Beginner 3 Point Lighting

Goals

Students will learn how to create a 3-point lighting system.

Skills

Lights: point, sun, spot, world
3-point lighting: key, fill, back

Assignment Details

Create a simple scene with a three point lighting system. Render the project. Your project should include:

A main subject that is a complex mesh object.
1. You can use an object from a prior assignment.
2. Subject should be more complex than a simple shape.
3. Subject should have a color, material, and/or texture applied.
A scene with a few other objects to test the lighting.
1. The scene can be indoors or outdoors.
2. At least three other objects are in the background.
3. Background objects can be walls, tables, chairs, trees, etc.
4. Background objects should have realistic colors, textures, and/or materials applied to them.
A three-point lighting system.
1. The lighting system lights the subject well and provides depth of field for the scene.
2. Key light
  1. Comes in from an angle.
  2. Lights up the subject well.
3. Fill light
  1. Comes in perpendicular to the key light.
  2. Fills in the shadows well.
4. Backlight
  1. Comes from behind the subject.
  2. Highlights the subject to separate the subject from the background.
5. The other objects in the scene are visible with the lighting without being blown out or completely in shadow.
Camera and Rendering
1. The camera is placed properly to view the subject and background objects.
2. The scene renders well.

Resources

Web page tutorial on 3-point lighting. This web page walks you through the process of 3-point lighting an object.

Blender Fundementals 2.8 video tutorials

Tips

World Light

To better view your lighting, it is a good idea to turn off the World Light. The World Light is a light applied to the world around Blender so that you can see things in rendered mode if you don’t have your lights set properly. It is on by default and can mess with your 3-point lighting. To turn it off go to the World Properties palette and set the Strength to zero. If you don’t have your other lights set properly, things will go completely black when you turn it off, so, watch out.

Rubric

Grade / Topic	A	B	C
Subject	The main subject is a complex mesh object. The main subject has a realistic color, texture and/or materials applied.	The main subject is a somewhat complex mesh object. The main subject has a simple color, texture and/or materials applied.	The main subject is a simple mesh object. The main subject has a random color, texture and/or materials applied.
Scene Background Objects	At least three other objects are in the background. Background objects have realistic colors, textures, and/or materials applied.	At least two other objects are in the background. Background objects have simple colors, textures, and/or materials applied.	At least one other object is in the background. Background objects have random colors, textures, and/or materials applied.
3-Point Lighting	Subject and background objects are clearly visible and well lit. The scene has clear depth of field. Key light lights the scene well. Fill light fills in the shadows. Backlight highlights the subject well.	Subject and background objects are visible, but not that well lit. The scene has some depth of field. Key light lights the scene well. Fill light works but could be better. Backlight partially highlights the subject.	Subject and background objects not visible or well lit.. The scene has some depth of field. Key light lights the scene well. Fill and backlight don’t help or make things worse.
Camera and Rendering	The camera is placed properly to view the subject and background objects. The scene renders well.	The camera catches everything but could be placed better. The scene renders with some issues.	The camera misses or cuts off objects. The scene does not render properly.

Allan Didier

Computer Graphics and Modeling