Iray Ghost Light Kit 2: Render and Support Thread [Commercial]

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  • KindredArtsKindredArts Posts: 1,217
    edited May 2017
    jardine said:

    i'd love to see a render featuring the flashlight in action.  the lantern looks so good...

    j

    I did a quick render of the flashlight, is this ok for you or did you have something else in mind?

    KAFlash.png
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    Post edited by KindredArts on
  • marblemarble Posts: 7,449

    @KindredArts: I asked this earlier in the thread but it got overlooked so I'll add a little more detail. Your PDF states that:

    Iray Ghost Light Kit 2 includes several lighting props with rigged ghost lights. Since

    ghost lights are diffuse lights, they do not have any specular feedback, nor any specular

    effect on your scene. This can make your scene look flat and matte. Using one of the

    optimized IGLK props in this package will not only provide ghost lighting, but also emit

    Gloss from a logical light source.

    Could you explain how to acheive this glosss/specularity  and what you mean by a "logical" light source? With the original set I find I need to add a photometric light to add some gloss otherwise the skin looks matte. Will I still need to do that with the new set?

  • Nyghtfall3DNyghtfall3D Posts: 753

    I questioned the usefulness of the original Ghost Lights when they were released, last year.  After doing some research on lighting and photography, I had a better understanding.  The release of this new set has prompted another question.

    I don't imagine Ghost Lights are some kind of industry-wide Iray lighting secret that KA decided to package and sell, so, how did - and do - other artists achieve great lighting without using either set?

  • KindredArtsKindredArts Posts: 1,217
    edited May 2017
    marble said:

    @KindredArts: I asked this earlier in the thread but it got overlooked so I'll add a little more detail. Your PDF states that:

    Iray Ghost Light Kit 2 includes several lighting props with rigged ghost lights. Since

    ghost lights are diffuse lights, they do not have any specular feedback, nor any specular

    effect on your scene. This can make your scene look flat and matte. Using one of the

    optimized IGLK props in this package will not only provide ghost lighting, but also emit

    Gloss from a logical light source.

    Could you explain how to acheive this glosss/specularity  and what you mean by a "logical" light source? With the original set I find I need to add a photometric light to add some gloss otherwise the skin looks matte. Will I still need to do that with the new set?

    Oh, sorry marble! i must have missed your post, these threads can get a bit hectic.

    The logical light source i'm talking about is the emissive portion of the included props. Ghost lights by themselves are largly diffuse because of their size and opacity, so when using a ghost light it's a good idea to have at least some sort of specular source behind the light to warrant a specular/reflective response on the surface of your subject. This obviously isn't absoluetly nessecary in all cases, people use the lights in all sorts of ways, i just prefer to have some kind of specular source. Example:

    Ultimately it's up to you how you compose your scene, whether you use my props or photmetrics. What i have tried to provide however is an optimized method of producing specular/reflective light with low emission, lowpoly light props. 

     

    SPECcompare.jpg
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    Post edited by KindredArts on
  • marblemarble Posts: 7,449
    edited May 2017
    marble said:

    @KindredArts: I asked this earlier in the thread but it got overlooked so I'll add a little more detail. Your PDF states that:

    Iray Ghost Light Kit 2 includes several lighting props with rigged ghost lights. Since

    ghost lights are diffuse lights, they do not have any specular feedback, nor any specular

    effect on your scene. This can make your scene look flat and matte. Using one of the

    optimized IGLK props in this package will not only provide ghost lighting, but also emit

    Gloss from a logical light source.

    Could you explain how to acheive this glosss/specularity  and what you mean by a "logical" light source? With the original set I find I need to add a photometric light to add some gloss otherwise the skin looks matte. Will I still need to do that with the new set?

    Oh, sorry marble! i must have missed your post, these threads can get a bit hectic.

    The logical light source i'm talking about is the emissive portion of the included props. Ghost lights by themselves are largly diffuse because of their size and opacity, so when using a ghost light it's a good idea to have at least some sort of specular source behind the light to warrant a specular/reflective response on the surface of your subject. This obviously isn't absoluetly nessecary in all cases, people use the lights in all sorts of ways, i just prefer to have some kind of specular source. Example:

     

    Ultimately it's up to you how you compose your scene, whether you use my props or photmetrics. What i have tried to provide however is an optimized method of producing specular/reflective light with low emission, lowpoly light props. 

     

    Ok, so the included props (lamps, ceiling lights, etc.) are meant to be used instead of photometrics ro provided some specularity? The thing about using a spot light is that it is usually outside the rendered image and it is directional. Sometimes I even use the camera headlamp - especially if I want faster renders. I guess I'll have to play with the props to see what I can achieve. I'm guessing the prop emissives have fewer polygons (oh, right, you already said that)?

    Post edited by marble on
  • marblemarble Posts: 7,449
    edited May 2017

    Sorry but I can't get any light from the Mod Box (Inverted or non-Inverted). Here's my steps (follwoing the PDF):

    1. Add MB to scene.

    2. Select it in the Scene Panel.

    3. Go to ModBox MAT folder and select "Apply Before Presets" (MB goes invisible).

    4. Apply a material - say, 6000K.

    5. Go to ModBox Intensity folder and select a high value, say 800.

    Result - very low light.

    test room.png
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    Post edited by marble on
  • marblemarble Posts: 7,449

    OK - further to that, I found that the Intensity selections have no effect on the MB unless the surfaces are selected in the Surfaces Panel. I'm pretty sure this wasn't necessary with the IGK1.

  • dreamfarmerdreamfarmer Posts: 2,128
    Nyghtfall said:

    I questioned the usefulness of the original Ghost Lights when they were released, last year.  After doing some research on lighting and photography, I had a better understanding.  The release of this new set has prompted another question.

    I don't imagine Ghost Lights are some kind of industry-wide Iray lighting secret that KA decided to package and sell, so, how did - and do - other artists achieve great lighting without using either set?

    Long render times.

  • KindredArtsKindredArts Posts: 1,217
    edited May 2017

    Sorry, they're not materials, they are shaders. They need to be applied to your selected surfaces in the surfaces panel.

    1. Apply MB Ghost Setup

    2. Go into the surfaces panel and select which surfaces you would like to change (you can select as many as you want)

    3. Now apply your presets.

    Each material zone name corresponds to viewport direction and bone names, so you can check which zones you want to manipulate in the viewport.

    MBSetup.jpg
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    Post edited by KindredArts on
  • marblemarble Posts: 7,449

    Sorry, they're not materials, they are shaders. They need to be applied to your selected surfaces in the surfaces panel.

    1. Apply MB Ghost Setup

    2. Go into the surfaces panel and select which surfaces you would like to change (you can select as many as you want)

    3. Now apply your presets.

    Each material zone name corresponds to viewport direction and bone names, so you can check which zones you want to manipulate in the viewport.

    Yup - figured that. I should've realised when you said earlier that they are shaders. I got so used to using IGLK1 that I assumed this worked in the same way.

  • KindredArtsKindredArts Posts: 1,217
    marble said:

    OK - further to that, I found that the Intensity selections have no effect on the MB unless the surfaces are selected in the Surfaces Panel. I'm pretty sure this wasn't necessary with the IGK1.

    Yes, i split it into material zones so the end user can pick and choose which surface they want to effect, and at what color/intensity. I used a rigged figure instead of different props parented to a NULL so that if the end user makes mistakes, they can simply zero out the figure in the properties panel.

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548
    Nyghtfall said:

    I questioned the usefulness of the original Ghost Lights when they were released, last year.  After doing some research on lighting and photography, I had a better understanding.  The release of this new set has prompted another question.

    I don't imagine Ghost Lights are some kind of industry-wide Iray lighting secret that KA decided to package and sell, so, how did - and do - other artists achieve great lighting without using either set?

    With healthy doses of frustration and lots and lots of fiddling?  I hate messing with lighting, I can spend an hour or more to get it right.  With these, maybe 5-10 minutes tops. 

  • GreybroGreybro Posts: 2,461

    I mean this literally, since purchasing Ghost Light kit on, apart from outdoor HDRI renders, I have used it on every single render I have created and I also used it on some of those outdoor ones. So, in summation, Gohst Light Kit 2 belongs in my life.

  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548
    edited May 2017

    The lighting for this is just the two lamps, nothing else.  I have never been able to achieve that before, where the lights actually lit the the scene like real lights do.  A bit of playing with intensity presets and its done.  LOVE these. I might actually start to use my more modern sets a bit more with these lol.  (I also beta tested, for those who missed it in my first post)

     

    Time For Bed.png
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    Post edited by IceDragonArt on
  • KindredArtsKindredArts Posts: 1,217
    Greybro said:

    I mean this literally, since purchasing Ghost Light kit on, apart from outdoor HDRI renders, I have used it on every single render I have created and I also used it on some of those outdoor ones. So, in summation, Gohst Light Kit 2 belongs in my life.

    Well hey! Glad to see some renders rolling in, great job Greybro, i'm so glad you're enjoying the set! smiley

     

    The lighting for this is just the two lamps, nothing else.  I have never been able to achieve that before, where the lights actually lit the the scene like real lights do.  A bit of playing with intensity presets and its done.  LOVE these. I might actually start to use my more modern sets a bit more with these lol.  (I also beta tested, for those who missed it in my first post)

     

    Great work dragon! I used to opt for more open renders too, they were just less of a headache. I think GLs aptly remove those headaches in most situations now. (I am biased though).

  • GreybroGreybro Posts: 2,461

    Don't ask me why.

  • KindredArtsKindredArts Posts: 1,217
    Greybro said:

    Don't ask me why.

    Don't worry, i'll keep this between us. yes

     

  • marblemarble Posts: 7,449
    marble said:

    OK - further to that, I found that the Intensity selections have no effect on the MB unless the surfaces are selected in the Surfaces Panel. I'm pretty sure this wasn't necessary with the IGK1.

    Yes, i split it into material zones so the end user can pick and choose which surface they want to effect, and at what color/intensity. I used a rigged figure instead of different props parented to a NULL so that if the end user makes mistakes, they can simply zero out the figure in the properties panel.

    Actually, I'm findint it easier to use the Surfaces Panel rather than the presets. Perhaps that's just first impressions. I think I have a habit of using the complicated methods - like using the parameter sliders for posing rather than the translation tools.

  • RGcincyRGcincy Posts: 2,805
    edited May 2017

    I like caves, and like other interior scenes, they can be hard to light in Iray. Here is a cave scene where there are two ghost lights: a plane from the original set with 150K preset to give some general diffuse light and the flashlight set at 15,000K to give the main light. Note that there's no preset for 15,000 - you just select the flashlight, go to the Surfaces pane, select the light material, and change the emission value. EDIT: forgot to mention render time. It was 7 min 38 sec.

    I also attached a copy of the scene with the flashlight turned off so you can see its effect versus the low intensity plane ghost light.

    IGLK2 Flashlight 2a.jpg
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    IGLK2 Flashlight 2a no flashlight.jpg
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    Post edited by RGcincy on
  • IceDragonArtIceDragonArt Posts: 12,548
    RGcincy said:

    I like caves, and like other interior scenes, they can be hard to light in Iray. Here is a cave scene where there are two ghost lights: a plane from the original set with 150K preset to give some general diffuse light and the flashlight set at 15,000K to give the main light. Note that there's no preset for 15,000 - you just select the flashlight, go to the Surfaces pane, select the light material, and change the emission value.

    I also attached a copy of the scene with the flashlight turned off so you can see its effect versus the low intensity plane ghost light.

    That is really cool!

  • jardinejardine Posts: 1,190

    wow.

    that's quite a flashlight.  stylish *and* it totally rocks a cave. 

    :)

    j

     

  • pkappeteinpkappetein Posts: 506
    edited May 2017

    Probably a dumb question..

    I am playing with the props..   Are they props to use in a Scene or can you combine them with an existing item?
    Like this scene..  it already has a lantern,   and I want to have it lit up..   When I add the Prop I have too,  and making it invisible, then there is no light.
    So I need to leave it visible,  but then i have 2 lanterns showing.. the Scene one, and the Prop light one.

    Do I need to use one of the red/black objects and create a light with that?   
    I am so used to the 1st package, that all this new stuff is giving me a headache lol..     Still a lot to learn with these things :)

    q1.PNG
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    Post edited by pkappetein on
  • marblemarble Posts: 7,449

    Probably a dumb question..

    I am playing with the props..   Are they props to use in a Scene or can you combine them with an existing item.
    Like this scene..  it already has a lantern,   and I want to have it lit up..   When I add the Prop I have too,  and making it invisible, then there is no light.

    Do I need to use one of the red/black objects and create a light with that?   
    I am so used to the 1st package, that all this new stuff is giving me a headache lol..     Still a lot to learn with these things :)

    Yeah, I'm also finding the transition from the original a bit taxing. Also, my render times are a lot longer with the new lights than with the old - I'm sure I just need to get used to them though.

  • RGcincyRGcincy Posts: 2,805

    I am playing with the props..   Are they props to use in a Scene or can you combine them with an existing item.
    Like this scene..  it already has a lantern,   and I want to have it lit up..   When I add the Prop I have too,  and making it invisible, then there is no light.

    Do I need to use one of the red/black objects and create a light with that?   
    I am so used to the 1st package, that all this new stuff is giving me a headache lol..     Still a lot to learn with these things :)

    Yes, they are props to use in the scene. If you hide the prop, you'll hide the light.

    If you want to mimic the ghost light part of the prop, I would think you would put a 2-sided ghost light near your original lantern. To add the flame, add another ghost light and copy the flame surface material and paste to the new ghost light.  (I haven't done this, so don't know if it's that straight forward or not).

  • DkgooseDkgoose Posts: 1,451

    Somehow I think I missed the release of the first one, but they definitely seem useful so I think I'm going to  grab them both along with toon duckie

  • RGcincyRGcincy Posts: 2,805
    edited May 2017

    I planned to post this tomorrow but since the lantern was mentioned, here is the cave scene again, this time with the lantern prop. Lantern light is 1500 K, flame was 200 K. Render time was 22 min 24 sec. 

    IGLK2 Lantern 3.jpg
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    Post edited by RGcincy on
  • pkappeteinpkappetein Posts: 506

    Looks great that image RGcincy,  but doesn't the light look weird?  it's like lit only on 1 side, and doesn't lit all the way round?

    Seems that the light is on the left,  and the body on the right it lit up ?

     

  • pkappeteinpkappetein Posts: 506
    dkgoose said:

    Somehow I think I missed the release of the first one, but they definitely seem useful so I think I'm going to  grab them both along with toon duckie

    You don't know what your missing out on.

    The 1st one is also awesome.. and cut my render times big time..  from  2-3 hours into 10-15 min,  Even   hour ones only take 5 minutes, depending on the situation.
    I love these products.

  • RGcincyRGcincy Posts: 2,805

    Looks great that image RGcincy,  but doesn't the light look weird?  it's like lit only on 1 side, and doesn't lit all the way round?

    Seems that the light is on the left,  and the body on the right it lit up ?

    Yes, I see what you mean. I'll have to take a look at it again tomorrow. 

  • AnotherUserNameAnotherUserName Posts: 2,726

    Purchased!

    I ran across a preset for the mesh lights that dosent seem to be working. The "Apply before..." dosent seem to do anything. Sorry I cant be more helpful or specific right now, Mothers Day beckons.

    Hmm, you might have to give me a bit more information. Remember that there is a set of materials and a set of shaders, the shaders are for the modbox. If you let me know some specifics when you're back, i'd be happy to help.

    Yep. Ill check back in in the morning with more info.

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