Procedural Lighting Gradients

The video above is a silent walkthrough of a basic scene setup and it assumes a certain level of knowledge of modo (or any other application that this technique may apply to).
Download the video.
H.264, 30MB, 860x518, 13min.

The technique illustrated above was created by me as a cleaner and more controllable alternative to image-based lighting. Product rendering/photography for design development requires a certain degree of control on lighting and reflections; the surface details and topology must be clearly communicated by casting reflections and highlights in the right spots; also, the materials need to be understandable in a neutral context, as most of the times the images are placed on solid black or white documents. Popular rendering techniques range from image-based lighting to virtual lights plus bounce cards. Both of those methods and any variation in between are perfectly suitable and deliver good quality results, but they lack in efficiency, flexibility and consistency for the purpose of rendering for product development.
My technique uses procedural black-to-white gradients applied to the luminous output of a surface surrounding the 3D model, multiplying the luminance values to increase the dynamic range of the gradient. This brings the following advantages over other methods:

For comments and questions please refer to this Luxology forum thread or drop me a line – please no attachments, vcards or images if it's the first time you correspond with me; it's for the spam, you know.


Everything Is Under Control

Everything Is Under Control

Phytolitography device.

  • LABoral,
  • 2010.
Toys

Toys

Highlights from the 2005 bankruptcy auction of ENT International. A photographic essay.

  • Royal College of Art,
  • 2009.
playgrounds

Playgrounds

An alternative unsettling view of the modern productivity sanctuaries.

  • Royal College of Art,
  • 2009.
The City

The City

Amidst the constant rumbling noise of the HVAC systems, the other nature of corporate spaces is revealed.

  • Royal College of Art,
  • 2008.
playgrounds

Industrial Fragility

Mundane and obsolete household objects are given new importance by slight modifications of their established nature, creating a new loving tension between us and them.

  • Royal College of Art,
  • 2007.
radio

Corley's Radio

Mike Corley is a UK citizen and the author of the website five.org.uk where he keeps detailed stories on what he suspects being a campaign of harassment against him waged by the MI5, the British security service.

  • Royal College of Art,
  • 2007.
nanoPaper

nanoPaper

A paper-like bioengineered scaffold supporting the growth and preservation of skin cells.

  • Royal College of Art,
  • 2008.

Other projects I have worked on.

World Expo Shanghai Pavillion Walkways by Troika

Shanghai Expo - UK Pavillion

UK Pavillion walkways visualisation for Troika

  • Troika,
  • 2010.
Lampshade Robot

Carnivorous Domestic Entertainment Robots

Collaboration with James Auger and Jimmy Loizeau for Material Beliefs

  • Material Beliefs, Auger-Loizeau,
  • 2008.
The Shirt

The MacGuffin Library

3D model for Noam Toran and Onkar Kular's MacGuffin Library.

  • Noam Toran and Onkar Kular,
  • 2009.
Show Artwork

Disruptive Thinking

Award-winning show created for 100% Design 2009, featuring projects from recent graduates of the Royal College of Art

  • 100% Design,
  • 2009.
nok8600

Nokia 8600 "Luna"

  • Nokia Design UK,
  • 2007.
Riquadro

Riquadro

My final BA project, designed and presented in 2004. Shortlisted and exhibited for the INDEX Award in 2005

  • ISIA Roma,
  • 2004.