ABSTRACT

Lighting is the one thing that makes or breaks any CG environment. This inspirational book and DVD give you everything you need to create convincing CG lightin; from the concepts and theoretical aspects to the techniques and tricks that are essential in a production environment. The stunning color illustrations throughout the book illustrate just what can be done, while the tutorials show you exactly how to do it.

Every ounce of theory is backed up with practical tutorials, using the free trial versions of 3ds Max and Combustion supplied on the companion DVD. The tutorials take you from the fundamentals of lighting, right through to advanced techniques with many new sections, including ones that cover radiosity techniques, rendering with mental ray, and compositing.

Certified by Autodesk, Darren Brooker's new edition teaches the real methods behind real-world work. If you want a one-stop master class in CG lighting, or if you just want to brush up on your existing skills - then this book contains everything you need.

chapter 1|6 pages

Introduction

part |2 pages

Part 1: Theory

chapter 2|20 pages

A little light theory

chapter 3|14 pages

CG lights examined

chapter 4|18 pages

Understanding shadows

part |2 pages

Part 2: Techniques

chapter 5|16 pages

Basic lighting techniques

chapter 6|20 pages

Further lighting techniques

chapter 7|18 pages

Radiosity techniques

chapter 8|32 pages

Indoor lighting techniques

chapter 9|26 pages

Outdoor lighting techniques

chapter 10|12 pages

Special lighting techniques

chapter 11|18 pages

Match lighting

chapter 12|20 pages

Rendering with mental ray

chapter 13|16 pages

Lighting for games

chapter 14|18 pages

Lighting and lens effects

chapter 15|22 pages

Compositing

part |2 pages

Part 3: Tips and tricks

chapter 16|18 pages

In production

part |2 pages

Part 4: Taking it further

chapter 17|26 pages

Composition and drama

chapter 18|20 pages

Camerawork and technicalities

chapter 19|15 pages

Looking further