Exercise 6 · Materials, HDRI & Shadows

Project 2 · 3D Product / Logo Reveal · Week 7 · 3D Look Development · ~60 min

Practice goal: Apply Substance materials, HDRI/environment lighting, Accepts Lights and believable shadows.

Set up: Continue Ex 5's 3D scene (or a quick extruded logo + floor).

Steps

  1. Open your 3D scene (Advanced 3D renderer); ensure the logo + floor are 3D.
  2. Apply a Substance 3D material to the logo; set base color, roughness, metalness.
  3. Animate a material parameter (roughness or color) subtly for life.
  4. Add an Environment Light and load an HDRI; note the image-based reflections.
  5. Enable Accepts Lights / reflections on the logo so it responds to the environment.
  6. Add a key Light (Spot/Point) and turn on Casts Shadows.
  7. On the floor set Accepts Shadows; on the logo set Casts Shadows; dial darkness/diffusion.
  8. Balance an Ambient/fill so shadows aren't pure black.
  9. Tune reflections/highlights so the surface reads as intended (metal / plastic / glass).
  10. Grade the render (Lumetri) for a believable look; add subtle DOF if desired.
  11. Save & render.

Free tutorials & references

Done when

The 3D logo wears a Substance material lit by an HDRI environment and a key light, casting and accepting real shadows, graded to a believable look.

Files

Pittman_Ex06_MaterialsHDRI.aep → render Pittman_Ex06_MaterialsHDRI.mov · versions Pittman_Ex06_MaterialsHDRI_001.aep

This drill is your in-class activity for the week (worth 2 points) and ladders directly into the project.