Got a link to a tutorial that isn't listed? Email me and I'll add it.

Please visit our latest sponsor

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of digital 3D creations so spend time learning it well

  DIGITAL LIGHTING

Status

 Version Tutorial Name Author Comments
         

Lighting Basics
         
Oct 2008 9.5 Introduction to the Spherical Light, Light Type by William "Proton" Vaughan This is a direct link to a video tutorial on Newtek's FTP server.
Oct 2008 9.5 Introduction to the Dome Light, Light Type by William "Proton" Vaughan This is a direct link to a video tutorial on Newtek's FTP server.
Oct 2008 9.5 Introduction to Headlight by William "Proton" Vaughan This is a direct link to a video tutorial on Newtek's FTP server.
Feb 2008 9.3 How to create custom shadows or have surfaces not cast shadows at all by Proton This is a direct link to a video tutorial on Newtek's FTP server.
Jan 2008 9.3 Introduction to Cookies and Gobos by Proton This is a direct link to a video tutorial on Newtek's FTP server.
Jan 2008 9.3 Introduction to Light Exclusion by Proton This is a direct link to a video tutorial on Newtek's FTP server.
Jan 2008 9.3 Creating a light flicker using Noisy Channel by Proton This is a direct link to a video tutorial on Newtek's FTP server.
Jan 2008 9.3 Introduction to Sun Spot by Proton his is a direct link to a video tutorial on Newtek's FTP server.
Jan 2008 9.3 Introduction to Negative Lights by Proton This is a direct link to a video tutorial on Newtek's FTP server.
Dec 2007 9.3 The spinning light trick and an introduction to Luxigons by Proton This is a direct link to a video tutorial on Newtek's FTP server.
Feb 2006 9.0 LightWave 9 Practical Lighting by Nicholas Boughen  
Nov 2006   Eternity Moment 3.4 OZ Eau De Parfum Lighting by MLynch  
Jan 2006 8.0 Beginning Lights and Renders by Robin Wood  
Nov 2005   Lighting to Simulate Advanced Light Features by Ethereal 3D  
Nov 2005
DOWN		 8.0 Lighting in LightWave by Adam Sanders  
Oct 2005   Reproducing Real World Light by JimHT Done in Cinema 4D but interesting
Oct 2005 8.0 Basic Daylight Setup (radiosity) by polymess On Spinquad forums
May 2005 8.0 Shadow Types by Nicholas Boughen  
May 2005
DOWN		   Image World Quick Tip Video by Newtek  
April 2005 8.0 Introduction to Lightwave 3D Lighting and Shading by Nicholas Boughen Commercial DVD from Kurv Studios
Dec 2004   Light by Itchy Animation  
Nov 2004
DOWN		 8.0 Luxigons by Newtek  
Nov 2004 8.0 LightWave Lighting Part One : Essentials by Newtek  
July 2004
DOWN		 7.5 Advanced Lighting in LightWave  by Adam Sanders  
Feb 2004   Spot Light Projection by Roy Sorenson  
Nov 2003 7.5 Putting the Light in LightWave by Kevin Schmitt  
    Lighting Controls for Computer Cinematography by Ronen Barzel  
    Lighting in LightWave by Adam Sanders  
  7.5 Lighting Essentials by Newtek Video Tutorial
June 2003 7.5 A Realistic Lighting Rig by Andy Nicholas  
Apr 2003 7.5 Textured Area Light Hack by Jim May  
DOWN 7.5 LightWave 3d 7.5 Lighting  by Nicholas Boughen This is a book available at most bookstores.
DOWN   Space Scene Lighting  by Reaperman  
DOWN   Lighting Techniques by Amaan Akram at Newtek's web site
    Lighting Tutorial Part 1- Mood Lighting  by Amaan Akram  
  General Lighting strategies in 3D at Computer Arts An overview of the basic lighting types used in 3D.
  Inspire Lighting in Inspire Peter Thomas  Also available here
  General Lighting Tutorial Andrew Weiler The basics of lighting a 3D set.
  General Digital 3D Lighting Jeremy Birn A variety of lighting concepts discussed. Also see sidebar.
  General Jeremy's Ant (Lighting in Layers) Jeremy Birn Lighting in Layers. Also see sidebar book
  General Star Trick Lighting Federation Style Aristomenis Tsirbas An overview how the lighting in Star Trek was accomplished.
  6.0 - 7.5 Tutorials for Eki's PlugPak v1.0 Erkki Halkka How to use Eki's excellent suite of lighting plugins. Recommended
    Shadows Timothy Wilson The use of area lights to create soft shadows.
    Effective Scene Lighting by Kier Darby (using the model he helps you build from Adding Detail to SpaceShips)
DOWN 7.5 3 Point Lighting and Light Layer Compositing by Policarpo  
DOWN 7.5 Lighting Tips by Kory Heinzen  
         
  5.5 + Lighting in Lightwave by Amaan Akram Explores basic lighting concepts in LightWave and its effect on surfacing.
  5.5+ Lighting Theory by Amaan Akram  
DOWN 5.5 + The studio setup, part1 Erkki Halkka A great introduction into how to set up your lighting rigs
  5.5 Visual Magic Magazine - Buckets O Light by Brian K. Drescher Overview of lighting basics
Feb  2003 7.5 G2 SSS Tutorial by Rich Helvey by Rich Helvey  
Mar 2003
DOWN		 7.5 Lighting Design with G2 by Nick Boughen  

Top of Page
Caustics
         
    Caustics Jeremy Birn  
    Underwater Caustics Christian Bode  
Down 6.0 Caustics in LightWave 6 Alcone ( Jiri Chrustawczuk) Czech Republic ( Czech Language )
         
         

Top of Page
Radiosity and Global Illumination
         
Jan 2009 9.5 Using the sIBL plugin by Matt Gorner Video
Aug 2008   Smart IBL Overview by HDRlabs Image based lighting
Apr 26 9.6 Lightwave 9.6 Radiosity Guide by Tom Bosschaert  
Aug 2008 9.5 LightWave 9.5 Radiosity Guide by Tom Bosschaert  
Mar 2008 9.2 Understanding Radiosity by Tom Bosschaert  
Mar 2008 9.2 Understanding Radiosity (German) by Tom Bosschaert German translation by Michael Jabbour
Mar 2008 8.2 LightScape to LightWave workflow by Tom Bosschaert  
Mar 2008 8.5 Anatomy of a Radiosity Scene by Michael Jabbour  
May 2007 9.2 Except Design Lightwave Radiosity Tutorial by Except Design  
May 2007 9.0 Ultra Fast Radiosity  by Tesselator  
Feb 2007   Radiance Effect with Gradients BY GERARDO ESTRADA  
Feb 2007
DOWN		 8.0 Efecto de Irradiación con Gradientes by Gerardo Estrada Spanish (Radiance Effect with Gradients)
Feb 2007
DOWN		 8.0 Reflexiones Suaves by Gerardo Estrada Spanish (Faster Soft Reflections)
Feb 2007
DOWN		 8.0 Efecto de Refracción en Tiempo Real by Gerardo Estrada Spanish (Refraction Effect in Real Time)
Feb 2007
DOWN		 8.0 Sombras de Oclusión Ambiental by Gerardo Estrada Spanish (Ambient Occlusion Shadows)
Nov 2006   Tone Mapping Trick by gerardstrada  
Oct 2006   The Translight Lighting Method HDRI-Dome Quality At Blazingly Fast Speeds. by Timothy Albee  
Sep 2006   SACHFORM   High Dynamic Range Imagery
July 2006   HDRI Information by Keith Bruns  
June 2006 8.0 Bouncelights effect with Gradients by Gerardo  
Nov 2005
 8.0 Luxidomes by Benjamin Chapé  
Nov 2005   HDRI by "Writer"  
Oct 2005 8.0 HDRI in Lightwave by Jay Weston  
Oct 2005
DOWN		 8.0 Fake Radiosity by Doncha Magoso  
Sept 2005 7.35 Lighting an Interior by evermotion.org Look at the very bottom of the page. It is a video with no sound.  Just follow along.
Aug 2005
DOWN		   l'Illumination Global / HDRI by DMI French tutorial on Global Illumination and HDRI (Half way down the page)
Aug 2005   Tutorial Using Ambient Occlusion by Matt Gorner  
July 2005  8.0 Técnicas de iluminación by Gerardo Estrada Spanish
May 2005 8.0 Lightscape to Lightwave tutorial by Tom Bosschaert  
Feb 2005 8.0 Lightscape to Lightwave by Tom  
Feb 2005 8.0 Creating HDRI Skydomes by Christian Bauer  
Oct 2004    Bouncelights effect with Gradients by Gerardo Estrada Lighting without using lights - just gradients in the surfacing
Feb 2007
DOWN		   Técnica Experimental: Efecto de Nubes Volumétricas con Gradientes by Gerardo Estrada Spanish (Bouncelights effects with Gradients)
Aug 2004
DOWN		   A Faster Lightdome by Ethanger on LW3D forums
Aug 2004   Noir.org - What is gMil by Isham Padron  
Aug 2004
DOWN		 8.0 High Dynamic Range Images - Part 2 by David Todman  
July 2004
DOWN		 7.5 Using HDRI images to Light a Scene   by Matt Raithel  
June 2003   High Dynamic Range - Raytracing to Reality by David Todman  
June 2004  7.5 Creating HDRI LightProbes in LightWave by Punmaster  
March 2004   Fake GI Rig by Marlon Regien by Marlon Regien  
DOWN   A realistic Lighting Rig by Andy  Nickolas  
  General HDRIMaps.com   a new creative source for HDRI image collections on the web
  6.0 Radiosity with LightWave 6 by Can Tuncer  
  7.5 Global Illumination Compositing by Alex Pavlovic  
DOWN 7.5 Luxidomes by Benjamin Chape  
  7.5 HDRI by The Writer  
  7.5 backgrounds and hdri by dbki.org  
  7.5 Render Better by Radiosity.com or try here Down
  7.5 Ekki's PlugPak 2.0 by Erkki Halkka Radiosity like lighting and much more without the rendering hit.  This is a set of plugins.
  7.5 proper hdri lighting by dbki by dbki  
DOWN   Radiosity for Animation by Marc Hermitte  
DOWN 7.0 - 7.5 LightWave Full Precision Renderer Kenneth Woodruff  
    Faking Radiosity Jamie Busby  
  7.0 - 7.5 What is gMil by Isham Padron  
DOWN   Global Illumination: Skydomes in 6.0 Brad Peebler  
    Radiosity Explained Hugo Elias  
    Lightwave and Image-Based Lighting Eliza Ra  
    HRDI and Luminance Space Trinisica  
    HDR Shop Home by Debevec Program needed to manipulate HDR images
    CG Techniques.com   Lots of HDRI lighting tutorials here.
    Faking Global Illumination Erkki Halkka  
    Soft Shadows with Light Arrays Tim Wilson  
    The Amazing Spinning Light Trick Dave Jerrard Recommended This is a lighting trick that everyone should know.

 

   Creating HDR Probes from Terregen Marko Dabrovic  
DOWN   Radiosity Tutorial Phaedrus  
         

Top of Page
Volumetrics
         
Jan 2008 9.3 Introduction to Volumetric Lighting by Proton This is a direct link to a video tutorial on Newtek's FTP server.
Jan 2008 9.3 Great Balls of fire tutorial Volumetric Lighting by Pnevai  
         
         

Top of Page

 

 

 

Website may not be copied or redistributed without the express written consent of Scott Cameron.
All content associated with any link mentioned on these pages are copyright their respective owners.
LightWave 3D is a registered trade mark of Newtek Inc.
Website design by Scott Cameron. Copyright 2002, Scott Cameron.
Contact Scott Cameron at lightwavetutorials@shaw.ca