Lights and constraints

[Simon Edmondson]

I'm trying to resolve the lighting on my dancing figures.

Initially I constrained the lights to the nody null so they would follow the figure around,

That made the lights look too kinetic.

Then constrained them to aim at a null and asnimated that to follow the figures ( hand keyed on the null )

but that appears to lead to unwanted overlaps or underlaps

 

Can anyone suggest a suitable method ?

What I am after is a stage show type effect with each character being lit be a follow spot.

 

At present there are seven sets of two lights , one for each figure, and I am keying them on and off at suitable points.

Any help gratefully received

simon

[robcat2075]

Then constrained them to aim at a null and asnimated that to follow the figures ( hand keyed on the null )

but that appears to lead to unwanted overlaps or underlaps

 

 

overlaps and underlaps? You mean he's getting out of the light?

[Simon Edmondson]

Robert

Thank you for your reply.

Yes he's getting out of the light or its getting off him.

Sorry, I didn't know how else to phrase it ?

regards

simon

[robcat2075]

I think manually animating a target to generally follow the character is the right plan.

 

Generally, the wider you make the light the less closely it will have to track him and the narrower you make the light the more it will need to track him exactly. It's a trade-off in priorities.

[Simon Edmondson]

Robert.

Thank you.

I'm trying one with a kinematic lag ( while I sleep ) but, as you suggest, I think the manual way is the one to use.

Is a pain in the posterior though !

regards

simon

[robcat2075]

An untested notion I'm thinking of would be to have two or more targets constrained to the character but lagged by positive and negative amounts and then partially constraining the light to follow each one.

 

This might get a sort of averaging effect that would generally follow the character without doing so exactly.

 

Haven't tried it, however.

[Simon Edmondson]

Robert

Thank you.

That sounds a bit complex for me.

I'll post the result tomorrow after a good kip.

regards

simon

 

ps

Just posted an update on the ideas test. This one using a volumetric light.

[robcat2075]

Two more untested, not simple, ideas...

 

-Constraint the light to follow the object, then bake it. Look at the curves and delete the keyframes that are just creating brief small motions and leave in the ones that are carrying the light over a substantial distance.

 

-It may possible to create expressions that test to see if the target has moved some minimum distance before following it.

[Fuchur]

Two more untested, not simple, ideas...

 

-Constraint the light to follow the object, then bake it. Look at the curves and delete the keyframes that are just creating brief small motions and leave in the ones that are carrying the light over a substantial distance.

 

-It may possible to create expressions that test to see if the target has moved some minimum distance before following it.

 

...or use "Reduce..." by rightclicking on each channel of the movements in the PWS (for instance Transform.Translate.X, Transform.Translate.Y and Transform.Translate.Z)

You do not have to do it manually that way.

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[Simon Edmondson]

Gerald

Thank you.

I didn't know you could do that.

regards

simon

[Simon Edmondson]

Working in V17g, trying to get the lighting done, have encountered an odd problem.

 

One light seems to cancel out the other falling on a suface.

There are two active lights in the scenes both cast shadows and appear on the floor plane,

Both show up on the skirting boardsbut,

only one shows up on the wall.

If I turn off one light, the other shows up on the wall,

and vice versa,

but both together, the light fall on the wall is missing ?

 

The light on the bear is active

 

 

The light on the Boy is active

 

Both lights are active

 

Can anyone kindly suggest what the problem might be and how to correct it ?

simon

 

 

[Fuchur]

Are you using toon with single-light or with multi-light-settings?

See you

*Fuchur*

[Simon Edmondson]

Are you using toon with single-light or with multi-light-settings?

See you

*Fuchur*

Gerald.

Thank you.

I am using Toon but, where do I find the multi light option ?

regards

simon

 

edit.

Found it. Thank you

[Fuchur]

In the rendersettings if you activate "Toon Render" you can click on "Override Shading". After activating that the method is asked and there you can choose the option "Toon with multiple lights".

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[Rodney]

Also...

 

Don't forget that in realtime you might see some differences from final render.

Before you spend excessive time trying too many adjustments... render a test out to final.

[Simon Edmondson]

Rodney.

Thank you. I'm trying to correct the levels of illumination and placement. Hope to set a final render going next week or sooner. Have been checking progress overnight after each set of corrections and it seems to be working ( famous last words ).

regards

simon