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Creating Light Rigs in Maya

by Ed Whetstone

In this tutorial, we will learn how to set up a simple light rig to effectively highlight and show off your modeled assets. Software required: Maya 2012 and up .

What you'll learn

In this tutorial, we will learn how to set up a simple light rig to effectively highlight and show off your modeled assets. This series of lessons will walk through the absolute basics of lighting for presentation - or, simply, lighting from a non-lighter's perspective. Showcasing your work is an essential part of being a CG artist, and lighting is essential to showing off. We will talk about the absolute basics of creating and placing a light, three-point setups, methods for creating wireframe renders, and a handful of other helpful tips and techniques for artists who want a hit-the-ground-running guide to lighting. Software required: Maya 2012 and up .

About the author

Ed Whetstone is a Dallas-based CG artist, educator, and would-be filmmaker. After graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas, he started working as a lighting artist at ReelFX Creative Studios. He is currently writing and directing a nights-and-weekends short film effort, “The Sum of Parts”.

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