edit: Had to redo the skin as well did not like the way it looked ether.

 

Now the light and emphasis is on his face and we can clearly see the source of light is the bulb being manipulated by your alien boy.

Kismet2012

sueya said:

Man and Dog in park version 2

The Dog in my original image was a labrador, but for some reason the lighting I was using made him look grey instead of brown. I tried changing him into a Golden Labrador and found that he now looks more realistic and less shiny. I have turned his head so that he is now looking at the man.

It was the grey coat that gave me the impression of a Weimaraner.  Not sure what game they are playing but it looks like it could be entertaining to watch.

Kismet2012

rcbcgreenpanzer said:

Furtive Firekeeper Mk4

Tweaks and adjustments; it's an iterative design.

The Princess Ensemble dress was balking at the pose, so I swapped it for the Mischievous Nymph dress. I played around with adding another light, but it didn't seem to add anything, so I turned it off. The change from mk3 to mk4 was simply remembering to turn her makeup off, and then letting iRay work for 8 hours instead of 2.

A few more tweaks and it should be good. In particular I plan to experiment with the ember / spark / fireball / glowy thing to see if I can give it more shape. It might be cool to give it multiple layers, or a bit of a trail.

Frustraiting when an outfit doesn't do what we want.  The focus is really on her face and that ember.  I am looking forward to seeing the next version.

Kismet2012

testingtesterson35 said:

Lighting/Emissive Effects/Rendering with Daz. Gobo lighting and emissive masks were made in photoshop (mostly using Ron’s Brushes) and placed into the emissive channels. Character and accessories made with Zbrush and Substance Painter. Environment made by another modeler with the env lighting done by me.

Both images are wonderful.  I love the simple portrait and the other looks like a still from a video game.

0996ps

Work in Progress for 2nd Entry of Gobo Challenge.

Gordig

Die, Robot

Lighting continues to vex me. I wanted the room to be dimly lit with a red light like a siren lighting up the left side of her body, but I couldn't find settings where I got both the ceiling lights and the siren in the proportions I wanted. This render is the closest I've come, and I'm still not totally satisfied with it. I'd like the lighting to be dimmer, and the siren more vivid, but I don't know how to achieve that without making the whole scene incomprehensible and/or completely washing it out with red.

Kismet2012

TrisValentine said:

Work in Progress for 2nd Entry of Gobo Challenge.

Nicely done @TrisValentine.  Your figure is lit up nicely but the gobos are still quite strong and well defined.

Kismet2012

Gordig said:

Die, Robot

Lighting continues to vex me. I wanted the room to be dimly lit with a red light like a siren lighting up the left side of her body, but I couldn't find settings where I got both the ceiling lights and the siren in the proportions I wanted. This render is the closest I've come, and I'm still not totally satisfied with it. I'd like the lighting to be dimmer, and the siren more vivid, but I don't know how to achieve that without making the whole scene incomprehensible and/or completely washing it out with red.

Have you tried adjusting the Tone Mapping Settings?  Increasing the ISO from the default of 100 to 400 or more might allow you to dim the lights the way you want but still have the camera pick up enough light so the image isn't completely black.

https://digital-photography-school.com/iso-settings/

https://www.deviantart.com/sickleyield/journal/Tutorial-Lighting-and-Tone-Mapping-In-Iray-531864617

https://www.deviantart.com/snowsultan/journal/Old-school-HDRI-lighting-in-Iray-523712116

 

The first link is a general digital camera ISO setting.  The next 2 links are more specific to Tone Mapping settings in Iray.

 

rcbcgreenpanzer

Furtive Firekeeper Mk5_1:

Furtive Firekeeper Mk5_8:

I switched the little spark for a three-sphere fireball, enabled the rim light, and then ran the render for an hour. After seeing all the speckles on her hands, I reran the render with a max time of 8 hours (and then went to bed). Is it just me, or are these identical? Fire is mostly courtesy of GKDantas's Iray Fire Royalty.

Fishtales

Looking at them I think the white dots are because the fire light is too bright, has to high a Lumen, which is blowing out the skin as it is very close to it. I would try lowering the Lumen value and then use the Tone mapping to get the brightness back which should stop the colour blow out.

wmiller314

Thank you to everyone for the advice and the links to free HDRIs! I fiddled with my scene and came up with something that is a bit more to scale. Let me know what you think. I'm still trying to get the hang of this Daz business, but I'm having fun.