LogIn"Every incident angle tells a story."
Lighting Artist Maria Yue has a lot of distinct 3D works in her portfolio, and their different moods are largely achieved through lighting – something she is a master of.
Yue doesn't want to gatekeep her knowledge, so she shared the principles of her lighting design in Unreal Engine on X/Twitter.
"I always think twice before placing each light – because every incident angle tells a story. Colour theory is my lighthouse whenever I seek the rhythm behind mood breakdowns."
Maria Yue
She also loves 90-degree angles because they deliver "the strongest and most articulate indirect light response across the scene." Moreover, semi-open spaces are her favourite as they offer "the perfect canvas to harness the strength of directional light." And a "sprinkle of local lights" enriches depth and dimension.
"A quiet trick I love: the lighting pool. A hotspot in an enclosed space lets light stretch – directly and through ambient bounce. Subtle, but transformative. It's a quiet way to let the scene breathe."
If you haven't seen Yue's works, visit her X/Twitter and ArtStation and check out this beautiful romantic environment he created together with Ana Iancu.
She also shared her workflow and tips with us several years ago.
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