LIGHTING SETUPS & RIGS

3D Animation with Blender

Illuminating the Scene

Recapping Lamp types in Blender Adding Lamps to a scene The function of the lighting Common Lighting setups

Types of Lamps in Blender

Point Is a light that goes in all directions from a single point

Sun Acts like Sunlight, with all the light travelling in the

same direction Spot

Acts like a spot light, with the spot size limiting how big it is.

Hemi Is a 180 degree constant light source.

Area Creates an area of multiple lights in an area

Basic Lighting Functions

Key light A key light is the main light of a composition. It

usually lights the main focus of the scene, by illuminating the detail of the objects.

Fill light The fill light works with the key light, lighting some

of the darker areas of the image created by the key light.

Back light The backlight or Rim light helps distinguishing the

foreground from the background. It creates a rim of light on the edges of objects,

giving them another level of dimensionality.

Lighting Rigs

1-Point light rig The simplest rig, using a single key light. It gives a high contrast between the light & shadow

2-Point light rig Consisting of a key and fill light. It is typically used for even illumination a scene or for

product lighting for a company. 3-Point light rig

The most commonly used rig can be either in a Studio or Standard rig setups The Studio rig consists of a key light and two fill lights. The Standard rig has a key light, a backlight, and a sidelight.

4-Point light rig It is a combination of the Standard and Studio rigs.

1-point lighting rig

Commonly a Spot Lamp is used for this rig

It producing an image with sharp contrast between light and dark areas.

An Example 1-point lighting rig

Key Light

2-point lighting rig

The combination of Key & Fill lights set high on either side of the camera give even lighting.

An Example 2-point lighting rig

Key Light Fill Light

3-point Studio Rig

The Studio rig consists of a key light and two fill lights.

The fill lights are typically placed on the side of the scene opposite the key light, illuminating the object from behind.

An Example 3-point Studio Rig

Key Light

Fill LightFill Light

3-point Standard Rig

The Standard rig with a key light, a backlight, and a sidelight.

The key light, of course, is the brightest, positioned above, in front, and to the side of the object.

The backlight is less intense as compared to the key light and is positioned closer to the ground behind the object.

The fill light is off to the side, opposite the key light.

3-point Standard Rig

Key Light

Fill Light

Back Light

4-point lighting rig

This rig provides a good simulation of outside lighting—it's basically a hybrid of the Studio and Standard 3-Point lighting rigs. A key light illuminates the scene with the help of two fill lights off to each side. A backlight helps distinguish the background from the foreground.

An Example 4-point lighting rig

Fill LightFill Light

Key Light

Back Light