What are the different types of light in Maya?
Several different lights are available in Maya 4, each with its own properties and uses: Directional, Ambient, Point, Volume, Spot, and Area lights. Each one has its own icon to represent it in your scene (see Figure 9.1).
What is 3 point lighting in Maya?
In film, computer animation, and other visual media, 3-point lighting is the standard method of setting up lighting. It consists of three lights from three points: key light, fill light, and rim light.
What is light in Maya?
In Maya, area lights are two-dimensional rectangular light sources. Use area lights to simulate the rectangular reflections of windows on surfaces. Compared to other light sources, area lights can take longer to render, but they can produce higher quality light and shadows.
How do you make lights in Maya?
Create a light source
- From the Create > Lights menu, select the type of light you want to create. By default, the light is added to the center of a scene.
- Click to open the Light Editor and click any of the light icons. See Create and group lights in the Light Editor.
- Click the light icon on the Rendering shelf.
What is directional light in Maya?
Edit. In rendering, a light that shines evenly in one direction only. Its light rays are parallel to each other, as if emitted perpendicular to an infinitely large plane. Use a directional light to simulate a very distant point light source (for example, the sun).
What is an area light?
Area Lights An area light is a light that casts directional light rays from within a set boundary, either a rectangle or circle. All other light types emit light from a single point, where an area light emits light from an entire area which is generally more realistic.
What is a rim light?
Rim lighting is a technique that puts light around the edges of a subject. It’s something that can be achieved outdoors when the sun is low in the sky, and in the studio, it’s often just a case of moving the lights behind the subject instead of in front.
What is ambient light in Maya?
A Maya ambient light combines both an ambient light and a diffuse light. Ambient light is typically used to control the overall brightness and color of a scene. Use an ambient light to simulate a combination of direct light (for example, a lamp) and indirect light (lamp light reflected off the walls of a room).
What is volume light in Maya?
How to Add Volume Lights in Maya. You can specify that the light is either a Box, Sphere, Cylinder or Cone. Within each shape is a small sphere to indicate the actual light source (provided the Volume Light Direction is set to to Outward or Down Axis). Volume Lights are like a three dimensional Area Light.
What is a flat light?
Basically, flat lighting is lighting that produces very little contrast in your scene. Flat means there’s very little difference (contrast) between the highlights and shadows in flat light. The intense light hides details and depth, resulting in a flat, dull or two-dimensional image.