See How Real-World Locations Shaped These 3D Lighting Projects

Recently, we featured a nice breakdown from Principal Lighting Artist Maria Yue, where she discussed her lighting design process, covering color theory, angles, and other methods she often applies. Now, Maria has gone deeper into her approach, offering a comparison between real-world locations she's visited, her lighting projects, and atmospheric lighting data.

"Exterior lighting is a system where Directional and Sky Light work together like a choir. I love beginning with neutral fog, let the light blend quietly", commented Maria. She also showcased her fog study project in Unreal Engine 4, inspired by her everyday observations of British weather and various films:

Last year, we had the chance to talk with Maria about this beautiful painterly environment she worked on with Ana Iancu:

Visit Maria's ArtStation page for more, and if you're looking to get started with lighting or elevate your skills, we have a fantastic article on the science of lighting for digital artists, focusing on its use in Unreal Engine, written by Arthur Tasquin, and a follow-up on his PBL Database tool.

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