Lighting Question For Pixolator.

[Mahlikus The Black]

Why you? It is the render from one of your images that I am after (as I am sure alot of other people are too). So, your the only one I feel can shed some light on this question (pun intended).

The lighting setup you used in your Hammer Tail Image (http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/zbc_uploads/user_image-1044673686zyw.jpg) is what I am after. It looks so real!!! Now, I know that there is a trick there somewhere. I also know that it has to do with material ambience/diffusion/and curves as well. What about lighting ambience? GDI setting? Two point setup..Three point setup? Do you even touch your light's curves..I do. Should I?..lol. Why don't you just tie me down, babysit me, and spoon feed me your ZBrush knowledge. LOL. Sorry if I am asking much. It is just that I haven't been able to get a 'real' look to any of my renders yet.
Now, I am not worried about ZMode shadow settings because I feel thats all up to taste and computer performance.

Well, thanks for helping if you can. And if anyone can shed some light on any of their realistic looking renders, then feel free to spill your tricks/beliefs here too.


Thanks again.

[Mentat7]

Me gets out a snow shovel....open wide Mike...... :eek: :D But seriously I think it would be keen if Pix put together a comprehensive lighting tutorial on all the settings he is privy to. It would be cool to take a peek under the hood of the major brain behind ZBrush. :) Other than that Mike I think you probably realize there are a HUGE number of variations that can be achieved in lighting and although I am reluctant to say it out of fear of sounding like a broken record....just experiment and try out different things. Yup...I use the light graphs and GDI and GSI and all the other goodies. Personally I do not have a catch all light setup that I use on every image. I tend to create custom lighting for every image and I tweak the he!! out of it. I find there are three basic elements that achieve a good light set...materials (and use of the diffuse graph), good shadows, and good placement of the lights. Books could be written on each of these subjects...but I would be interested in seeing approaches taken by other members myself. :)

[Mahlikus The Black]

*MTB opens wide* lol.... You certainly have spoon feed me alot of what I know. Thanks for that! ;)

Well, here is what I do all the time, then I tweak accordingly.

Set all material ambience and lights to anywhere from 0 to 4. Something Southern mentioned. Something else I pilfered off of Glen was setting the GDI to anywhere from 20 to 35 with adjusting/dropping the falloff of the lighting curves. I then set all materials with a touch of HDRI 1.15 to 1.55 ...depending on the light setting. Thats something that rubbed off of Sloshskins. You taught me (through looking at my mage image you ravaged..lol) to adjust the dark side of the diffusion curve. You, pix, Kaz, and slosh gave me excellent tips on Zmode shadow though you showed me how to finally use them (also in the mage image). Zmode on one/main light only. Strength to 85~95. Length from 150 to 250, Rays from 150 to 250. Ap setting of 15 to 50 depending on how hard I want the shadows and how big the doc is. Okay ah what else?...Oh, three point lighting setup with the main set to 0.95~1.25 Intensity and the others from .10 to .40. Third light set behind. Thats about all of it I think.

Still want pix to come in here and spill the beans. I too would love to crack that brain open and kick my feet around for a while.

[Ron Harris]

Yeppers...it would be nice to pic the masters brain...I was getting a mental image from Hannibal and the table scene where they were serving the man's brains while he was still alive....anyhoo....come on Pix....what secrets can you unleash on us :)))))))) inquiring fatmen wanna know :D

[havran]

now sit down first, MTB, but if this were any other enterprise, that secret might cost at LEAST $29.95 :D

P.S. -- I think Mr. Pix is secretly an alien brain farm with faster-than-light networking -- as a hobbyist programmer, even now that I am getting the hang of ZBrush, it still strikes me as probably the most brilliant piece of software I have encountered (just saying).

As a cautionary note, if you know the early Clive Barker tale about the guy who opens the door and gets blasted to smithereens because of the Ultimate Knowledge howling beyond the door -- although of course earlier I wished for some kind of Pixolator/Krell upgrade in a pill, perhaps now I might hesitate :D

[Mentat7]

Oh lol Havran....Krell! I just watched Forbidden Planet again for the umpteenth time again last weekend. :D

[Frenchy Pilou]

Hi MtB
Can you save your light's setting in a little object test ? because re-enter all parameters is some hardest to follow :)
Pilou very lazy this day

[drjjwow]

I've learned that its best to stick my finger in my ear, when something like this comes up.. lol... plus it could help that hes always working with a better and more upgraded version than all of us.. ie.. displacement maps?.. i cant wait to see and play with that feature.

mtb.. i would be very interested in a light setting from you as discribed above..and maybe some materials to go with it.

[Mentat7]

Maybe we should turn this into the "Share your lighting setup" thread? Would be interesting.

Here is an interesting light setup. I will post the ZBR file later.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/uploaded_from_zbc/200305/user_image-1052322981hgj.jpg

[MrBraun]

Yes! Great question Michael!!
I am interested to the light settings and (if it is possible) the material settings of this image : Grrrumpy! (http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/user-gallery/getthumbs.shtml?1_Alon&linkall) !!! :D :tu:

[azerty]

I'm agry with you Mahlikus The Black,but for me it's not hammer tail image i'm interesting but this image:

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/uploaded_from_zbc/200305/user_image-1052327331mst.jpg
I think it's the best lightning and material settings!(for me of course)
are you agree with me?
see you later bye!
(:])
(i really want to know the secret of this picture!!!dear pixolator.....lol!)