NXtRender Lighting Basics Tutorial

nXtRender Lighting Basics Tutorial

This Lighting Basics Tutorial will show you how to do basic lighting in nXtRender.

Contents

Lighting Basics Video

Lighting Basics Video

Lighting basic video.jpg

Watch Video
www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-u0z0XKn9k


In this Video, Daniel Hargreaves of AccuStudio will show you how to use the lighting defaults to create basic lighting conditions for nXtRender while rendering your AutoCAD drawings.

Lighting Defaults make it easy to set the lighting parameters for interior scenes, exterior scenes, or to chose studio for rendering of individual objects without having to know a lot about the details of lighting settings
Additional

Lighting Basics Tutorial

Step 1 - Download Model

  • Load the model into AutoCAD and start nXt
Crytsal-2010a model.jpg

Step 2 - Add a Ground Plane

  • Go to the Widget icon and select Groundplane.
You'll be able to put a plane under your model.
Add ground plane.jpg

Step 3 - Render with Studio Lighting

  • Click the double Down Arrow on the Lighting Tab to expand the tab.
  • There are 4 preset lighting choices - Studio, Exterior, Daylight and Interior Lighting - select Studio.
Studio Lighting.jpg

Click the green car to start the rendering.

Let it run for about 100 passes.

Notice the subtle shadows under the eaves and on the ground.

Studio preset sample - 100 passes.jpg


Step 4 - Change the lighting to exterior

This is a single source of light like the sun lets you change azimuth and altitude. We're going to stay with the default.

Click the green car and let the rendering run for about fifty passes.

Render with sun and sky.jpg


We will explore the other two settings - Interior Daylight and Interior Lighting - in another Tutorial. They work best for interior scenes with interior lights.

Step 5 - Use Model colors

Now let's explore changing the model to use model colors and studio lights


Go to the render setting, click on the double down arrow, scroll to the bottom and put a check mark nest to Use object color.


Go back to lighting, make sure studio lighting is set, and click the green car to begin the rendering process

Instead of an all-white model, nXtRender has loaded layer colors into the model. It will take more passes to get a good rendering with colors.

Let it run for about 200 passes.

Render with model colors.jpg

Notice that the background is in white. This is because the model colors respond to the lighting.


See also

nXtRender Add-ons

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