Project 3 : Lighting

Reading: Learning Alias, pp. 209-230

Once again, you will have a new group to work with. You will construct a new scene and light it two or three ways.

1. Construct a new scene out of any number of models that your group members have worked on. Create a simple "room" that the objects are in, or a backdrop against which they stand, and a surface that they stand on. Choose one object (or a few adjacent related objects) to be the main "character" in the scene; the remainder of the models will be support characters. Arrange the models in a scene. The main character doesn't necessarily have to be in the foreground; lighting can be used to bring the viewer's attention to it wherever it is in the scene.
2. Light the scene using the following four lights on the main character:

   Key light.

   The brightest light, the main source of illumination for the character. Chosen to make the character look good. Usually comes from the side and above.

   Fill light.

   Fills in the dark areas, softens shadows. Usually a non-specular light.

   Rim light (also known as kicker).

   Illuminates character from the non-key side, helps to define shape and contour.

   Bounce light

   Light "reflecting" up from the floor or tabletop. Fills in dark areas on the undersides of the character.

   The background of the scene should be lit as simply as possible, using these same lights or and/other lights as needed.
3. Light the scene as a "fine arts" painting. Experiment first with hand-drawn sketches or watercolors or other studies. Then try to create the desired effect online. Use whatever and however many lights or effects are appropriate.
4. (Optional, for your own entertainment.) Light the scene as an advertisement, or "pop art" piece. Garish colors, glitzy sparkle effects, etc.

We have different expectations for the results of each part of the assignment.

1. The first part is just to give you something to light; no need to spend too much time on this. We'd like something with interesting composition and that feels like a connected scene, not just a collection of objects floating in space. (Clever use of camera angles and/or background paintings can minimize the need to actually build 3D geometry for walls and floors.)
2. The second part is an exercise in character lighting and in using lights for specific purposes. Play with the color and placement of these lights to see the effect that they have.
   • Make sure the main character looks good. Neither too flat nor too monstrous; neither too shiny nor too dull; neither too ruddy nor too sickly; etc.
   • Make sure the main character doesn't get lost in the the background. It should probably be somewhat lighter or darker than the area immedately behind it.
   • Make sure that the main character looks like it's part of its environment, not like something rendered separately and pasted in. The light colors and directions used for character should match the background. Shadows help here.
3. For the third part, light is not merely to see things, but is an artistic tool: use light shape and shadow to contribute to image composition; use color to set a mood; vary the lighting across the scene for visual interest, and to direct the viewer's eye. Maybe try to have the still image tell a story, maybe simply paint a still life artwork.
4. Go wild!

Two or three quality rendered scenes:

1. character lighting
2. fine arts scene
3. advertisement or pop art scene

Projects will be critiqued in class on Monday. Before class, you should prepare for critique by doing the following:

1. In /home/cse490/critique/lighting, create a directory for your group. This directory should have a name that hints at the contents of your scene.
2. Put in this directory your renderings, one for each part of the assignment:
   • normal.rgb
   • art.rgb
   • funky.rgb
   Since we will only be viewing one shot of your scene, some care should be taken to get an effective camera angle and lighting intensity.
3. Also in this directory should be a README file with group members and who-did-what info.