Maya and Arnold: Exterior Lighting and Rendering
1h 47mIntermediate2020-11-12
Authors

George Maestri
Animation Director and Producer
Course details
Learn how to use Arnold rendering in Maya to improve your shots of architectural exteriors. Instructor George Maestri walks you through the entire process, from setting up a scene and environment to compositing the final shot in Photoshop. George provides an overview of the scene you are about to render. The course demonstrates how to set up Arnold and how to figure out where you should place your camera. Next, George explains how to add the different types of lighting that you can use in daytime shots. The course steps through how to render a daytime shot, from rendering a hero pass all the way through to your final rendering. Once the images are rendered, you can import them into Photoshop and set up the composite. After you learn about daytime shots, George walks through the process again, for nighttime shots, highlighting where the process is different.
Skills covered
Maya3D AnimationRenderingMotion Graphics and VFXAutodesk3D ModelingVisualization and Real-TimeAECProduct and ManufacturingAnimation and IllustrationDeep Dive (X:Y)
Concepts
0. Introduction
- 01 - Create realistic exterior renderings in Maya
- 02 - How to use the exercise files
1. Setting Up the Scene and Environment
- 03 - Scene overview
- 04 - Setting up Arnold
- 05 - Preliminary camera placement
2. Lighting for Daytime
- 06 - Setting up environmental lighting
- 07 - Adding sunlight
- 08 - Auxilliary lights
- 09 - Interior lighting
- 10 - Adjust lighting in the Light Editor
3. Daytime Rendering
- 11 - Rendering a hero pass
- 12 - Ambient occlusion pass
- 13 - Shadow and matte pass
- 14 - Reflection pass
- 15 - Creating a selection pass
- 16 - Final rendering
4. Compositing a Daytime Shot
- 17 - Setting up a Photoshop composite
- 18 - Adjusting shadow and occlusion
- 19 - Adding reflections
- 20 - Additional compositing tweaks
- 21 - Final output
5. Lighting for Night
- 22 - Moving lights from day to night
- 23 - Adjusting interior lighting
- 24 - Adding ceiling lights
- 25 - Adding architectural lights
- 26 - Additional lighting
- 27 - Finalizing lights
6. Night Rendering and Compositing
- 28 - Rendering final scene
- 29 - Setting up the composite
- 30 - Adjusting light and shadow
- 31 - Adjusting reflections
- 32 - Adjusting the water
- 33 - Final output
Conclusion
- 34 - Final thoughts