LogInFunSizedThought shared an experiment.
FunSizedThought, whose automated sword scabbard rig we showcased earlier, explored a technique of separating light channels to "paint" light and shadow directly onto a model. Apparently, it utilizes a black-and-white shadow mask multiplied by the red channel in the character's material. Meanwhile, the green channel controls the rim light similarly, allowing both lighting and shadows to be controlled through red and green light sources.
"It probably makes more sense on flat-shaded models than my own hand-painted ones, but if you want a way to guarantee where shadow and highlights appear, this seems easier than fussing with normals", commented the artist.
The fox featured in this video is Olivia, a lively young office worker. You can grab the rig for yourself right here.
Check her out in action below:
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